The heiress he left behind

how to look like she belonged among people wh

champagne had gone flat in her glass, and six people had glan

. Tonight mattere

of Art. Glass walls overlooked the harbor, and chandeliers cast gold light over gowns, tuxedos,

n the crowd was

proposal she had sent for the Mercer Hotel renovation. But two

taken it

r clutch, careful not to wri

storation and I

ent and the overdue supplier invoice. She could stop pret

eli

rned s

olding a whiskey. Beside him was his wife, Celeste, dr

hing. "Mr. Mercer. Thank you

a distracted n

agreed to

the designer from that little s

Vale S

all the old br

. "The Mercer Hotel project would combine preservation with a

rupted, "didn't I tell

crossed Jul

lia continued. "If you have five minute

lia, perhaps this is

only place yo

uth curved.

g the hotel's blueprints and researching its hand-painted tile. She

hat, she ne

is exactly what you said you wanted, something that hono

past her, alre

eetheart. Julian doesn't want t

eck. "It wouldn't. That

g cafés and little apartments. Luxur

sic continued. No one stopped to

elia. She saw the decision

ion. A larger firm with more experien

ed. "You could have to

tende

working on revisi

rdened. "I didn't

m. "Don't be cruel, darling. Mi

rely breathe. Neither of them seemed to care

ve taken up your

ded and tu

ore they could se

ont property as if whole neighborhoods were pieces on a board. Near th

glittered benea

her palm agai

l not c

contract. She had survived worse than rich

ed, worked, loved, and hoped within their walls. Restoration was not about pret

ld keep

ension. She would sell the antique drafting table if

let Vale Stud

. V

ia t

the end of the hall in a deep green dress. She was one of t

ened. "Ms. Rowe

tion Council last spring," Evelyn said.

were

g argument for retaining

nk y

one of our community spaces. It's a small proj

more glamorous than an

for the opportuni

io on Monday." Evelyn handed

es

Mercer convince you that scale

night, Amelia smiled wit

and returned t

ked down a

rything, but it was something. The tightness

to the Mercers again or had to keep pr

s quieter, lined with abstract paintings and pools of warm light. Her heels clicked aga

ng alr

a sto

stood a man in a black tuxe

as

Group, heir to the family empire, and the severe

ed, and dark-haired, with watchful gray eyes fixed on her

her, certain he was sp

was

. "I was just o

e coat she held closed at her th

happened w

shed back. "You

xpression did no

"Then you know I'm ca

ure yo

n his voice. Somehow,

e measured st

," he

s breat

es hel

e drink