they’d gone out only on a couple of impromptu dates. Is that what she would remember about their time together? “Georgie—”
“Welcome.” Kelvin Fisher strode into the room the way a king might, but less aloof. His smile was hearty and genuine as he shook Travis’s hand. The head of the network was younger than Travis thought, midway through his thirties and radiating energy. “Travis Ford,” Kelvin said. “I’m a huge fan.”
Travis nodded. “Thank you.” He lifted an arm and Georgie slid under it like she belonged there. Fuck. It felt like she did. “This is Georgie Castle.” Travis stopped short of calling her his girlfriend and wished like hell he’d staked that claim when Kelvin kissed her hand, smiling over it while she blushed.
“I’ve seen you in the papers. Have to say we all enjoyed reading the reporter’s account of you swooping in to shut down that man in the bar. Well done.” He tilted his head. “I’m not sure I’ve ever met a professional clown. Do you have any tricks up your sleeve for tonight?”
Georgie gave a ladylike shrug, taking her hand back so she could make a coin appear from behind Kelvin’s ear. “It’s not my best work, but you caught me on a night off.”
Kelvin’s laugh echoed off the many marble surfaces in the entry. Georgie grinned back.
Travis wished he’d kissed her one more time in the limo. “Let me guess. Donny is off somewhere taking an important call.”
“Sports agents,” Kelvin said, finally managing to drag his attention away from Georgie. “Can’t live with ’em . . .”
“Can’t sign a deal worth a damn without them,” Donny said, swaggering into the room in a cream-colored suit. “Let’s see if we can manage it tonight, huh, boys?”
Travis was forced to let go of Georgie to give Donny a back-slapping hug, but he really didn’t want to. As soon as it was over, he urged her back up against his side as they followed Kelvin through the living room to the terrace. “We’ll be dining alfresco tonight. I hope that’s okay,” Kelvin said, nodding to two women in aprons who immediately disappeared from sight. “I spent last summer on the Amalfi Coast and now I’m subjecting everyone in my life to Italian culture.”
“There are definitely worse things,” Georgie said, once again starry-eyed over their surroundings. And yeah, once again, Travis had to admit the atmosphere was pretty amazing. Evening was fading from the sky and candles were lit and flickering on every available surface. A low chandelier hung over an ornate antique table decorated with white and yellow flowers.
“Georgie,” Kelvin said smoothly, signaling yet another member of his staff. “Can I offer you a glass of wine?”
“Sure, I—”
A small female child burst out through the back door onto the patio, throwing herself at Kelvin’s legs. “Dada! I’m not tired.”
Obviously not expecting the intrusion, Kelvin twisted awkwardly, trying to see the girl wrapped around his legs. “You have to be tired. We rode bikes. Built a fort. Everything we did today was designed to make you tired.” He gave an awkward laugh. “We talked about this. I have a meeting tonight. Tomorrow morning, I’m all yours.”
“It’s cold in my room.”
“We can adjust the temperature.”
She peeked through his legs. “Who are they?”
Instead of answering, Kelvin turned to the woman pouring wine and communicated Help me with his eyes. The woman stopped what she was doing and rushed over, wrapping an arm around the little girl’s middle and attempting to lift her. Which of course made the child scream.
Kelvin massaged the center of his forehead and offered them an apologetic smile. “It wasn’t supposed to be my week, but something came up for my ex.” His smile dropped as his daughter started to wail in earnest. “Bedtime is always an adventure.”
Georgie moved away from Travis, skirting past the ornate table to kneel in front of the child. “Hi. I’m Georgie. What’s your name?”
The girl scrubbed at her eye with a chubby fist. “Madison.”
“Do you want to see something cool?”
No hesitation. “Yes.”
Travis watched spellbound as Georgie snagged three lemons from the centerpiece and started juggling them. “Okay, Madison. You have to help me. Clap your hands so I don’t drop them.”
The girl slid out from behind her father slowly, tears beginning to dry.
“I can’t keep it up . . . my arms are getting weak . . .”
Kelvin crouched down next to Madison and clapped, finally giving the girl the push she needed to join in. Within seconds, the little girl was laughing,