Page 83 of Mistletoe Mistake
Jackson surprised me by telling me he would be going to the party too. Apparently, Holly had invited him as her guest, and I was glad to hear it. The more people that had Gemma's back, the better. We could make sure no one got a chance to bother her and that the night went as smoothly as possible.
Gemma came over to give me a kiss before leaving for the day. It wasn't the first time she'd done so, but that morning, it felt different. More meaningful, somehow. More of a promise than a goodbye.
Jackson couldn't hide his grin after she'd gone. "Okay, you've both got that sappy in-love look, so I'm guessing you had 'the talk'?"
I knew what was coming, so I encouraged him to get it over with. “Go ahead and say it: you were right. I like her and apparently I'm lucky enough that she likes me too.”
“That's a good start.” To his credit, he didn't look smug about it. He just looked genuinely happy for me. “But what happens next?”
“We haven't figured it all out yet,” I admitted. “I still have to go back to New York tomorrow. My sister's having her big Christmas get-together this weekend, and she'd kill me if I missed it. But after that, we'll see. We'll figure something out.”
Jackson nodded. “Good. I'm so glad, Cole. Gemma is great, and I think she's perfect for you.”
I was really starting to think so too.
The day flew by and before I knew it, I was back in the suite, getting changed for the evening. I hadn't brought any formal wear with me for the trip since I’d only been planning on focusing on business, but this party was a black-tie affair. I asked my assistant to find me something appropriate, and earlier that day, someone delivered a formal suit with tails and a waistcoat. The style didn’t match my usual look at all, but she assured me that men in London were wearing them.
I’d almost finished getting ready when Gemma rushed in. “I'm so sorry, I got caught up in a meeting, but I just need a few minutes...” She trailed off as she caught sight of me, and a wide smile lit up her face. “Well, don't you look like the proper British gentleman?”
I put on my best fake British accent to answer her. “That's what I was going for, love.”
Gemma laughed loudly, her eyes sparkling in amusement. “Okay, don't ever do that again.” She came over to me, still chuckling, and gave me a sweet kiss. “But you do look wonderful.”
“I can't wait to see what you're wearing.” I wished we had more time before the party to get her out of her work clothes before she had to put something else on.
“I was tempted to wear my Santa dress from the night we met,” she teased as she walked into the bedroom. I followed her to the door, watching as she walked over to the closet and opened it up.
“I wouldn't have any problem with that. You looked amazing in it.”
“Well, hopefully you'll like this one just as much.” She turned to see me standing there, and made a shooing motion with her hands. “You have to wait until I'm ready though. Out.”
Normally, I gave the orders, but I let her have her way, returning to the living room to wait for her to make her appearance. When she did, I could hardly believe my eyes.
The dress matched the colour of her skin almost exactly, overlaid with a light gauzy material covered in fake diamonds and sequins, in swirling patterns. It made it look like she hardly wore anything at all, although in reality she was completely covered. As she moved, the sequins caught the light, making it look like she glowed from within, like her own special light shone out of her.
I couldn't take my eyes off her.
When I finally raised my gaze back to her face, she gave me a nervous smile. “What do you think? My father's probably going to hate it.”
“That makes it even better, then. You don't need to worry about what anyone else thinks. You've got eyes, Gemma. Look in that mirror. You're exquisite.”
The nervousness in her smile lessened. “Thank you, Cole. I'm glad you're coming tonight.”
“I am too.”
We made our way downstairs to where Holly and Jackson were already waiting so we could all take a car over together. The ride didn’t take very long, and soon, we pulled up in front of a large, elegant townhouse behind a cast-iron fence. The house wasn't as old as the one in the country that Gemma had taken me to, but it had clearly still been there for at least a couple of centuries.
Once the gate had been opened for us, the car drove us right up to the front door. Two men in tails and top hats stood on either side of the double doors, which were open wide, and another man came over to open the car door for us.
I got out first, offering my arm to Gemma, and Jackson and Holly followed behind us. Just inside, an elegant woman in heels checked the guest list on an iPad. Gemma gave her name and Holly's, and the woman frowned as she scrolled through her list.
“I have Ms Chapman and guest here, but Lady Gemma, it doesn't say that you're bringing a guest.”
“There must be some mistake,” Gemma told her, her voice clear and strong and confident. “This is my father's party. Surely, I can bring anyone I like.”
I squeezed her arm, proud of her for not backing down, and the woman blushed. “I'm sure you're right. Please, enjoy your evening.”
Gemma led us to the small room being used as a coat check, and we shed our outer garments. Before Gemma handed over her coat, however, she pulled out two Santa hats from an inside pocket.
