Merger to Marriage (Boardrooms and Billi - By Addison Fox Page 0,2
and knew he was about to fail miserably. Who was this woman? Since she was at the wedding, she was a part of Nathan and Keira’s social circle. How had he never met her before?
Her eyes widened at the realization of her insult, and a light blush crept up her cheeks. “I’m sorry.”
“You can apologize by having a drink with me.” He moved his hands from behind his back, producing a bottle of the luscious Bordeaux she’d been rushing back to the ballroom for. “Maybe this will change your mind?”
Her mouth dropped. “Where did you get that?”
“I have my ways.”
“You stole it?”
“No, I didn’t steal it.” He was surprised at how quickly the words chaffed and tamped down on the annoyance that nearly spilled forth to ruin the moment. She’d made a joke, nothing more. And he hadn’t needed to steal for a long time.
“Where’d you get it?”
“Since I’m the one who gave it to Nathan and Keira as a wedding present, Nathan thought it only fitting some was kept aside for my enjoyment.”
He saw her eyes widen and marveled at the innocence there. Most women—certainly the ones who knew the value of the Bordeaux as she obviously did—would have begun seeing dollar signs. Instead, a warm glow lit up her face, from her dark, expressive eyes to her broad smile. “That’s an incredibly lovely and generous gift.”
“I’m happy for them, and it was my pleasure.” The large lobby had various seating options, many hidden away in private spaces for quiet conversations. Holt gestured toward one of them and enjoyed watching the light sway of her hips as she moved toward a plush seat.
“Do I at least get a name?”
“I’m not sure. I’m still a bit wounded by your snap judgment of me and my heels.” A light veneer of amusement flickered across her features. “Maybe when I know you better.”
“Isn’t a name part of the process of getting to know someone better?”
“Share that bottle and I’ll consider it.”
Holt snagged the attention of a bellman and requested glasses and his services to open the wine. As they waited, he took the opportunity to really look at her.
“Are you here with anyone?”
“Do you mean like a date?”
“The question was a bit more general than that, but yes. A date, or anyone else for that matter. A friend? A sibling?”
“I’m here with my family.”
“Aren’t they going to wonder where you got to?”
“They’ll be fine.”
When that line of questioning turned up no further information, he took a new angle, curious to know more about her. “So you clearly have a low opinion of business meetings.”
“They’re a necessary evil.”
“Which either means you sit through a lot of them or deliberately chose a profession without any.”
“A lot. Definitely a lot.”
“Ah.” He pointed toward her feet. “That explains your speed on those heels.”
He didn’t miss the wry tilt to her lips when she spoke again. “The speed is a side benefit of a frenetic personality. The quality of the heels, however, is a side benefit of all those meetings I hate going to.”
“You’re a career woman?”
The smile vanished, her features darkening, and it was obvious he’d hit a nerve. “I don’t like categories like that. It diminishes someone’s value. Puts them in a box.”
Holt couldn’t argue with her assessment, but he was curious to know why she thought so. “We’re bombarded with messages and images all day long. Categories help us put things in their place. Figure out our world. It’s not a bad thing.”
“No, but it’s not the easiest way to get to know someone.”
“So we are going to get to know each other?”
The question hung between them as the bellhop returned with their wine. Holt took the glasses and open bottle from the man, and gave him a quick tip. The bellhop’s jaunty step as he walked away ensured he’d give them their privacy, yet keep an eye should they need anything else. Just the way Holt preferred it.
He poured two glasses of the rich red and handed one to the woman as he swirled his own glass. She did the same, a soft sigh escaping her lips.
“What’s that for?”
“The wine. It’s so simple. So easy.”
“I’d say it’s incredibly complex.”
“Exactly!” She held up her glass, swirling it once more. “It is deeply complex, yet what you see is what you get. It’s a rich promise that never disappoints. People can be the same way.”
Holt leaned forward and clinked his glass against hers. “To simple complexity.” Before she could offer her own toast, he added