“Hi, Soraya…what’s wrong?” I paused for dramatic effect. “Calm down. Tell me what’s wrong.”
The giggles behind me immediately dwindled to silence.
Soraya (one name only) was one of the biggest influencers on the planet. Famous for her chatty vlogs, sexy outfits, and striking good looks, she had over 150 million followers across her platforms, and they were rabid. As in, someone once paid two thousand dollars for a napkin she’d used at the Met Gala.
Anything she did was news, and any scandal she was involved in was big news.
“No, listen to me. You can’t go to his house. He’s married.” I lowered my voice enough to make eavesdroppers think I was discussing confidential matters but not enough that they couldn’t hear me. “If people find out you and Bryce…” I walked away, suppressing a smile at the cliff-hanger I’d dangled in front of Tilly and Co.
Bryce was another influencer with a rabid fanbase. He’d recently gotten married in a splashy wedding, every second of which was documented on his YouTube channel, but there’d been rumors about him and Soraya for years.
My friends had stoked those rumors through various channels leading back to Perry, and it was only a matter of minutes before “confirmation” of Bryce’s alleged affair with Soraya reached the blogger’s ears.
A rational person would ask why an experienced publicist would discuss sensitive client matters in the middle of the season’s biggest party, but Tilly and her friends didn’t care about logic. They simply wanted drama and gossip.
I’d done my part. Now I just had to sit back and watch Perry take the bait.
Since my work for the night was finished, I did a quick lap around the room to say hi to clients and important players before meeting up with Vivian. Xavier and I had agreed to reconvene at the bar when we were done with our tasks; since he wasn’t there, I assumed he was still talking to Dante.
“Great party, as usual,” I said, handing Vivian a glass of champagne. She was the city’s most coveted luxury-event planner, so I hadn’t expected anything less. “You outdid yourself.”
“Thanks.” She smiled, faint lines of exhaustion fanning across her face. Nevertheless, she glowed in a red gown and jewels that would make the late queen of England jealous. “I’m just glad the planning is over and done with. Remind me never to host a gala months after giving birth again. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Vivian and Dante could afford plenty of help with Josie, but they preferred to be more hands-on with the parenting. I didn’t understand it, but I didn’t have a kid, so what did I know?
“Done,” I said. I glanced around the room. “Where’s Isa and Ále?”
“Isa and Kai disappeared somewhere. I figured it was better not to ask. Ále wasn’t feeling well, so Dom took her home early.”
“By not feeling well…”
Vivian arched a perfectly shaped brow. “Right,” I said with a small smirk.
Good for them.
Alessandra and Dominic’s marriage had gone through a long rocky stretch due to Dominic’s workaholism and neglect. They even briefly divorced last year after he missed a major anniversary, but after some time apart and major remorse and lifestyle changes on his part, they’d worked things out and were stronger than ever. “Speaking of couples…” Vivian glanced over my shoulder.
“Incoming.”
My pulse tripped when a warm hand rested on the small of my back. I didn’t have to look to know who it was. The shape and feel of Xavier’s touch was so ingrained in me, I could pick it out while blindfolded.
“Hey, Vivian,” he said easily. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but do you mind if I steal Sloane away for a minute?”
“Not at all.” Her eyes glinted with amusement. “I assume my husband is now free to talk?”
He responded with a grin that was all charm and a hint of bashfulness. “He’s all yours. Sorry for hogging him all evening. We had quite a lot to discuss.”
“I imagine you did.” Vivian winked at me on her way past. “Enjoy the rest of the party.”
“You are such a kiss-ass,” I said when she left.
“Me?” Xavier placed a hand over his heart. “I prefer to think of it as being charming.”
“A charming kiss-ass.”
“I’m simply trying to ingratiate myself with your friends,” he said. “Unfortunately, Alessandra left before I could work my magic on her, and I’m not sure where Isabella went. I think Vivian likes me though.”
“Not after you monopolized Dante’s attention all evening,” I quipped, swallowing a bubble of laughter. “Speaking of which, how did the conversation with him go?”
“It went.” Some of Xavier’s good humor slipped. “He was vague about why my father named him in his will. Just said that they respected each other as businessmen, and my father trusted his judgment. He did give me an earful about the time I got Luca arrested though.”
“So he didn’t answer,” I surmised. “Basically.”
It wasn’t like Dante to be so evasive. Perhaps he didn’t know why Alberto had put him on the committee either.
I would ask Vivian to do some digging for us—if Dante was honest with anyone, it was his wife—but this wasn’t her problem, and she was busy enough with Josie and work. I didn’t want to add to her plate.
“I guess it doesn’t really matter except to slake my curiosity. He’s a judge whether or not I know the reason,” Xavier said. “How did your talk with Kai go?”
I filled him in as we meandered toward the exit. We hadn’t planned on leaving early, but Vivian and Dante were busy entertaining guests, and an unspoken understanding drew us away from the crowd and into the quiet hall next to the ballroom.
“So it went a lot better than mine,” Xavier quipped when I finished. “You think he’ll say yes?”
“I’m ninety percent sure he will.” Kai was a businessman, and my proposal made perfect business sense.
However, my Perry plan wasn’t the takeaway from that conversation.
The blog post about you in Spain. He reached out after it was posted and asked if I could throttle its reach.
