The Tycoon's Christmas Proposal. Jackie Braun
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her cheek. “Hello, Mom. You look as radiant as ever. Is that a new dress?”
“It is, though I doubt you could give a fig,” she replied on a chuckle, letting him know that his attempt at flattery had not sidetracked her in the least. Indeed, speculation lit her eyes even as her lips curved into a smile. “And who might this lovely young woman be?”
Eve knew she was being inspected from head to toe even if Tallulah Burke was smiling and greeting her in as gracious a fashion as she did it.
Dawson performed the introductions, all the while looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable. All of his usual cockiness was gone. Eve liked him all the more for it.
“Mom, this is Eve Hawley. Eve, my mother, Tallulah Burke.”
“Eve, it’s very nice to meet you.” Tallulah shook Eve’s hand, covering it with both of hers, which were fine-boned and heavily bejeweled. She didn’t let go immediately afterward. No. She held on as she added, “I have to say, I was a little surprised when my son mentioned yesterday that he would be bringing a guest to the party this evening. I wasn’t aware he was dating anyone. I guess the mother is the last to know.”
Even as she said it, Eve got the feeling that very little got past Dawson’s mother. This was no flighty society maven. Her blue eyes were keen with intelligence and, at the moment, a great deal of curiosity.
“Eve and I haven’t known one another very long,” Dawson hedged.
“Oh?”
“First date,” Eve supplied. She didn’t quite bat her eyelashes, but came close. Dawson scowled.
“Really? How exactly did you meet?” Tallulah asked, her gaze never wavering from Eve.
“A mutual friend got us together.” Since it wasn’t exactly a lie, Eve had no problem supplying the information.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dawson nod, apparently pleased with her response. Then, before his mother could probe any further, he added, “It was no one you know, Mom.”
Someone called her name then. Tallulah turned and waved. “Well, I need to mingle. You should do the same, Daw. It’s expected.”
“Right.”
She turned to Eve then. “I’ll look forward to getting to know you better over dinner.”
Oh, I bet you will, Eve thought.
Will I measure up?
The question had her stomach knotting and some of the old insecurities managed to sneak in, despite the fact that her relationship with Dawson wasn’t the romantic one his mother had been led to believe.
“I have a feeling that the salmon won’t be the only thing grilled here tonight,” she murmured once she and Dawson were alone.
“Don’t worry. My mother is harmless.”
Eve decided to reserve judgment. Admittedly, her first impression of Tallulah had been a positive one. The woman seemed kind, and the very fact that she threw an annual ball to raise funds for charity elevated Eve’s opinion of her. But Eve had had enough negative experiences in her past to know better than to trust first impressions.
Pot calling the kettle, she thought, since she did her best to make a stellar first impression. It was important to her.
Thanks to her penchant for sniffing out sales and spending her pennies on quality pieces, Eve knew what to wear. She also had no problem holding her own in social settings. One of the great aunts she’d lived with had been a stickler for etiquette. Eve knew how to sit with her legs crossed demurely at the ankle. She knew how to walk—head up, shoulders back. She knew which fork to use for the various courses served at dinner. And when it came to the art of small talk, she could hold her own with the best of them.
But she was a fraud. An absolute and utter fake underneath all of her props and polish.
She had not been born into money, and, as she’d learned with her last boyfriend, when it came right down to it, for some people it was the pedigree that made all the difference.
Eve notched up her chin, crooked her arm through Dawson’s and in her best haughty voice, asked, “Shall we go forth and mingle?”
He heaved a sigh. “I’d rather not, but yes. Just let me do most of the talking.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. I’m a regular chameleon,” Eve assured him. “No one will ever suspect that I don’t belong here.”
He sent her a questioning look, which she ignored. Despite those noxious self-doubts, she continued to smile brightly.
Everyone with whom they stopped to chat seemed surprised to see Dawson and, oddly, a little tongue-tied around him. Eve might have thought that was because he was the sort of man who exuded power. Some people found that intimidating. But it was more than his importance. She felt an undercurrent here, something just below the surface of the polite conversations that seemed almost like sympathy. It didn’t make sense. Why would anyone feel sorry for Dawson Burke? The man had it made: a high-powered job, wealth, exceptional good looks and a body that appeared to have been chiseled from granite.
Yet for all that, he couldn’t manage a real date for an evening. Hmm…
As they made their way over to the tables where the items for the silent auction had been set up, Eve said, “I’m curious about something.”
“Yes?” he replied absently.
The first item they came to was a gift basket full of aromatherapy bath products. The opening bid was far more than the actual value of the individual components and yet several others had already topped it. Dawson scrawled his name down along with an outrageous amount. She added generous to his list of attributes.
“I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with you,” Eve stated bluntly.
He straightened and regarded her from beneath furrowed brows. “Excuse me?”
“Well, you’re obviously successful and you’re attractive.” She gave one bicep a squeeze through the sleeve of his tuxedo jacket. “Your body’s definitely all male, even if you do have a penchant for lavender-scented bubble baths.”
“It’s for charity,” came his dry reply.
“Right.” She winked because she knew it would annoy him. The man seriously needed to lighten up.
“Charity,” he muttered a second time.
“So, why couldn’t you get a real date for tonight?”
Dawson looked perplexed by the question. “Aren’t you having a good time?”
Surprisingly, she was and so she admitted as much. “All things considered, I’m actually enjoying myself. I’m just, you know…” She motioned with her hand. “Curious.”
“Curiosity killed the cat, Eve.”
She merely shrugged. “Cats have nine lives. So, why aren’t you dating?”
“Who says that I’m not?”
She settled a hand on one hip. “Everyone we’ve met tonight seems shocked to see you out at a social function.” She paused for effect before adding, “Especially in the company of a woman.”
“I have a very demanding position as the head of Burke Financial.” The excuse was weak and he knew it based on the way his gaze slid away after he said it.
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