Year of Living Blonde (Sweet Life in Seattle, Book 1) (51 page)

Lindsay laughs. “Oh, it has, believe me.”

He looks around for Natalie and when he sees her coming down the stairs his chest tightens. She looks beautiful and sexy, basically every man’s dream.
But the lady’s with me.
He’d been viewing this whole evening as a chore, but having Natalie at his side is going to make it far more bearable.

When she sees him a smile breaks out on her pretty face and Anthony can’t stop himself from smiling, too. He relaxes. Everything about Natalie makes him happy. Maybe this night will be all right, after all.

Her dress is light blue and when she comes closer he sees it matches her eyes. She looks stunning. Not to mention the way it shows off every curve.

“I approve, Miss Natalie.”

“Do you?” she smiles.

He leans closer. “You look dazzlingly beautiful.”

She meets his eyes and he’s glad to see she believes his compliments now. There’s no hesitation on her part at all.

Natalie steps back and takes him in, too. He’s wearing a black Armani tux, a crisp white shirt, and a black bow tie, his dark wavy hair tamed with gel. Her eyes roam from head to toe and then settle on his face.

“I guess you look okay.” A teasing smile plays on her mouth.

“Now, don’t hurt yourself with the compliments.”

Natalie’s expression softens and she steps close to cradle his face with those cool fingers. “I think you look beautiful, too.”

“Thank you.” Oddly, there’s real pleasure at her words.

The two of them gaze at each other. It’s only been a week, but it feels like a long time. Anthony wishes he could pull her into his arms and kiss her until they’re breathless. It’ll have to wait until later, though.

Before they leave, Natalie heads back upstairs to grab her wrap, and Anthony reaches into the front pocket of his jacket to give Lindsay a couple extra tickets for the afterparty. “I hope you and Oliver are coming. I know Natalie really wants you there.”

“Take good care of my sister tonight,” Lindsay says, closing up a tackle box. “Or you’ll be answering to me.”

“Of course.” Anthony is surprised at her tone. “I plan to take excellent care of her.”

Lindsay nods, her brown eyes studying him. “Actually, now that I see you two together I feel a whole lot better.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve got it
bad,
don’t you?”

He doesn’t even bother pretending he’s confused by her words. “Yes, I do.” He sighs. “Very bad.”

Lindsay breaks out into a smile and pats his arm. “Trust me, Anthony, she’s worth it. You won’t be sorry.”

They arrive at the convention center and the place is packed with cars and people all over the streets. There are big white news vans with cameras attached. Reporters who look like paparazzi. It’s basically a circus.

“There’s literally a red carpet!” Natalie squeals. “Are you seeing this, Anthony?”

“Yeah, I see it.”

They walk down the red carpet together, cameras clicking away. Natalie’s forehead and underarms are sweating. She feels like a movie star. When they get to the door, somebody is alerted and they’re escorted to a large ballroom. As a nominee, Anthony is given a special red pin to wear on his jacket.

“You’re sitting at the governor’s table, Dr. Novello,” their escort tells them.

The governor’s table?
Natalie feels like she’s going to faint.

“Did you know about this?” she asks.

Anthony nods. “We’re VIPs tonight, Miss Natalie.”

She studies his handsome face. He’s smiling at her, but it isn’t quite right. The smile looks forced and she suspects Anthony would rather be hanging out with a telescope in his backyard or writing equations on a whiteboard—anywhere but here.

Reaching down, she takes his hand in hers and for a moment his face eases. “It’s okay to be nervous. Anybody would be.”

He squeezes her hand. “I’m glad you’re here. It helps.”

After that Natalie puts on her best public face as she finds herself introduced as “Dr. Novello’s girlfriend” to the governor and her husband, the mayor and his wife, the dean of the university, and a dozen more people with important-sounding job titles. Rick—the friend of Anthony’s whose house she went to for her first star party—is there. Turns out he’s head of the Astronomy Department.

“I didn’t even recognize you,” Natalie tells him. “I only know what you look like in the dark.”

