Reese studied her for the count of three before saying, "She told me where she and Hayes were sitting so I could say hello."
His words were carefully measured, almost robotic.
"It looked more intimate than that," Merina mumbled to his bow tie.
"After this song, I'll introduce you. You shouldn't have been in the position to introduce yourself and I apologize for that."
His avoidance was bothering her. "Reese."
"Merina." He pulled her close, splaying his hand across her back.
Lost in his eyes for a few staggering seconds, she almost forgot what she was going to say. Then she remembered.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Whatever put that truckload of hurt in your eyes?
"Not here," he said after a few beats. She'd take it. That was better than the staunch "no" she'd received earlier. "I won't give you a reason to worry again, Merina."
But he wasn't doing her any favors by shielding her. She didn't want Reese hiding his anguish from her. She'd rather him lay it on her lap so she could help him with it.
A tiny voice of warning rose up and refused to be ignored. Hadn't she tried to "help" Corbin by letting him move in with her? The last thing she needed to know was Reese's messy history with any of the women he'd had in his life or his bed.
Especially since Merina would be leaving both sooner rather than later.
* * *
The music slowed and Reese released Merina, most of him not wanting to. Holding her comforted him and allowed him to put off playing nice with the last two people on earth he wanted to be cordial with. Unfortunately, his father and brother were right. Reese couldn't avoid them. Or he shouldn't, anyway.
What would the CEO of Crane Hotels do?
He sighed and Merina took his hand, offering her steady brand of comfort. It was a novelty to have a woman at his side for anything other than business or pleasure. This was neither. She offered her friendship and support and nothing about her was faking it. She was here for him.
He kept hold of her hand, and as they crossed the room, he told her the truncated truth. "Gwyneth and I used to be together. We ended things amicably. Hayes was an employee of Crane Hotels—manager of quality control for a while—until my father let him go."
She was quiet as they drew closer to the couple that had irrevocably changed Reese's life.
"Sounds like there's more to that story," Merina said, not fully accepting his offered half measure. But then, he hadn't expected her to. She was smart and sharp and unafraid to speak her mind. Three things Gwyneth never was. The redhead who used to share Reese's bed had nothing on the suave blonde at his side today.
He pulled Merina closer, resting her hand at the crook of his arm and glancing down into amber eyes. "There is, but now's not the time."
"Fair enough." They shared a polite smile, but hers had a hint of heat behind it. Camaraderie. Silly as it sounded, her walking with him gave him strength.
Hayes looked up from his food and swiped his mouth with a cloth napkin.
Surprised, you bastard? Hayes had known Reese would be here, but he was probably surprised to see Reese venturing over to say hello.
Hayes sipped from a glass filled with clear liquid with a lime floating in it. Club soda or vodka tonic? He'd celebrated his one-year sobriety the day before he was fired for being a douche. Hard saying if he'd stayed on the wagon since then. So much had changed.
"I guess congratulations are in order," Hayes said, speaking first. "On your marriage and I assume you're taking over for your dad."
"One of those for sure, the other is to be determined," Reese replied, his tone smooth.
Hayes's eyebrows jumped in consideration. He still had a small white scar on his lip from where Reese had clocked him. He'd landed a hit on his nose, too, but the bump on the bridge had predated Reese's fury. Probably some other boyfriend he'd pissed off in the past.
"Hayes Lerner." He offered a hand to Merina, but she wrapped both hands around Reese's biceps and smiled instead of touching him.
Reese admired the hell out of her for it.
"Mr. Lerner." She didn't make an excuse for not shaking his hand, and there was nothing rude in her words or expression. Hayes, realizing she wasn't going to be cordial, awkwardly pulled his hand away.
Reese wanted to kiss her. Later, he'd show his appreciation.
"Your lovely wife and I met earlier," Merina told Hayes.
From the chair beside her husband, Gwyneth looked down her nose. Merina unwaveringly held her gaze.
"It was kind of you to come out and wish Alex well," Merina said. "I'm sure it wasn't easy for either of you to show your faces here."
Reese smothered a smile, practically hearing the mic drop.
"I have no problem being here," Gwyneth hissed. But she was way out of her league. Her freckled cheeks went ruddy, betraying her anger. She'd never been good at hiding her temper. She and Reese had gone round and round over the stupidest shit when they'd dated. And then they'd gone round and round over Hayes, which turned out was even stupider.
"Alex taught me a lot," Hayes interjected, putting his hand over his wife's to calm her. "Gwynnie reminded me that I was the bigger man by showing up here. Which is why we came. We'd never miss Alex's retirement. No matter how you feel about us being here."
Pompous prick. That was the exact reason Reese bounced his fist off Hayes's face all those years ago. He flexed his hand with the temptation to do it now too.
Smarmy dickweed.
"Alex is a good man." Merina stroked Reese's arm, bringing his temper down a notch. "I'm sure he can see exactly what you are trying to accomplish by being here. If you'll excuse us." In a stage whisper, she added, "I'm going to sneak out of here for a moment with Reese. You remember how hard it was to keep your hands off him, I'm sure."
Merina gave Gwyneth a saucy wink and snatched a cube of cheese off Gwyneth's plate and ate it. She sucked on the tip of her thumb in what had to be the sexiest move Reese had ever seen. "Mmm. Thank you. I know that wasn't mine, but I saw it and just had to have it. You know what that's like. Try the crab bites. To die for.