Page 23 of She's Like the Wind

“No.” I straightened my shoulders. “I’m fine.”

The guy with Gage noticed us first. He said something to Gage, nodded in our direction, and then, after a moment, they both started walking over.

I felt my chest tighten.

Jules gave me a look that said, “You want me to cause a distraction?”

I gave a slight shake of my head.

“Naomi.” Gage had his hands stuffed in his pockets. “Nice to see you.”

He also greeted Aurelie, Jules, and Simone.

“We’re here for the Tennessee Williams Festival,” Simone told him cheerfully, aware that I was still shaky when it came to Gage. She showed off, again, about Jules’s honorable mention.

“You never miss the festival,” he murmured, his eyes on mine.

I swallowed.

The man next to Gage elbowed him, and he grunted. “Right, everyone, this is Ezra. We went to LSU together. He’s visiting from DC.”

As Ezra said hello to everyone and Aurelie mentioned how she’d just been in DC for a gig, Gage smiled at me. “You look lovely.”

I’d made the effort because Madame Marguerite always said that if you were having a bad day, dressing up and wearing a red lip made everything better. I’d forgone the red lip, which I felt would be too much for the daytime, but I was in a cream dress with bows onmy shoulders that held it up. I wore gold hoops, and I’d done my hair up with a silk scarf.

Jules asked Gage about some work he was doing on Chartres when his friend Ezra leaned against the bar right next to me. “Naomi, I’ve heard lovely things about you…andyour store.”

There was something about the way he said it. Not casual. Not polite. Like he knew who I was to Gage, or rather what I had been.

I made a noncommittal sound, not sure what to say and how to handle this. I didn’t know this man from Adam, and he was standing too close, and…I couldn’t put a finger on it, but he was making me uncomfortable.

“I must stop by and check out your lingerie,” he continued.

Okay then! Hewashitting on me, despite knowing about Gage and me.

“Ah…yes, we’re on Royal. We’re open today.”

“But you’re not there.” He was flirting. Hard.

“No, I’m not,” I said tightly. “But the store is open.”

He leaned back, resting against the counter, his eyes lingering on my face. “You know, Gage didn’t tell me you were a hot Creole goddess.”

My smile froze.

“Oh?” I said carefully.

Gage seemed to finally catch on that his friend was monopolizing me and turned his attention to us. “Ezra.” There was a warning in his tone.

“Since you are free…and not at the store, maybe I could buy you a drink.” Ezra grinned.

Something sharp and cold settled under my ribs. Was Gage passing me around to his friends? Is that what he was telling them? I was just ahotwoman he knew. A warm body, a pretty face.

A fuck.

My fingers tightened around the stem of my champagne glass.

“I’m afraid I’m busy.”