Page 74 of Beautiful Secrets

I watch her for a second and then shrug. “We have a mutual acquaintance.”

She nods, her eyes widening and her mouth moving like she’s repeating the words to herself. “That’s…that’s good. I mean, it’s nice that he’s—” She cuts off, purses her mouth, and lets out a puff of air. “Are you hungry? I’m starving. Then again, I’m always starving these days. Do you want something?”

I wave her away, but she’s already standing.

“I’ll get us something. Lord knows how long they’ll be chatting over there. Business. You know?”

I do not know a thing, but Sarah does not wait for me to reply before she slips out the room with one last glance toward the men.

I glance around the room, trying to find something interesting to look at it.

“Vasiliev?” Sarah’s husband booms out.

I almost jump out of my fucking skin as I spin to face the man. He is staring at me, brow furrowed. I slowly lift my hand like this is roll call. “That is me.”

Cole barks out a laugh. “Relax, Derek. I told you I’ve got it under control.”

Derek does not seem convinced of this. His eyes are still on me, and I start shifting my weight, now uneasy with the scrutiny.

So this was why Cole brought me.

Politics.

I should have known.

Shooting a glare at Cole, I cross my arms over my chest.

“I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into,” Derek says before turning his back to me. He lays a hand on Cole’s shoulder, pulling him a little closer, and their voices drop so low I can no longer hear what they are saying.

Frustrating, to say the least.

Thankfully Sarah returns a few minutes later with a tray of food. I did not realize how hungry I was until the smell of fried chicken hits my nose.

“Not the healthiest,” she says as she beckons me over to a nearby cocktail table overlooking the main dance floor through a wall of glass. “But God, it hits the spot.” She pats her stomach, grinning at me around a sausage roll.

I nod, grabbing a strip of fried chicken and shoving it into my mouth. “Oh yes.” I nod at her again, shielding my mouth with a hand. “Sooo good.”

“Right?” She lifts a hand. “Screw the calories.”

She tries to engage me in conversation as we get to work devouring the platter of food, but my attention keeps diverting to Cole and his business partner.

Until something she says piques my interest.

“So, how is Cole doing?”

I focus on her, hurriedly setting down the chicken wing I was nibbling on. “Oh? He is…he is well.”

Why is she asking me? I get the feeling they know each other very well. Much better than I know Cole, certainly. Surely she could just ask him.

“Yeah?” Sarah’s head bobs as she stares out of the glass for a second before looking at me again. “So you know about…he told you he was…committed?”

“Oh, the asylum.” I nod gravely. “Da.” Heat courses through my cheeks. “Yes. Yes, I know.”

The last thing I want is this woman thinking Cole and I just met, especially if I can find out more about him this way. I just have to pretend I know as much as she does.

Easy peasy.

Sarah’s eyes roll up as she heaves a sigh. “Oh, thank God. I didn’t want to put my foot in it.” She drags a chip through some ketchup. “But he can’t go around not telling people, either.” She sits a little stiffer in her seat. “As long as he’s being honest.”