Their plates revealed the remnants of steak, lobster, and truffle pâté.
“Friends,” Royce said in his best TV show voice. “May I present to you the Sultan.”
The man turned in his seat and—oh crap. Liv knew him.
What was his name? Mike? No. Mack. Brad Mack? Braden. Braden Mack. He was a friend of her brother-in-law, Gavin. He was the dude who’d dragged Gavin into some weird, secret romance novel book club for men to help Gavin convince Thea not to divorce him. But, more important, he was the jerk who had eaten her Chinese food leftovers the first time they met. She’d been looking forward to those leftovers. What kind of person ate someone else’s lo mein? The same kind who saw no problem spending a thousand bucks on a cupcake, apparently.
The man stood and extended his hand. “Royce. Good to see you again.”
Of course. Of course he knew her boss. Because a guy who would waste a normal person’s entire paycheck on a single dinner out would definitely run in the same circles as Royce Preston.
Royce shook Mack’s hand and did the manly back-pounding half-hug thing. “I had no idea you were here tonight. I’ll have to have a word with our hostess about that.”
Oh no. Poor Jessica. Maybe Liv would have time to warn her before he chewed her to pieces.
“This is Gretchen Winthrop,” Mack said, gesturing gallantly to his date. “She’s an attorney.”
“An attorney, huh?”
The woman lifted her hand for Royce to shake. Instead, he pulled it to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Beautiful and smart,” Royce said. “It’s a pleasure.”
Liv puked in her mouth.
The woman gently pulled her hand away. “Likewise.”
Except she didn’t really seem sincere in that. Liv liked her immediately. She was too smart for these guys.
“How’s business?” Royce asked as Mack returned to his seat.
“Great,” Mack said. “Just signed the papers on a new building in the old industrial area.”
“That was you?”
“That was me.”
“I had my eye on those buildings.”
Mack spread his hands out in a fake apology. “Sorry. I’m leaning toward a restaurant this time.”
“Ah, you’re expanding your empire,” Royce said. “Good man. Let’s talk and see if we can work together on some things.”
It was the kind of noncommittal, we’re all in this together bullshit Royce dished out to all the other rich men who walked into Savoy. But he wouldn’t follow through. Royce didn’t share the wealth or the limelight with anyone.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Gretchen suddenly said. “But I feel bad that she’s been standing there this entire time just holding that thing. Can she at least set it down?”
Royce shot Liv a deceptively blank stare that simmered with rage. His left eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. But then he broke into a broad grin. “Of course. Olivia, if you would.”
Liv strode forward, eyes everywhere but on Mack, and lowered the tray so the cupcake was eye-level with Gretchen. She tilted her face away from Mack, but he probably wouldn’t recognize her anyway. Her snug chef’s hat hid her curly hair, and she doubted Mack had studied her face long enough while eating her noodles for him to remember it now.
“The Sultan is our signature dessert, featuring a mixture of chocolates from twelve different countries,” Royce continued. “With a champagne-jelly filling and edible gold adornments, it’s served with a twenty-four-carat-gold spoon and a scoop of the finest Ugandan vanilla bean ice cream.”
“Wow,” Gretchen said with just enough snark for Liv to decide they should be BFFs. “I’m almost afraid to eat it.”
“How about a picture?” Royce said, walking behind Gretchen’s chair to pose.
Just once, Liv would love to see someone say no to a photo.
And wonder of wonders, today would be that day.
“Oh, that’s—no, I’m fine,” Gretchen said, and somewhere in the world, angels began to sing. If only Liv were telepathic, because her brain was screaming YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND.
Royce’s eyebrow twitched again. It was bad enough that a woman had said no to a picture. But to do so in front of a staff member. Oh, the raging would be loud tonight. But definitely worth it.
Liv quietly cleared her throat and was just about to set the cupcake on the table when—
“Hey, I know you.” Mack leaned forward, studying her face. “You’re Thea’s sister.”
Without waiting for her to confirm or deny, Mack nodded at his date. “This is amazing. I had no idea she worked here. I’ve told you about Gavin, right? This is his sister-in-law.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Gretchen said. “I’d shake your hand, but