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As Lark removed the foil from one of the candies, the man in front of them turned around.
“You made the right decision. Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear.” He shrugged and then returned his attention to the front.
Marissa and Lark glanced at each other and then burst into silent laughter.
* * *
After lunch with Lark, Marissa sat in her car with the phone in her clammy hand. Nervous excitement coursed through her. She searched for Bruno’s number and was about to hit Send when she stopped. She gnawed her bottom lip, watching a teenager race across the parking lot with his younger sibling in a shopping cart.
“Call him,” she said aloud.
Great. Now she had resorted to talking to herself. She released a nervous laugh and let out a breath meant to bolster her resolve.
“I’m gonna do it.” Before she could change her mind again, she hit Send on his name and waited with bated breath.
“Hello, Marissa.” The way he said her name was so deliciously sexy, her toes curled.
“Hi, Bruno. How are you?”
“Fine, and you?”
“Great.” Just do it. “I called because I was thinking about your invitation to attend the awards in L.A., and I’d like to accept. If the offer is still available.”
“There was no expiration date on the invitation. The offer is very much available.”
A wave of relief crashed through her.
“I’m glad you’ve accepted,” he added.
“I want to be clear, I’m coming on this trip as a friend, nothing more. I’m going to be your escort, and you don’t expect anything in exchange to cover my costs or the trip—correct?”
“I don’t expect anything at all, and you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
Wait, what did he mean by that last part?
“Good to know,” she said slowly. “I’m looking forward to getting away for a bit.”
“I am too. I’ll have more details for you soon.”
After they hung up, Marissa started the car. She hoped she didn’t live to regret this decision.
Chapter Twenty-Three
When Bruno had said he’d have more details for her soon, Marissa assumed she would receive an agenda and information about the logistics of their trip. His executive assistant did provide that information, but she also gave Marissa the name of an upscale boutique where Bruno had an account. She had never heard of the place, but that was no surprise since the designer clothes were not in her price range.
She felt a bit out of her depth approaching the entrance after work on Friday evening, but the moment she stepped into Cherise, the nervous butterflies in her belly disbanded.
The interior of the store was luxurious but welcoming, with soft lighting and the subtle fragrance of flowers in the air. Right away, a woman with white-blonde hair secured at her nape approached with a broad, inviting smile that instantly drew Marissa in and made her feel at ease.
“Good evening, Ms. Liburd. Welcome to Cherise. I’m Olivia, and I’ll be assisting you this evening. I’m told you’re attending the James Beard Awards next week in Los Angeles. Is that correct?”
“Yes, and I’m not sure where to begin,” Marissa said with a nervous laugh.
Olivia’s smile was as warm as her tone. “Not to worry. That’s why I’m here.”
She guided Marissa to a cozy seating area with comfortable-looking sofas and soft music playing in the background. A tray of tiny sandwiches, petit-fours, and fresh fruit sat on white platters on a table in front of the furniture.
“Please help yourself to the refreshments. What can I get for you to drink? We have champagne, sparkling water, still water, coffee, and tea.”
