you."
"Thank you so much." Tess gave Wade a brief, sidelong smirk. "And contrary to popular opinion, they'll only need to prepare a room for one."
Wade winked at Aurora. "She's only been in town a few hours. Give her some time."
Bobby poked his head in just then. "Can you two retract the claws for a few minutes? It's supposed to be a party here. Tess," he said, taking her arm, "can I borrow you for a minute?"
"Gladly." She paused by Aurora. "See if you can keep him from making a pompous ass out of himself with any of the other guests. It's a tall order, but if anyone can do it, you can."
Aurora patted Tess's arm. "I'm sure he'll be fine." She glanced past Tess to Wade and shifted her body to include Bobby. "Cissy would be so happy to know you three are together, celebrating such a wonderful family event."
She had the satisfaction of seeing the oldest Hamilton child look a wee bit chastened. "Off you go," she said, nudging Tess toward Bobby. As the two disappeared down a short hallway, she saw Bobby dip his head toward his sister and whisper something, his expression serious and concerned. Hmm.
Admittedly quite curious about the exchange, Aurora immediately turned to Wade with a bright smile. "Wade, darling, would you be a doll and see if you can find me a small plate of those wonderful canapés I saw drift by moments ago? I'm afraid if I have so much as another sip of champagne without eating something, it will go right to my head." She winked at him. "And then I'll be the one who needs saving from myself."
Wade shot her a wolfish grin that reminded her of what a charming devil he could be when he wasn't busy badgering his sister. "I'm not so sure that would be a bad thing."
Aurora laughed and swatted playfully at his arm, setting her bracelets to jingling. "You're a bigger scamp than you let on."
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Don't tell anyone. You'll ruin my reputation as an uptight, humorless, control freak." He winked at her, then moved into the throng of guests.
She watched after him for a moment as he quite smoothly worked the crowd with a quick smile here, short nod there, and wondered if he realized what a natural politician he was. With everyone but family, anyway. "Just like your father," she murmured. Who happens to be the king of uptight, humorless, control freaks. She smiled to herself as she worked her way toward the short hallway Bobby and Tess had disappeared down.
It only took a moment to hear their voices. They'd ducked into the suite's small, galley-style kitchen. Aurora paused just outside the doorway, telling herself she wasn't snooping so much as trying to help the daughter of a very old friend.
"I was a bit worried about you, that's all," Bobby was saying.
"Why on earth would you be worried about me?" Tess said with what sounded like a sincere laugh.
Aurora wished she could see Tess's expression. That her younger brother was apparently concerned about her, as well, was all the confirmation she needed. Of course Tess was going to deny it to Bobby. This was his special moment, and Tess had always taken on the big sister role with him, especially, she imagined, now that he was on tour.
"You should be focusing on your upcoming nuptials."
"Nothing to worry about there. I don't care if we're married by a clown in the middle of a three-ring circus, as long as she says yes."
Aurora could hear the honest delight and joy in Bobby's voice.
"Of course she'll say yes, she's getting the best guy on the planet. I am so happy for you."
There was a rustling sound. Hugging, Aurora surmised.
"Come on, let's get you back to your engagement party."
Aurora started to duck back down the hall, then Bobby said, "Wait," and Aurora froze in place. There was a moment of silence before he said, "I, uh, I heard Nike didn't renew their sponsorship."
"How did you hear that?" Tess didn't quite pull off a casual tone.
"So it is true? My manager was talking to one of their reps this morning about a possible
"Thank you so much." Tess gave Wade a brief, sidelong smirk. "And contrary to popular opinion, they'll only need to prepare a room for one."
Wade winked at Aurora. "She's only been in town a few hours. Give her some time."
Bobby poked his head in just then. "Can you two retract the claws for a few minutes? It's supposed to be a party here. Tess," he said, taking her arm, "can I borrow you for a minute?"
"Gladly." She paused by Aurora. "See if you can keep him from making a pompous ass out of himself with any of the other guests. It's a tall order, but if anyone can do it, you can."
Aurora patted Tess's arm. "I'm sure he'll be fine." She glanced past Tess to Wade and shifted her body to include Bobby. "Cissy would be so happy to know you three are together, celebrating such a wonderful family event."
She had the satisfaction of seeing the oldest Hamilton child look a wee bit chastened. "Off you go," she said, nudging Tess toward Bobby. As the two disappeared down a short hallway, she saw Bobby dip his head toward his sister and whisper something, his expression serious and concerned. Hmm.
Admittedly quite curious about the exchange, Aurora immediately turned to Wade with a bright smile. "Wade, darling, would you be a doll and see if you can find me a small plate of those wonderful canapés I saw drift by moments ago? I'm afraid if I have so much as another sip of champagne without eating something, it will go right to my head." She winked at him. "And then I'll be the one who needs saving from myself."
Wade shot her a wolfish grin that reminded her of what a charming devil he could be when he wasn't busy badgering his sister. "I'm not so sure that would be a bad thing."
Aurora laughed and swatted playfully at his arm, setting her bracelets to jingling. "You're a bigger scamp than you let on."
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Don't tell anyone. You'll ruin my reputation as an uptight, humorless, control freak." He winked at her, then moved into the throng of guests.
She watched after him for a moment as he quite smoothly worked the crowd with a quick smile here, short nod there, and wondered if he realized what a natural politician he was. With everyone but family, anyway. "Just like your father," she murmured. Who happens to be the king of uptight, humorless, control freaks. She smiled to herself as she worked her way toward the short hallway Bobby and Tess had disappeared down.
It only took a moment to hear their voices. They'd ducked into the suite's small, galley-style kitchen. Aurora paused just outside the doorway, telling herself she wasn't snooping so much as trying to help the daughter of a very old friend.
"I was a bit worried about you, that's all," Bobby was saying.
"Why on earth would you be worried about me?" Tess said with what sounded like a sincere laugh.
Aurora wished she could see Tess's expression. That her younger brother was apparently concerned about her, as well, was all the confirmation she needed. Of course Tess was going to deny it to Bobby. This was his special moment, and Tess had always taken on the big sister role with him, especially, she imagined, now that he was on tour.
"You should be focusing on your upcoming nuptials."
"Nothing to worry about there. I don't care if we're married by a clown in the middle of a three-ring circus, as long as she says yes."
Aurora could hear the honest delight and joy in Bobby's voice.
"Of course she'll say yes, she's getting the best guy on the planet. I am so happy for you."
There was a rustling sound. Hugging, Aurora surmised.
"Come on, let's get you back to your engagement party."
Aurora started to duck back down the hall, then Bobby said, "Wait," and Aurora froze in place. There was a moment of silence before he said, "I, uh, I heard Nike didn't renew their sponsorship."
"How did you hear that?" Tess didn't quite pull off a casual tone.
"So it is true? My manager was talking to one of their reps this morning about a possible
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