He grins. “I get that a lot.”

Anthony and Natalie are pulled into one conversation after another. There’s plenty of small talk and as usual, most people are delighted when they find out she’s a pastry chef, since almost everyone loves sweets. She manages to talk about La Dolce Vita a bit and people are enthusiastic about stopping by.

Of course, most of the women are gawking at Anthony, though they try to hide it. A few make comments to her about how lucky she is. Natalie just smiles politely in agreement. In truth, she’s been ogling him herself every chance she gets.

What’s strange is a lot of the men are staring too, but at
her.
Since her makeover, she’s gotten far more male attention than she used to, but this is the most yet. She feels confident and sexy, and wonders if that has more to do with it than anything. Every time she glances at the mayor, his eyes are on her. She can’t wait to tell Lindsay, who will for sure get a kick out of it.

The Mayor of Seattle was checking me out all night!

After a while, all the niceties start to wear on her. The sea of well-clad bodies, the air thick with perfume, sweat, and alcohol. Natalie’s cheeks ache from all the smiling and to make matters worse, she’s on her own. The nominees have all been pulled away into some special pre-ceremony meeting.

Natalie wanders around, admiring the opulence. The decorations have a baroque theme, which she enjoys, but seems surprising considering it’s an award banquet for scientists. She would have expected something more modern. Eventually, she makes her way over to the bar and gets another glass of wine, since she misplaced her first one.

And that’s when she sees him across the room.

Peter.

It’s been ages since they’ve seen each other in person, not since the divorce. They talk on the phone about Chloe occasionally, but even that’s become more infrequent.

Despite everything that’s happened, Peter still looks endearingly familiar. The way his dark suit hangs on his lanky frame and the finicky set of his shoulders brings to mind all the years they shared. Maybe it’s because he was her first love, or because he reminds her so much of Chloe, but she knows there will always be a tiny place in her heart for him.

Peter’s blond head is tilted to the side as he talks to someone, and there’s a bitter taste in her mouth when she sees it’s Lena. Even from this distance, Natalie can’t help but notice that Lena is striking. Deeply tan with long golden hair. She’s wearing a strapless red dress that showcases her spectacular arms. Her shoulders are too muscular though—like a linebacker.

Natalie stands still, watching them both.

Then to her surprise, Peter and Lena are walking toward her.
Did they see me?
The convention center is large and crowded, but they seem to be headed directly her way.

Natalie braces herself. She ignores Lena and concentrates on Peter. When he’s almost up to her, she swallows and then speaks.

“Hello,” she says, trying to be pleasant.

Peter nods and smiles briefly, but he and Lena continue to walk past.

Huh?

Natalie whirls around. “Peter?”

This stops him. He turns. Searches.

“Right here, hello?” She gives a small wave.

He walks back toward her with a polite smile. “Hello, there!” He’s using his enthusiastic dentist’s voice.

“Peter, it’s me.”

“Yes?” He’s still smiling politely and that’s when she realizes the truth.

He doesn’t know who I am.

“It’s me, Natalie.”

Peter’s smile falters. He looks into her eyes, and she sees the moment when truth and recognition collide.

“
Natalie?
” his voice sounds as high-pitched as Mickey Mouse.

“Yes.” She nods. “It’s been a while.”

His brows slam together and his mouth drops open. All the color drains from his face and he looks disturbingly pale.

“Peter, are you okay?” She puts her wine glass down.

His eyes are galloping all over her now, her body and face, back and forth.

“
What happened to you?
” he sputters, still sounding like Mickey. “I didn’t even recognize you!”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” she says coolly, though he’s already talking over her.

“Your hair and your
body.
And your face. My God, you’re wearing makeup!” He stares at her feet. “And high-heeled shoes!”

Natalie glances down at her gold peep-toe sling-backs. “So I am.”

Peter is shaking his head. “What did you do to yourself? You look like a completely different person!”

“I wouldn’t go that far. I lost some weight and lightened my hair. That’s about it.”

