Read Online Balancing Act (The Santa Monica Trilogy Book 3) by Jill Blake - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jill Blake
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smiled. “You did a marvelous job organizing this.”
Eva waved off the compliment. “What are you drinking?”
Angie glanced at the glass she’d accepted from a passing waiter on arrival, only to find it empty. “Red wine.”
“Come on, let’s get you a refill.”
She followed Eva to the bar. “Where’s Max?”
“Babysitting.”
“Seriously?”
“He hates these functions. You’d think people would have better things to do than pester him about where he gets his ideas.”
“Poor Max,” Angie said, accepting a fresh glass and nodding her thanks to the bartender. “Must be tough, having back-to-back bestsellers out.”
“First world problems,” Eva laughed, steering Angie toward a less crowded spot. “I know. Everyone should be so lucky.”
“I haven’t seen Logan either.”
“He’s watching the twins at our place. Keeping Max company.”
Angie blinked. “I thought he and Grace had a nanny.”
“They do.” Eva sighed. “Edmonton’s playing Carolina tonight.”
“Ah. Now that makes sense.” Hockey was a sacred sport among the men in their family. The only excuse for missing a game was death or dismemberment. And maybe the birth of a child.
A familiar face caught Angie’s eye, and she nearly dropped her glass. “What’s Zach Stewart doing here?”
Eva followed her gaze. “I invited him.”
“Why?”
“He and Tom have been big contributors to the cause.”
“Really?” Angie cocked her head. “Since when?”
“Since I organized the first event when Grace started managing the clinics.”
“How come I didn’t know about this before?”
Eva shrugged. “You’re usually running the 10K part of it. This is the first year you’ve had time to attend the gala night.”
“Some of us actually work most evenings.”
“I know,” Eva said. “I’ve been there.”
“Oh, jeez, Eva, I’m sorry.” Angie forgot sometimes how dire Eva’s situation had been after first husband died and left behind a mountain of debt. Eva had gone from stay-at-home mom to sole breadwinner, picking up whatever freelance jobs she could get doing graphic design and marketing. She’d managed to turn things around, launching a successful business that catered to a niche market of indie writers. But for a while, her financial situation had been quite tenuous. Angie squeezed her sister’s hand. “Just ignore me. I’ve been a bit crabby lately.”
“It’s okay. Look, I know you and Zach haven’t always gotten along, but it’s not like he’s the only other person here. There are plenty of people you can mingle with. Come on, I’ll introduce you around.”
“What? Oh, no, you’re not trying to set me up again, are you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I know that expression.” Angie set her glass down on the nearest flat surface and took a step back. “Last time I saw you looking at me like that, I ended up spending an entire lunch hour fending off what’s-his-name with the grabby hands.”
Eva winced. “Sorry about that. I would never have suggested you meet up with him if I’d known he would act that way.”
“The only thing that would have been worse was if I’d agreed to have dinner with the guy. This way, at least, I had an appointment with a client as my excuse to get the hell out of there.”
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“No way,” Angie said. “Besides, I don’t need my big sister managing my love life.”
“I wouldn’t have to if you actually had a love life.”
Angie glanced across the room to where she’d last seen Zach, only to find him staring straight at her. She licked her suddenly dry lips.
“Hello?” Eva poked her in the side. “Am I missing something?”
Angie blinked. “What?”
“You. Zach.”
“Uh, no.” She scowled at Eva. “We’re on opposite sides of a lawsuit.”
Eva pursed her lips. “I thought Zach was in-house counsel for S&L.”
“He is.”
“So…”
Angie rearranged the wrap
Eva waved off the compliment. “What are you drinking?”
Angie glanced at the glass she’d accepted from a passing waiter on arrival, only to find it empty. “Red wine.”
“Come on, let’s get you a refill.”
She followed Eva to the bar. “Where’s Max?”
“Babysitting.”
“Seriously?”
“He hates these functions. You’d think people would have better things to do than pester him about where he gets his ideas.”
“Poor Max,” Angie said, accepting a fresh glass and nodding her thanks to the bartender. “Must be tough, having back-to-back bestsellers out.”
“First world problems,” Eva laughed, steering Angie toward a less crowded spot. “I know. Everyone should be so lucky.”
“I haven’t seen Logan either.”
“He’s watching the twins at our place. Keeping Max company.”
Angie blinked. “I thought he and Grace had a nanny.”
“They do.” Eva sighed. “Edmonton’s playing Carolina tonight.”
“Ah. Now that makes sense.” Hockey was a sacred sport among the men in their family. The only excuse for missing a game was death or dismemberment. And maybe the birth of a child.
A familiar face caught Angie’s eye, and she nearly dropped her glass. “What’s Zach Stewart doing here?”
Eva followed her gaze. “I invited him.”
“Why?”
“He and Tom have been big contributors to the cause.”
“Really?” Angie cocked her head. “Since when?”
“Since I organized the first event when Grace started managing the clinics.”
“How come I didn’t know about this before?”
Eva shrugged. “You’re usually running the 10K part of it. This is the first year you’ve had time to attend the gala night.”
“Some of us actually work most evenings.”
“I know,” Eva said. “I’ve been there.”
“Oh, jeez, Eva, I’m sorry.” Angie forgot sometimes how dire Eva’s situation had been after first husband died and left behind a mountain of debt. Eva had gone from stay-at-home mom to sole breadwinner, picking up whatever freelance jobs she could get doing graphic design and marketing. She’d managed to turn things around, launching a successful business that catered to a niche market of indie writers. But for a while, her financial situation had been quite tenuous. Angie squeezed her sister’s hand. “Just ignore me. I’ve been a bit crabby lately.”
“It’s okay. Look, I know you and Zach haven’t always gotten along, but it’s not like he’s the only other person here. There are plenty of people you can mingle with. Come on, I’ll introduce you around.”
“What? Oh, no, you’re not trying to set me up again, are you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I know that expression.” Angie set her glass down on the nearest flat surface and took a step back. “Last time I saw you looking at me like that, I ended up spending an entire lunch hour fending off what’s-his-name with the grabby hands.”
Eva winced. “Sorry about that. I would never have suggested you meet up with him if I’d known he would act that way.”
“The only thing that would have been worse was if I’d agreed to have dinner with the guy. This way, at least, I had an appointment with a client as my excuse to get the hell out of there.”
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“No way,” Angie said. “Besides, I don’t need my big sister managing my love life.”
“I wouldn’t have to if you actually had a love life.”
Angie glanced across the room to where she’d last seen Zach, only to find him staring straight at her. She licked her suddenly dry lips.
“Hello?” Eva poked her in the side. “Am I missing something?”
Angie blinked. “What?”
“You. Zach.”
“Uh, no.” She scowled at Eva. “We’re on opposite sides of a lawsuit.”
Eva pursed her lips. “I thought Zach was in-house counsel for S&L.”
“He is.”
“So…”
Angie rearranged the wrap
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