“Sure,” Miranda said. “If we’ve already headed in, we’re table number twelve.”
“I’ll see you there.” I turned and drifted toward the nearest display, an assortment of traditional African masks that I studied for a beat before letting my gaze drift across the room.
This sort of environment was so familiar after the amount of times I’d attended similar functions with Thomas. Yet back in England, I’d known all the regulars attending. Here, there were no familiar faces.
Except, that wasn’t true.
A moment later, Jesse came striding across the hall from the direction of the bar. My heart skipped, then tripped over itself, and then started pounding.
I hadn’t expected to see him here, but it didn’t come as much of a surprise that he was, in fact, in attendance. The way I’d heard it, the Westwoods had their fingers in almost every pie around. Still, I was entirely unprepared to see him again after aweek of radio silence—and a kiss I absolutely shouldn’t still have been obsessing about.
Across the room, he seemed taller tonight, his broad shoulders square and open beneath a perfectly tailored suit. It looked like he’d made a vague attempt to tame that dark brown hair but had given up halfway through when it’d refused to comply.
Unable to wrench my gaze away from him, I suddenly felt a little dizzy, which was absurd. There was no reason for the room to feel like it had tilted slightly, but then, when Jesse looked up like he’d felt me watching him, the entire world seemed to fade around the edges.
His gaze locked onto mine, those blue eyes so incredibly piercing even across the distance that I couldn’t look away. For just a second, something electric passed between us, but then he started moving, walking toward me with deliberate strides and determination blazing in his gaze.
My heart kicked up, traitorous and loud in my chest as I stood there, rooted to the spot like an absolute fool.Okay. Just be normal.
I had no idea what that meant anymore, but I was going to do my best to act like it anyway. I absolutely would not freak out.
“Jaqueline.”
I turned abruptly at the sound of my name, a cool shiver skating down my spine at the unwelcome familiarity of that voice.
No. No, it can’t be.
Standing right in front of me, in Chicago instead of France, was Thomas—and for some reason, he looked genuinely happy to see me.
CHAPTER 21
JESSE
Jacque knew the man who had approached her. That much was obvious. The shock on her face wasn’t polite surprise or mild recognition, but rather a sharp scowl, almost painful looking as it settled on her features.
She took an immediate step back, which was all I needed to know that she didn’t want to talk to him. I started moving faster, sidestepping through the crowd and muttering apologies I didn’t mean, my eyes glued to her.
She said something to him, and while I couldn’t hear it over the noise, it didn’t go down well. He flinched but then reached for her like he had the right to touch her. Protective heat flared to life in my chest. She twisted away before he could grab her properly, already turning to get the hell out of there like her instincts were screaming at her to run.
I pushed harder through the crowd, finally catching a clear look at the guy when he turned to watch her go. Recognition flashed through me as soon as I saw his face. Thomas Germain. I’d seen his picture in the event pamphlets.
If memory served, he was some big shot archaeologist and the keynote speaker this evening. I was only here because my family gave a whole lot of money to the arts, which includedthis museum, and I’d honestly always liked to poke around here when I had time.
I’d never really shed my childhood fascination with dinosaurs, but right now, the dinosaurs would have to wait. I was half walking, half jogging in the opposite direction of the exhibit, going instead toward the main entrance where she’d disappeared.
By the time I got there, she was already outside, running down to the street. I shoved through the doors, but a taxi pulled up like it had been waiting for her. I called her name, but she’d already slipped inside, the door slamming shut before I could close the distance.
“Hey, Jacque!” I started, but it was useless.
The car was already pulling away. I sprinted down the stairs anyway, hoping she would see me and tell him to stop. No such luck, though.
Rain started to spit against the sidewalk when I stopped, realizing there was no point in trying to run after a taxi. Now, however, I was suddenly torn between two very different options. I could either go back inside, find Thomas Germain, and wrap my hands around his neck to squeeze until he understood exactly what kind of mistake he’d just made. Or I could go after Jacqueline and make sure she was okay.
Without too much thought, I chose Jacqueline. Making a beeline for the valet, I was barking at him before I’d even reached his stand. “I need my car. Now.”
He frowned at me, but even the expression was way too slow. “I, uh. Just a moment, sir?—”
“Yeah, no,” I muttered, already turning away and taking off on foot.