Sharp Edges (40 page)

"Don't worry, I talked to him just yesterday. By the way, he told me that he and Rhonda Price are going to get married."

Tabitha frowned. "I trust the wedding won't impact his work schedule."

Eugenia grinned. "I don't think we'll have any problems getting our glass. Rhonda has appointed herself his business manager. She's got big plans for him."

"Hmmph. Probably intends to triple his prices."

"At the very least."

Eugenia noticed Nellie standing with several members of the Leabrook Foundation Board. She lifted her glass of champagne in salute. Nellie smiled and then turned back to charm the elderly, white-maned man who was trying to discreetly peer down her dress.

Tabitha followed Eugenia's gaze. "Do you think we did the right thing in giving her back her job until she gets her art career off the ground?"

"Relax. She's the heroine of all that publicity we got, remember? Of course we had to give her back her job."

Nellie's role in the tale of the Hades cup had been altered somewhat at Eugenia's insistence. Tabitha and Cyrus had argued for a while, but in the end, they had abandoned the effort. By the time the police and the newspapers had gotten the story, Nellie was portrayed as the daring young artist who had hidden the Hades cup to protect it from a crazed dealer named Fenella Weeks.

"Speaking of heroic figures," Tabitha said, "I believe I see Mr. Colfax."

"Cyrus is here?" Eugenia swung around, her pulse kicking into high gear. "Where?"

"He just walked through the door." Tabitha's eyes glinted with amusement. "Hard to miss him in that shirt. I thought you told me he had broken down and rented a tux for tonight."

Eugenia's heart lifted at the sight of Cyrus in a dazzling red and blue aloha shirt spattered with parrots. He had already seen her and was heading in her direction. He did not appear to notice the crowd as it parted for him the way small yachts part for an aircraft carrier. His eyes were on Eugenia.

He carried a large, heavily wrapped object in his hands.

Eugenia frowned. "He did rent a tux. It's hanging in the closet. He must have come straight from the airport. Excuse me, Tabitha."

Tabitha gave her a knowing smile. "Run along, my dear."

Eugenia set down her champagne glass and slipped into the crowd.

They met midway across the floor.

Eugenia looked into Cyrus's green eyes. "What kept you?"

"This." He handed her the bulky package he had brought with him. "Took me a little longer than I expected to talk my client into donating the Hades cup to the Leabrook."

"Donate… ?" She realized her mouth was hanging open. She glanced down at the package and then looked up again. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed several heads turn. "Good heavens, Cyrus, are you telling me that he agreed to let the Leabrook have it?"

"Yeah. Said you were right. It was too important to belong to any individual collector." Cyrus winked. "Plus, which, I sort of convinced him it was safer in a museum."

Eugenia laughed. "Tabitha will kiss the ground you walk upon."

"Nothing like a satisfied client. Sorry I didn't have time to go home and get the tux."

"Don't worry about it. I've been a little busy, myself, today."

"Yeah?"

"I picked up our honeymoon trip tickets." She straightened the collar of his brightly patterned shirt. "I thought we'd go to Hawaii."

His eyes were very green and very deep. He touched the side of her cheek. "A honeymoon implies a marriage."

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?"

"I take it this is a yes to the question I asked before I left?"

She smiled, as sure and certain as she was when she looked into the depths of brilliant, glowing glass.