Catherine watched him.
Lost her train of thought.
Then whispered, “A serious problem.”
She was beginning to care about her employer.
And Ethan, alone later in his office, was beginning to understand that Catherine’s laughter had made his enormous home feel less empty.
The following week, Ethan announced that she would accompany him to a business dinner.
Catherine dropped the mail.
“With you?”
“Yes.”
“To an actual business dinner?”
“That is generally what I mean when I say business dinner.”
She pointed at herself.
“I own one dress suitable for
weddings, funerals, and situations where I need strangers to believe I have my life together.”
“I’ll arrange something.”
“That sounds expensive.”
“It probably will be.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“Why am I going?”
“Because everyone else at that table will sound rehearsed.”
“And I don’t?”
“Not remotely.”
“That was almost insulting.”
“It wasn’t.”
The navy dress arrived the next afternoon.
Catherine stood in front of her mirror that evening and barely recognized herself.
Megan leaned against the bedroom doorway.
“You look beautiful.”
“I look expensive.”
“You can be both.”
Catherine
glanced toward the garment bag.
Something moved inside it.
Megan frowned.
“Is Riley in there?”
Catherine looked guilty.
“You are taking a window squeegee to a formal restaurant?”
“Moral support.”
“To dinner with investors?”
“Don’t judge our friendship.”
At the restaurant, Catherine made it twelve steps before catching one heel on the edge of a rug.
She tipped forward.
Ethan caught her at the waist.
For a moment, neither moved.
“I told you I’d catch you,” he said.
Catherine looked up.
Her breath caught.
Then an older gentleman approached the