“I can’t believe it.” He’s still staring at her. “You’re . . . You’re beautiful,” he stammers.

Natalie’s eyes widen. Fourteen years of marriage and those words never crossed his lips, not even once. “Thank you.”

She glances over at Lena, who is standing beside Peter with a scowl, though he appears to have forgotten she’s even there.

In contrast, Peter is now smiling. The color is back in his face. “Really, Nat, you look incredible. What a change!”

Natalie nods and knows she should be relishing this moment, and she is. He cheated on her. Dumped her for another woman.
But guess what, Peter? I didn’t curl up and die.

“Bravo,” Lena says, suddenly wearing a fake smile. “I’m so happy to see you followed my advice and got back on track with your life.”

Natalie bristles and decides the best thing is to ignore her.

Peter is talking animatedly. “Obviously it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. I had no idea all these changes were going on. Chloe never said a word! And here we are running into each other at this science banquet, of all places.”

“What are you two doing here?” Natalie asks.

“I’m not even sure.” Peter laughs and rolls his eyes. “Lena somehow managed to get tickets. She was so desperate to come to this thing, you wouldn’t believe. It was downright comical.” He turns to Lena. “Wouldn’t you say?”

Lena doesn’t seem to appreciate his humor though. “It’s a major event,” she says in a tight voice. “As a life coach, I need to be here for my clients.”

“You have clients here?” Natalie asks.

“No, of course not,” Peter answers for her. “Her brother’s wife’s decorator or somebody managed to get her some tickets. Though you wouldn’t believe how much we had to shell out for them. Crazy.”

Lena’s eyes flicker with annoyance. “It’s important that I be seen here, so I consider it a business expense.”

Peter nods, but clearly isn’t buying it.

“What are
you
doing here?” Lena asks her. “I have to admit I’m surprised.”

“Oh, I’m here with my boyfriend.”

“Ah, yes.” Lena’s smile turns condescending. “Good for you, Natalie. I was so happy when I heard you were dating someone. That you’d opened your heart to new possibilities. I understand he’s an elderly gentleman? Some kind of professor? It’s nice that you finally found someone on your
level,
” she pauses to let the insult sink in, “and it’s very nice that he was able to get you both tickets to such an important event.”

“Where is this professor of yours, anyway?” Peter asks, looking around. “Chloe’s mentioned him a little. I’d like to meet him.”

Natalie glances around too. “He should be out soon. I’m not sure where—” Suddenly, she sees Anthony headed her way and waves to him. “He’s right there.”

Peter and Lena are both turned in Anthony’s direction. “I don’t see him,” Peter says still searching.

Lena has stopped searching though and can’t take her eyes off Anthony, who looks like a handsome billionaire playboy on his way back from winning at the poker tables.

“There you are!” Anthony comes up and slips his arm around Natalie’s waist. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“I ran into someone I know,” she tells him. “This is Peter, my ex-husband, and his girlfriend, Lena.”

“Oh?” Anthony stiffens beside her and there’s a stunned expression on his face. Though, it’s nowhere near as stunned as the expressions on Peter and Lena’s faces.

“This is my boyfriend,” she says casually. “Anthony Novello.”

They’re both silent.

If I go to hell for enjoying this so much, it’s worth every year of my eternal damnation.

Anthony recovers first. “Nice to meet you.” He puts his hand out to Peter.

“Same here,” Peter mumbles as they shake hands, though it’s clear he hasn’t recovered.

Lena quickly puts her hand out to Anthony. “Fiancée,” she says when they grasp hands.

“Sorry?”

“I’m Peter’s fiancée, not his girlfriend. Natalie misspoke.” Lena still has Anthony’s hand in a death grip and eventually he manages to extricate himself.

“Well,” Peter says, taking a deep breath. He tries to smile, though it looks more like a grimace. “Somehow we got the wrong impression. You’re Natalie’s boyfriend then? The professor?” His tone indicates he’s still hoping there’s some kind of misunderstanding.