Chapter 14: Best Man

Tobias's POV

Dominic had moved the dinner to Wednesday so the buyer's people could fly out before the weekend.

He had booked the back room of a steakhouse in the Meatpacking District, with a long table, white roses and a bartender who knew his order.

I stood at the head of the table in a navy suit and smiled until my face hurt.

"There he is," Dominic said, and threw an arm across my shoulders. "My best man. Look at him, Colette. He looks like a man who's learned his lesson."

"He looks tired," Colette said, and kissed my cheek.

Her lips were cold.

Her left hand, with the emerald on it, rested on my arm a moment longer than it needed to.

Every instruction Allegra had given me came back at once.

Read before you sign.

Tell me everything he asks.

Keep your mouth shut.

I kept it shut.

Twelve guests sat down to dinner, and four of them were from the buyer.

The oldest was a lawyer with silver hair and a very good watch.

The youngest, a woman in a grey suit, watched Dominic the whole evening and wrote nothing down.

Over the salad, Dominic slid a black folder across the table.

"Best man paperwork," he said. "The venue wants an indemnity. Sign the last page and pass it back."

I opened it.

Dominic watched me do it.

I turned to the first page and began to read.

"Toby," he said, laughing. "It's a venue form."

"My lawyer made me promise," I said. "After the week I've had, I read everything now. Even the menu."

"Even the menu," Colette repeated, and laughed too brightly.

I read the whole form while a waiter refilled my water.

It was twelve pages.

The first nine were about candles, fire exits and a damage deposit.

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