The private rooms of the gallery were filled with the soft chatter of people and the delicate strains of a soft waltz. Jadeite, Darien thought, had left nothing to be desired. Trays of tasty hors d'overs or expensive champagne were stationed at strategic points or carried by well-trained waiters. The loft lighting had been arranged to direct each and every eye to the exquisite works of art by S. Kyle.
Everything was perfect, Darien knew. It was completely perfect, but for one point. The guest of honor still had not arrived.
"Darien, you have a absolute masterpiece." Lita, elegant in shimmering green, laid her hand on her boss's arm. She'd recognized the signs of anger and hoped to sooth. "This is the best exhibit you've had in years. I don't know if Jadeite has told you, but I've already seen "sold" tags on at least twelve items. It's probably more, but I stopped counting."
"Where the hell is she? Serena's an hour late!"
"I'm sure she'll be along any moment. In the meantime, you should enjoy the fact that this show has gone off so well."
"It would go even better if Serena would just get her damned ass over here!" This was muttered in a tone that implied Darien would much prefer to roar it at the top of his lungs. And preferably directly into a certain blond artist's ear.
Lita felt her lips curving upwards, and did her very best to hold back the laugh that bubbled up within. The two were head-over-heels in love with each other, and she wasn't the only one who'd noticed. In fact, the only two who hadn't seemed to be Darien and Serena themselves. Well, Darien may have, but he certainly didn't show it.
Catching sight of Jadeite, Darien turned a vague smile upon Lita. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I need to talk to Jad."
"Great job, if I do say so myself, boss-man. You ought to give your second-in-command a raise. He's terrific." Jadeite held up one manicured hand before Darien could even open his mouth. "And before you ask, Raye just called. The two are on their way as we speak."
"It's about damned time. Make sure that the press know she'll be arriving soon, will you? I promised that cat from the Times an interview."
"Did you ask Serena about that? I don't know if she'll. . ." Jadeite trailed off when he realized his boss wasn't even listening to him. He turned and whistled. "Wow. Girl certainly knows how to clean up." Then his eyes were drawn to the woman who entered after Serena, and his heart stopped in his chest.
Raye looked like a living flame in ruby silk that slicked down her body. Her raven hair was pulled back to reveal small ruby drops at her ears. Jadeite had never seen a more beautiful sight. Or one that was less achievable. His heart began to beat again, but it ached. Oh, how it ached.
Darien made his way to Serena's side. He had never imagined she could look like that –sleek and stunning and sensual as sin. She had chosen midnight blue that draped and clung and shone just slightly when the light hit it. Her hair was pulled back at the back of her head then allowed to flow down her back in a shimmering mass. As he drew closer, he saw that her eyes were huge, and filled with trepidation.
She looked like a goddess, descending to earth for the first time.
Serena stared around her. Even stepping through the doorway had required almost more courage then she had possessed. If not for Raye . . . Serena glanced at her friend, then caught sight of Jadeite out of the corner of his eye. She recognized the look on his face, a look of pure need, and felt sympathy for him.
"I should dock your pay for being so late." Darien stopped at her side.
"Thank you." She should have realized how good he'd look in a tux. Serena ordered her mouth to stop watering.
"Are you ready?"
Serena took a deep breath. "I'm nervous." It took tremendous effort to admit even that to him.
Darien only smiled and tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. "You shouldn't be. They don't even know you yet, and they love you."
"Really?"
"Really."
"I won't let you down. I won't let myself down."
"I don't doubt that, Serena. I never did." And he drew her into the mass of people, music and light.
***
"Now that, chere, was just cruel." Jadeite appeared at Serena's side, chuckling as he shook his head at the way she had cut down a reporter's sly request for a "personal interview." "I'm not sure we'll ever be able to coax him back to another of our shows."
"Gee, what a pity. If the man had tried to pat my breast one more time, I swear that I would have grabbed the nearest piece of glass and shoved it where the sun doesn't shine." Serena turned as planted a soft kiss on the blond man's cheek. "This is wonderful, Jad. You've worked so hard, and it's just perfect. Thanks."
"Not at all, Serena. I was just providing the proper setting. It's your art." Even as he smiled at her, he caught sight of Raye. She was leaning against a silk-upholstered love seat, vastly amused, from all appearances, by the three men who flocked around her. Jadeite couldn't help a tiny sigh, wishing that just once, she'd look at him in that way, and lay her hand on his arm in that playfully intimate way that she had.
"She's lonely, you know." Only a blind man could miss the way he gazed after her, Serena thought. When Jadeite turned to her in surprise, she laid a friendly hand on his shoulder. "She doesn't even realize it herself, but she's waiting for the right man to come along. Personally, I think he's hiding right under her nose, but he's just too afraid to say anything."
"Sere, I-" Jadeite clutched her hand, and she gave his shoulder a pat.
"Just a little something to think about. And no, I haven't said anything to Darien." Serena opened her mouth to add something more, but a wonderfully familiar voice called her name.
"Serena!"
