Beauty & the Beast Read Free Page B

“We’re out in public,” he reminded her. “We should get back to the table, to your sister and her husband. You didn’t mention that she was a cop.”
    “Why? Does it bother you?” Poor Cat; back in her dating years, she’d gotten dumped a lot because of her badge.
    “In my country, police officers are rough. And corrupt.” He smiled. “I’m sure your sister is very different.”
    Not as different as my brother-in-law , Heather thought impishly, sipping her appletini. They laced their fingers and headed back to the table. She wasn’t certain her feet were connecting with the ground.
    Maybe she could hide the rash with a good dollop of foundation.
    Cat and Vincent were both gazing at the two of them intently; Heather couldn’t help a rosy smile. Maybe Ravi was the one. Maybe all the elaborate wedding plans she had made first for herself and Matthew and then for Vincent and Cat wouldn’t go to waste after all. Heather Suresh. Heather Chandler-Suresh. It had a nice ring to it.
    A platinum ring. With a marquise-cut diamond.
    “Chicken’s getting cold,” Vincent said with his mouth full. His tone was stern.
    “It looks delicious.” Heather gave her attention to Ravi as he pulled out her chair for her. She sat back down as he pushed it back in.
    “Oh, my phone just vibrated,” Ravi said, patting the pocket of his beautifully cut black trousers. “I must have a text. Excuse me.” He fished out a cell phone—not his usual one—and studied the display. His face fell. “Heather, I’m so sorry, but I have to go.”
    “Oh?” She frowned at him. “Is there something wrong?”
    He grimaced and put the phone back in his pocket. “It’s work. They need me to come back. An emergency. You know how it is.”
    Heather did, actually, and while it sucked that this was happening, she did understand. When he brushed his lips against her cheek, she flashed him an unconcerned smile.
    “I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” he said.
    “I know. Well, g’nite.” She glanced over at Cat and Vincent, who were regarding him stonily. They looked like disapproving parents, and a little frisson of defensiveness played her spine like a xylophone.
    “It was very nice to meet you both,” Ravi said, and then he walked away. Heather watched him go, holding her breath and willing him to look back one last time at her. She had almost given up hope when he did turn, smiled, and mimicked holding a phone to his ear.
    I’ll call you.
    She wiggled her fingers at him and took another sip of her drink. Then she set it down and folded her hands on the table.
    “People do get called into work, you know,” she ventured.
    “No one texted him,” Vincent said in an undervoice. “He didn’t get a message.”
    “How…?” Heather began, but she knew: Vincent had used his beast sense. His hearing was better than, like, a dog’s.
    She finished her appletini in one gulp and picked up her wine glass just as a waiter filled it. White. Fine. She guzzled it down. Then she noticed the strangers at the table. “Good evening,” she said dully. She scooted back her chair and slid her arms out of the jacket. Her hands were shaking.
    “I’m going home.” She rose and held the jacket out to her sister. “I’ll be by tomorrow before you fly out.”
    “Heather, wait.” The jacket bundled in her arms, Cat began to get up. Every instinct within Heather ignited full blast to let her sister comfort her. But if Cat did, Heather would start crying.
    Heather shook her head. “No, it’s okay, Cat. I-I’m just not in the mood for chicken, you know? It’s just… oh, my God, do you know how much I spent on this dress?”
    She winced at the bemused expressions on the faces of the other people at their table. She would not cry in front of strangers. She would save it for her couch and her half-gallon of Moose Tracks. And lots of Netflix.
    As she moved away from the table, she heard Vincent say, “That is not an STD.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    Though he