Page 34 of A New Year In The Presidential Suite

They all greeted her warmly, and Lori couldn’t help thinking that if anything between Guy and her became serious, she’d have supportive women around her. That was a comforting thought.

They sat at their table while the men continued to talk at the bar.

When the men joined the women at the table, Guy slid into a chair next to Lori and whispered in her ear, “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. “You, too.” She clapped a hand to her mouth. “I didn’t mean …”

He winked at her before turning to Susannah on his other side.

Lori turned to Ben Smith on her right. For a man who was ready to retire, he looked to be in outstanding shape. His gray hair was thinning but still held an attractive thickness. His hazel eyes were alert.

“I’m glad to see you fit in with the group,” Ben said to her. “We’re happy to have Guy become part of the firm. I think it will be superb for all of us.”

“He seems excited about the opportunity,” said Lori, unwilling to say anything more. It wasn’t her place to do so.

The first course of shrimp cocktail arrived, and the table grew quiet as everyone enjoyed their food. Lori took a moment to assess the dining room.

Dark-stained pine wainscoting covered the bottom half of the walls. Above it, a medium peach color brightened and warmed the large room whose only other features were the long windows on the outside wall that were softened by lighter peach window treatments. It was an attractive room but nothing extraordinary.

Lori then studied the other three women at the table. She already knew and liked Susannah, a pretty blonde who came from Atlanta and still had a bit of a Southern accent.

She knew Barbara from her support of library functions, which Lori’s mother oversaw. She too seemed healthy and eager for a different, warmer retirement life in Florida.

Nicole looked a little out of place. She was wearing a midi dress of black lace and wore an abundance of jewelry. Pretty, with dark hair and brown eyes, she leaned forward intently as she and Ben began discussing the New York business culture across the table. Her husband, Steven, looked on but said nothing and faced her with a smile.

On her other side, Guy leaned over. “How are you doing? Susannah told me Cynthia was nasty to you. I remember she was the same way in high school.”

“She and I have never gotten along,” said Lori, wanting to leave it at that. She couldn’t let Cynthia ruin this evening for her.

The main course, a surf and turf presentation, arrived.

The noise in the room settled down as everyone dug into their meals.

Lori was enjoying the last bite of her lobster tail when she noticed Guy staring at her.

“What?” she asked him.

“I like to see a woman who isn’t afraid to eat,” he said.

Lori looked down at her near-empty plate. “It’s delicious.”

Guy clasped her hand. “I meant it as a compliment. You’re just fine.”

As the wait staff began to pick up plates, Guy said, “Care to dance? We can join the other couples on the floor.”

Lori drew in a breath and let it out. “All right. But it comes with a fair warning. I’m not the best.”

“No worries. We’ll just enjoy it,” said Guy. He held out his hand to her. She took it and got to her feet.

He led her out to the dance floor and drew her into his arms. The soft, old classical jazz was easy to follow, with Guy leading her. He wasn’t as smooth a dancer as Griff had been. Lori remembered how easily she’d nestled up against him. Still, Guy managed to keep from stepping on her toes or she, on his.

She cast a look at the diners watching them and whispered to Guy, “We have an audience.”

He chuckled. “Let’s forget them. I want to enjoy having you in my arms.”

Lori closed her eyes, concentrating on the music as Guy swung her around. When she opened them, she faced Cynthia, whose glare sent goosebumps down Lori’s back.

Guy felt Lori tense and said, “What’s wrong?”