As Jenny departed with the first of the desserts, Steve returned to the kitchen with another empty wine bottle and a message from Linc.
“He asked if you’d come in and meet everyone.” When she hesitated, Steve handed her one of the desserts and motioned toward the dining room. “Come on. Take your bow.”
Caving to Steve’s encouraging smile and her own need to see Linc’s reaction for herself, Claire carried in the final dessert plate and placed it in front of Linc. She then stepped back to survey the group.
The assembled guests were dressed for a formal dinner party with the men in suits and ties, while the women donned expensive cocktail dresses and jewelry. They sparkled and glittered beneath the dining room’s large chandelier and Claire couldn’t help but wonder which of them would be on Linc’s arm at the next charity event or at the yacht club, helping him cheer on Knox during the upcoming regatta.
“This is Claire Robbins,” Linc said with a smile. His eyes connected with hers, sending a light shiver down her spine. “You can thank her for the delicious dinner.”
Claire had paired each course with a separate wine; most of the guests had the relaxed appearance of the mildly intoxicated. Still, she hoped that her food—and not just the wine—had contributed to the convivial atmosphere.
The redhead seated to Linc’s right took note of Claire’s chef whites. “Oh, you’re a real chef. Where did you learn to cook like that?”
“I attended culinary school in San Francisco,” she explained.
“And now you’re Linc’s housekeeper?” A blond man, his green eyes lazy as he sipped his wine, looked her over as if she was a piece of artwork he was evaluating. “Seems like your skills are wasted on him.”
“Claire is a single mom,” Linc jumped in before she could defend her choices. “Working for me is a lot less stressful than slaving away in a restaurant kitchen.”
“Is that true, Claire?” A man with glasses and dark hair asked. “Is working for Linc as easy as he makes it sound?”
“He is gone over half the year.” Claire masked her discomfort with a polite smile. “And I appreciate being able to spend so much time with my daughter.”
“Honey is so sweet,” Sawyer put in. “She just turned two a few weeks ago.”
“I’ll bet she’s beautiful just like her mother,” the blond man said.
“Actually, she takes after her father’s side of the family,” Claire responded with a polite smile. “Well, I’ll leave you to your desserts. I’m glad you enjoyed the meal.”
Returning to the kitchen, Claire regarded the dirty dishes piled on the countertops and sighed. She liked maintaining a neat, organized work space and this was far from it. Jenny was rinsing plates in the sink and piling them so they could be loaded into the dishwasher. Fortunately, all the china was dishwasher safe, so the only items Claire had to wash by hand were the antique crystal stemware.
“Thanks for getting this started,” Claire said to Jenny.
“Are you kidding? You promised us leftovers. And I want you to know you can hire Steve and me to serve anytime. Linc Thurston is really nice. And most of his friends aren’t too bad, either. You’re really lucky to work for him.”
“I am lucky.”
Claire lifted her fingers to touch the earrings Linc had given her, remembering how his eyes had lit up earlier that evening when he noticed her wearing them. Just thinking about it sent her blood thundering through her veins. He’d almost looked...possessive. Which thrilled her even though she recognized the danger inherent in the feeling.
On the other hand, considering how well her food had gone over, perhaps he was a little concerned that one of his friends might try to poach her. The thought pleased her. Not that she’d ever consider leaving Linc. But it gave her ego a bump, thinking her skills might have garnered some interest.
While Steve kept an eye on things in the dining room, Jenny and Claire packed up the leftover food and chatted about Jenny’s dream wedding. Claire could picture the low-country wedding on the grounds of an antebellum mansion. The ceremony would take place beneath oak trees dripping with moss, followed by an elegant reception beneath a tulle-draped tent.
“It’s going to be beautiful,” Claire said with a sigh. “Have you thought about colors yet?”
“I’m thinking a misty blue with accents of pale and bright pink.”
“That sounds gorgeous.”
“What colors did you have for your wedding?”
On the long trip from California, Claire had prepared for all sorts of questions about her wedding and marriage, so the lie came easily to her lips. “We eloped to Las Vegas and I carried a little bouquet of pink and white roses.”
Jenny looked disappointed. “I couldn’t imagine eloping. My family would be so disappointed. I’m the only girl, so my momma has been dreaming about my wedding for as long as I can remember.”
“It wasn’t like that for me,” Claire said. “My mom left when I was seven.”
And made limited attempts to stay in touch. This was what motivated Claire to devote her energy to Honey. She didn’t want her daughter to know the slightest trace of neglect.
“I’m sorry,” Jenny said, looking mortified. “I didn’t realize that. You don’t talk much about your family.”
“There’s not much to say. I don’t speak with my mom and my dad has a wife and kids that keep him really busy.” Hearing a trace of sadness in her tone, Claire forced a smile. “I have Honey, and she’s all the family I need.”
“But what about getting married again?”
“Maybe. I know it would be good for Honey to have a daddy, but I’m not sure I’m ready...” She trailed off and hoped Jenny wouldn’t suggest another evening out with one of Steve’s friends.
“I’m starting to get the picture.”
Claire’s gaze snapped to her friend. “What do you mean?”
“You have a thing for your boss. I don’t blame you. He’s hot. But don’t let that get in the way of finding love.”
“Linc?” Claire’s voice broke
