My Sister Stole My Husband novel · Chapter 7 of 24
Chapter 7: The Dinner
The ballroom at the harbor hotel had a huge crystal chandelier and a hundred and forty people who all knew who ought to be seated where.
Maeve walked in at seven sharp in the green dress.
She had driven herself, and she had left her wedding ring in her mother's pocket, and she was carrying a small black clutch with one folded piece of paper in it.
Waylon met her at the door with a smile that came on a half second too late.
"You look beautiful," he said.
"Remember the conditions."
"I remember."
He steered her to the head table, where the founder of Ashgrove Group sat in the center chair.
The founder was a heavy, white-haired man of sixty-eight with a voice that carried without trying.
He took Maeve's hand in both of his.
"The famous wife," he said. "The nurse."
"Maeve."
"I've heard about you for years. Sit by me."
Her mother was already at the table, three seats down, wearing her pearl earrings and a stiff, watchful face.
She gave Maeve a small nod.
It said, very clearly, remember what I told you about your father.
Maeve sat, and unfolded her napkin, and smiled back.
The dinner took an hour and ten minutes.
Waylon talked about fiscal quarters, and the founder talked about his boat, and Maeve ate a piece of salmon without tasting it.
At eight-twenty a waiter cleared the plates, and the founder pushed back his chair and tapped his water glass with a spoon.
The room went quiet at once.
"Friends," he said. "I'll be brief, which my wife will tell you is a lie."
Laughter moved across the room.
"Every year I promote one person I'd trust with my name on a door. This year it's a young man I've watched for nine years." He put a hand on Waylon's shoulder. "Waylon Mercer started with nothing. He put himself through business school at night, with a job in the day. And I'll tell you how he did it."
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