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Devon eyed the swampy green liquid with skepticism.“Reminds me of the time my new pool guy didn’t add enough chlorine.”
She grinned at him.“Cheers!” She clinked her glass to his.
He took a swallow and grimaced.“Too sweet.”
He set the tumbler down, motioned to get the bartender’s attention, and ordered a dry Hendrix martini in replacement.“Sorry, Eve. I tried. But any dude who likes that melon garbage needs his man cardrevoked.”
“No green elevator for you, then?”
He looked into her eyes.“I’ll stick with the Golden Nugget Rush Tower.”
Eve recalled that time. A beep had punctuated his every thrust as the green numbers changed at the top of the steel door.
Thankfully, the bartender showed up with the gin martini, and Devon dropped the subject, taking out the steel pick and feeding her his olives.
The invitees had almost all arrived, and the room was now packed with well-dressed people shaking hands, making small talk, and milling about with drinks in hand. Palpable excitement filled the air, and Eve noted a wide range of ages, from elderly to middle-aged to young.
She swallowed the first olive, parting her lips to accept the second.“Who are these people?”
Carefully, he slid the empty pick out of her mouth.“A motley crew. Clients, investors, engineers, maintenance guys, and, most importantly, accomplished aviators, such as your favorite pilot.”
A young waitress in uniform approached, shouldering a loaded tray of canapés. Her gaze lasered in on Devon.“Bacon-wrapped scallops?”
Her outfit was a replica of a 1960s stewardess uniform: cute pillbox hat, navy suit, and gold airplane wings pinned to her lapel. A blue and gold scarf with airplane print was tied in a large bow at her throat.
“Bacon! Things are looking up.” Devon flashed her his killer dimples. The waitress blushed as he helped himself to two toothpicks tipped with scallops, passing one to Eve.
“Thank you,” she said, addressing both him and the young woman, who was lingering a tad too long at Devon’s side.
“Great uniform,” he complimented warmly, looking her up and down.
She perked up.“Right? We just got them today. They kept it secret and all.” Her eyes lowered to Devon’s black bow tie and lifted to his lips, and Eve could practically see her pupils dilate.“We had to put them on just before the doors opened,” she informed him.
“All at the same time?” Devon glanced around the room. Every waitress was young and gorgeous.
“Uh-huh.” She tipped her head with a sly smile and finally moved on.
“Oh, to be a fly on that sweet wall,” Devon muttered, watching her pert backside sway as she balanced her tray.“I’d trade my own wings for that fly’s.”
Eve chewed her delicate scallop, savoring the smoky flavor of the bacon.“What’s being unveiled tonight?”
Devon’s eyes lit up with an enthusiasm she saw only when he spoke of airplanes.“It’s a surprise. You will just have to wait and see.”
“But you know what it is?”
He nodded, looking like a kid at Christmas.“It’s quite remarkable.”
She was finishing the last drops of her fruity drink when something at the far end of the ballroom caught her eye.
Not something.
Someone.
Chapter 3
Eve
This had to be the owner.