Man's Best Friend (The Dogmothers #5) - Roxanne St. Claire Page 0,102
looking quite dapper,” Declan said when he reached Max.
“We both are,” he said, his eyes looking suspiciously damp as he scanned the scene below. “And will you look at this affair?”
Declan stood next to him and looked out over the large entry as more people filled it and spilled into the dining room and parlor on either side. Dresses swooshed in every imaginable color, an array of fashions from eras gone by, while waiters in footman’s outfits carried trays with champagne and hors d’oeuvres, and a small string quartet filled the oversize hall with classical music.
“Pretty cool to see Gloriana House like this, isn’t it?” Declan asked.
Max put one hand on the railing and the other on the arm Declan offered. “I never thought I’d see this again in my lifetime,” he mused. “Penny would simply burst with joy if she were here. It’s what she always wanted, you know. To open the doors and show the place off, always celebrating the history and generations who’ve lived here.”
Declan peered out at the massive space, hearing the echo of laughter and the clink of crystal, once again seeing the unique beauty of Gloriana House.
“And would you look at that?” Max nodded to the parlor entrance where Evie, dressed in a cream-colored gown with a deep blue satin belt, welcomed another guest. The dress was like something out of a movie, with layers of sheer silk like a cloud around her when she moved.
Her distinct and musical laugh floated up the stairs as she linked an arm around Ella’s and his mother’s, and they all cracked up at something Connor said.
“I could look at that all day, Max,” Declan admitted. And for the rest of his life.
“She brings something special back to this house,” Max said. “Respect and reverence, and she has a way of sharing it with others.”
“I’ve noticed that.”
Max looked up at him and gave a slow grin. “Made you kind of love the place, didn’t she?”
“The place and the people in it,” he admitted.
Max gave his hand a squeeze. “So, the plan worked, huh?”
“The plan.” He snorted and jutted his chin toward Gramma and Yiayia. “Your cohorts are right down there waiting to gloat with you.”
“Waiting to drink with me, more like.”
“Even better.” As Declan escorted the old man slowly down the grand staircase, he was aware of a lot of eyes on them. On him. And he knew what they were thinking…
How could Declan Mahoney look so happy, here in the house that took his father?
Because of that woman, there. The woman who healed him with the same skill that she used on Judah. The woman who loved him with the same urgency she had as a young girl. The woman who was going to be by his side—in this house—for the rest of their lives.
“Who’s she talking to now?” Max asked.
Evie’s back was to him as she spoke to a man who held both her hands and leaned close. A jolt of jealousy rocked him momentarily, but then he recognized the reddish-brown hair and wire-framed glasses of the…potential buyer.
Bell? James Bell. With the BMW and the seven-figure offer?
“Some nitwit who has the audacity to think he can buy this house.”
“Ha!” Max choked. “Over my dead body.” Then he grinned. “Literally.”
“Nope. Over mine, Max. Over mine.”
“Oh, wait one second.” Max squeezed his arm and stopped their progress. “I gave a little thought to that conversation we had a few weeks back and took a look at my lighter collection.” He reached into his pocket and pulled something out, slipping whatever it was into Declan’s pocket, adding a bit of weight to the jacket. “That one’s not mine. Penny found it during construction and insisted it was part of my collection, but I never saw that lighter before. Wasn’t until you mentioned another possible way it could have started that I even thought about that one, but it was still in the collection. Maybe it’ll help with your quest.”
Or maybe it was lost by a construction worker and was nothing more than something that could send his happiness…up in flames. He had no intention of digging into this new piece of “evidence” and his quest was over.
But he nodded his thanks to Max.
“And now, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll go charm that Greek lady in blue.” He headed toward Yiayia the minute they reached the bottom of the stairs.
“Declan, there you are.” Behind him, Evie put her hand on his arm. “I want to introduce you to—”