The Keys to Gramercy Park by Candice Sue Patterson

Author:Candice Sue Patterson [Linder, Hannah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781636095349
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2023-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ANDREA

Manhattan, Present Day

The evening was as close to a fairy tale as Andrea would ever get.

Designers had transformed the ceiling of the Met into an astrologer’s paradise of twinkling lights covered by a layer of black organdy. Artwork and sculptures of renown hung from easels and wall pedestals, showcasing The Beauty of Night.

It was a beautiful night.

Euphoria settled deeper into her bones with every touch and caress Beau offered. Whether they were sitting, dancing, or chatting, he was always holding her hand or guiding her by the small of her back. Nothing sleazy or possessive, but protective. Declarative. As if he was afraid she’d disappear into the crowd and he might never find her again.

While dawn would soon sweep the magic into a distant memory, for now she’d sit in the foreground and soak in every detail of Beau working the room. Confidence radiated from him, coupled with the fine layer of arrogance that came from having money and power. His was a controlled power, and his authenticity overshadowed the arrogance enough to make him irresistible. It was clear he understood humanity and desired to do his part to improve it. Everyone seemed to love him.

Seeing Beau in his element only solidified how inept she was in his world.

“Oh no. Not you too.” Maribel Quincy, the cousin Beau had introduced Andrea to earlier, poised on a chair beside her. Her royal-blue gown shimmered, a perfect complement to her olive skin. “I’ve yet to meet one of Beau’s dates who didn’t look at him as if he were some mythical god in the flesh. I’d hoped you were different.”

“And here I thought I was playing it cool.” Andrea leaned an elbow on the linen-covered table. The gown she’d rented was lovely but homespun compared to the mega designers worn tonight.

“Don’t scold yourself too harshly. It’s a natural reaction experienced by every female on the planet and, unfortunately, there’s no cure. His brilliance is sickening.”

“He is brilliant, isn’t he?”

“And very much smitten with you. Congratulations. You’re the envy of every woman in this room, single or otherwise.”

The otherwise swept Allen through her memory, which soured the moment.

“Too bad the powers that be injected all the charisma into his DNA instead of dispersing it evenly throughout the family.” Maribel sipped champagne from a glass flute. Sapphire and diamond earrings swayed from her earlobes. “Or maybe it stems from the Davidson blood. My grandmother always told me the Davidsons were a force to be reckoned with.”

“I take it you and Beau don’t share a grandmother?”

“We’re second cousins twice removed or something like that. It’s complicated. Something our family excels at.”

“I think it’s safe to say most families excel at complicated.”

“True. But our issues are infinite and costly.” Maribel threw her head back and downed the last of her champagne. Her throat worked against a bejeweled necklace so expensive it could feed a third-world country. “Tell me, where did you two meet?”

Andrea gave her the short version of their first introduction. “Hitting on his waitress? I’ve never known Beau to do something so elementary.

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