“Are you kidding? I got to go to the game today, and Gavin got me a ball signed by every member of the team, plus Mick took me down right after the game to hang out with the guys in the locker room. And they won. Best birthday present ever.”
She leaned against him. “I’m glad. I was worried.”
He shoved into her. “You worry too much.”
“Probably.”
“I’m going to find my friends. See you later?”
She nodded, realizing how easy he was to please, and how lucky she was to have a son like him. “Later.”
She watched him walk away, realizing how fast he was growing up. Time was so fleeting. Nathan sat at a table with Mick’s cousins, his laughter ringing out and so easily discernible even over this noisy crowd. God, she loved her son so much.
“It’s beautiful, Tara. Breathtaking. Thank you.” Kathleen came up to her and hugged her, her eyes filled with tears.
“You did good, girlie,” Jimmy said, grabbing her into a bear hug. “You made Kathleen cry happy tears.”
Tara laughed. “Jenna helped me out with photos of your wedding. You were such a beautiful bride, Kathleen. And you look just as lovely today.”
Kathleen’s cheeks turned pink. “Now don’t be silly. I’m a little older.”
“But still as sexy as the day I married you,” Jimmy said, sweeping Kathleen up in his arms and planting one hot kiss on his wife.
Tara made a discreet exit as Jimmy took his wife out onto the dance floor. The band struck up and started playing some rocking seventies music, which got most of the crowd boogying their way onto the dance floor.
Tara made her way over to the bar where she naturally found Jenna, who seemed out of sorts standing on the other side of it. But Kathleen had insisted her daughter not work tonight and instead enjoy the festivities.
“Don’t know what to do with yourself?”
“No. And she made me wear a damn dress.”
“You look incredible. The dress is beautiful on you.” A summery silk dress that fit Jenna’s slender body so well, it was a multiple print halter that showed off some of Jenna’s tattoos. She’d even worn heels.
Jenna wrinkled her nose. “I suppose it’s okay to dress like a girl now and then. Hard to fend off my idiot brothers if they want to play tackle football though.”
“I doubt they’ll do that tonight. I think you’re safe.”
She laughed. “You’re probably right.”
“And you might want to dance.”
Jenna shrugged. “Doubtful. I’d rather be flipping the tops off beers.”
“So no guy has caught your eye?”
“I get my fill of these moronic, beer-swilling jocks at the bar. Don’t need to dance with any of the brainless twits.”
Tara could tell Jenna had no love for any of Mick’s or Gavin’s friends.
“Anyway,” Jenna said, lifting her glass of wine to Tara. “Success. You did it.”
Tara nodded. “It looks that way. And you did a lot of the work, too.”
Jenna waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “I did nothing but toss you the guest list, some pictures, and suggest a few spots that could hold this crazy crowd.” Jenna turned to her. “You’re really good at this.”
Tara laughed. “Thanks, Jenna. I do love my job.”
“Maybe there’s hope for my brother yet. I was beginning to wonder, since all he ever dates are bimbos.”
“I think those were mostly public relations setups.”
Jenna took a sip of her wine. “Uh-huh. That what he told you?”
Tara turned to her. “Yes.”
“Well,” Jenna said with a wry grin. “Okay then.”
Tara pondered Jenna’s comments after Jenna had slipped away to talk to her mother, wondering what she’d meant by them. Had Mick’s relationships with some of the women he’d been photographed with been more than just photo ops and public relations stunts?
She knew he had a reputation as a bad boy lady-killer, but assumed that was all PR, too.
Maybe not.
“Nice party. You do good work.”
Elizabeth Darnell. The perfect person to ask that question of, since she was Mick’s agent, but no way could she, or would she, ask.
“Thank you. You look beautiful. Not working tonight?”
Elizabeth arched a perfect brow. “Now why would you ask that?”
“You’re in a dress, not a suit.”
Elizabeth laughed. “I’m always working, honey, no matter what I wear. I just have to dress to suit the occasion.”
And Elizabeth was dressed impeccably in a tightly fitting black strapless cocktail dress that wrapped around her incredible body, and designer shoes with shiny crystals across the straps that called attention to Elizabeth’s perfectly manicured toes and exceptional legs. “So you’re meeting clients, then?”
“Mick and Gavin are my clients, as well as a couple other men in attendance here.”
“Gavin isn’t really just a client for you, though, is he?”
Tara read the shock in Elizabeth’s eyes, but she masked it right away. “I don’t know what you’re implying.”
“Oh, I saw the way you looked at him at his birthday party. You have a thing for him.”
“Gavin is my client. I treat all my clients like they’re special.”
“I’m sure you do. But the way you look at Gavin is different.”
“I don’t look at him any special way. What are you talking about?”
Her normally cool demeanor was ruffled, Tara could tell. She was wondering what it would take to knock some of the ice chips from Liz’s heart. Maybe she wasn’t as cold as Tara thought.
Tara shrugged. “I’m a woman. I see things.”
Elizabeth crossed her arms. “What things?”
“The warmth in your eyes when you look at him. A certain yearning. It’s not there when you look at other men.”
Now there was fear in her eyes. If Tara didn’t think Elizabeth was a giant pain in the ass, she’d almost feel sorry for her.
Almost.
“You’re imagining things, Tara. Gavin is a great client who makes me a ton of money. You know what you see in my eyes when I look at him? Dollar signs. I do whatever it takes to make my players happy.”