She knows what he means, though. In the weeks leading up to the party, she’s a mess. But the day of setup means they’re almost there. It means she can shine. But it doesn’t mean she’s done. Despite her interns, she’d never dream of letting them handle the rest. If she’s not down in the shit with them, how can she expect them to put in their best team effort?
“Watch this,” Lacey says with a wild grin.
“Oh, Jesus.” Seth groan-laughs as she pulls out a wireless microphone.
Recognizing her signal, the eager-eyed interns circle her.
She loves this part. She gets to take charge. Make her clients happy. Work her magic.
“Okay, everyone,” she says into the mic. “Thank you for being here today. I know this can get stressful, but we’ll get it done and we’ll do it right. You understand me? I am here and you come to me if you need help.”
A chorus of nods, even Seth’s nodding, his blue eyes flickering with something she can’t quite place. Pride? Awe?
She claps her hands together. “Let’s put in your best effort. That’s all that matters.”
With that, the interns and workers disperse. Autumn, who’s shown up, halfheartedly stands around watching with a bored stare.
Meeting Lacey’s eyes briefly, Seth gives a grin and a lazy salute and lopes off to help.
She watches him go, then inhales a breath.
Pull it together and get to work, Sutton.
The day passes in a frenzied flurry. Lacey dealing with AV techs, the musicians, setting up the llama lounge in the stone motor court. Before she knows it, the morning sunlight has turned to cool-blue noon, then a golden almost-sunset glow.
Every so often, her eyes seek Seth, who’s busting his ass like he’s another one of the interns. But he’s not. He’s Seth Kincaid, country superstar. He left his band for her, is missing tonight’s gig, and is instead schlepping around flower buckets. She bites her lip, trying to rein in her heart. She’s never been so grateful to him.
Ugh. She’s being ridiculous. He’s had two dinners in her home and already she wants him to stay.
As she’s giving the space one last walk-through before the party, she spies an errant feather loose at the top of the step-and-repeat. She grabs a ladder and climbs up, pulling a pin from her pocket.
Once again, her thoughts drift to Seth. To the talk that awaits tonight. She can’t ignore it anymore. Seth appearing in LA stirred an ache in her, one she’s been trying to ice over, deny.
She wants him.
Definitely sex, and maybe, possibly, more than that.
But they were friends first. If they go farther, will it ruin everything? Most importantly, will it hurt Sal? Because of her memory loss, of living a life with Roy Williams that was all a lie, Sal treasures the truth. Fiercely. If she finds out Lacey and Seth have been sneaking around for the last three years ...
Stretching up to pin the feather, Lacey swears between clenched teeth as her stomach twinges. She glances down, placing a hand on her bandage. It’s tender.
“Hey, hey, hey ...”
Lacey blinks, startled by the urgent voice. By the warm palm gently pressing against the small of her back.
She looks down.
Seth stares up at her with an odd expression.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“You’re on a ladder, Lace.”
“Oh,” she says dumbly, realizing her mistake. Her face flushes, goes hotter than hot. For once, she doesn’t have a snide retort. “Oops. Old habit.”
“It’s okay,” he says softly, extending a hand to help her down. She leans against him, his palm still on her back, his eyes locked on hers. “You be careful.”
Her heart’s in her throat. The way he says it ...