Eyes widening, Serena whirled around to search for the owner of that voice. Could it really be-? "Mina!" Her older sister threw her arms around her, and the two women hugged each other tightly. "Minnie, you look so wonderful!" Her sister wore an ivory shantung suit that Serena didn't remember seeing before, and it puzzled her slightly, for she knew that Mina was struggling with very limited funds. "Oh, I'm so glad you made it."
"Made it? How could I not? That Darien of yours called a week ago and extended his personal invitation. Even got me a dress and everything! And he sent a limo, Serena, a real, honest-to-god limousine!"
"Wait a sec." Serena interrupted her sister's gushing excitement. "Darien? But he didn't mention it. I didn't think he even knew I had a sister!"
"Well he found out somehow, because here I am!" Mina embraced her again. "By the way, Sere, in case I forget to tell you later, I'm so incredibly proud of you. Yes," she continued insistently when Serena blushed and shook her head, "I really am. And even though she'll never say it, so is Mom. The things you have here, some of them are so beautiful that they take my breath away. You have a tremendous gift, and it's about time someone else recognized it. Especially after . . ." She broke off, and looked away. "What I'm also trying to get at is that I'm glad you look happy. You finally look really happy."
Serena gripped her sister's hands hard enough that the older woman grimaced. "I . . . it took me . . . I never . . ." She also pressed her lips together and looked down, but then met Mina's eyes. There was a small smile on her lips. If it was tinged slightly with an old pain, she only hoped no one except Mina noticed. "Yeah. I think I am."
"I certainly hope so, after all the work I've put in." Darien stepped in smoothly. He had been listening to their conversation long enough to catch the awkward pause. And, although he would very much have liked to hear more, it was rather obvious that no more would be said. He smiled down at Serena. "I'm glad you liked my surprise."
"Very much. Thank you." The words were simple, but they held real gratitude in them.
Mina watched with amusement as the two gazed into each other's eyes.
"Mmm." Serena wrenched her eyes from him with a great deal of effort. It would be so easy to sink into their blue depths, to drown in that amazing sea of blue . . . She glanced away and caught sight of Mina's enormous grin. "Umm . . . yeah. I really appreciate your bringing Mina here. It means a lot to me."
"Make sure you thank Lita and Malachite as well. Lita's the one who told me that you had a sister." Jealousy flared, that Serena had failed to tell him of her family herself. It was an emotion he was unused to, but one he seemed to be experiencing quite often around Serena. He wasn't sure he much liked that.
"I'll be sure to do just that. Do you have any idea where they are in this crowd?"
Darien nodded in the direction of an adjoining room. "I last saw them over near your Flight. If you hurry, you might catch them."
"Come on, Mina!" Serena grabbed her sister's hand and pulled her in the direction of Darien's nod. "I hope it's this next room," she confided. "Jad made so many last minute moves and changes that I'm not quite sure which pieces are where." That had already led to one rather embarrassing incident, when the Mayor himself had asked to see one particular piece that he had heard about from an aide. She had led him straight to the pedestal where she remembered it being the day before. Unfortunately, it had fallen pray to Jadeite's placement changes, and she had actually needed to ask one of the gallery guides present in each room.
Luckily, it was indeed the next room, and she caught sight of a recognizable head of distinguished silver hair. "Malachite! Lita!"
She waved as the two turned to see her. Lita waved, and Malachite smiled and nodded in her direction. "Right this way, Mina." She stepped forward, only to be held back as Mina froze. Serena looked back to see what had startled her sister, and was caught immediately by the stars in Mina's eyes. "Mina, what-?" She turned her head to follow Mina's line of sight.
She was staring directly at Malachite, who, oddly enough, seemed to have been captured by the same stars. He stared directly back at her, and the expression on his face was that on a deer caught in a pair of headlights.
Oh.
Serena felt her lips curve upward as she realized what had happened. She had thought, back when first introduced to Mally, that he would be a good match for Mina. It seemed as though her instincts had been right on the mark.
"Come on, sis." She tugged, and broke the spell over Mina.
"Wha-? Serena, who is that?" Mina whispered nervously as Serena dragged her toward the breath-taking man she had just seen. Oh, god, but he was handsome.
"That's Malachite, silly. He's one of the people responsible for your being here. Mally, Lita," she began when she had reached the two, "I want you to actually meet my sister. I can't tell you how much we appreciate all of this."
Malachite spoke not a word of greeting, his usual courteous manner gone. He just stepped forward and slowly raised Mina's hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on its back. "Enchanted." Mina could not take her eyes away from his, and nodded.
Lita looked at the two, and then switched her gaze to Serena. The two grinned madly at each other and bobbed their heads in agreement. "I think I'll leave you two to talk. Serena and I need to circulate." Lita patted Malachite on the back and stepped away, grabbing Serena's hand and pulling her away. "Wow."
"Yeah." Once they were in the next room, Serena covered her mouth. "That was too perfect, wasn't it?" She peered around the corner at the couple. They still stood where they had been left, simply looking into each other's eyes. "I hope they move soon. Someone might mistake them for a statue and try to buy them."
***