Lawrence directed a question to his dripping-in-diamonds wife, Lana. “Who’s the young man?”
Lana looked at the crowd spread before the head table. “Oh, who? Where?”
Several friends stopped talking with her as she stretched her neck to locate the elder (by eight minutes) of her two daughters. “Yes, there she is. Oh, doesn’t she look lovely tonight?”
Everyone sprinkled around the table agreed. “Yes, yes.”
“And who is that young man?” Leesa heard Lawrence ask Lana again.
Leesa watched Lana squint to see across the room. “He’s very handsome, but I don’t recognize him. Have you seen him before?”
Lawrence stood. “Never, I’m quite sure.”
Lana stood and tilted her head. “Should we call security? I mean, I think he’s a guest. Look how they dance so close. Lyza looks like she very much enjoys his company. Did they come together?”
Leesa started to panic. Oh, no, this just gets better and better. Lyza, you owe me big-time. Now I have to stop Father from calling security. She turned toward her parents’ table when Lawrence took a step towards the foyer.
Leesa got to her feet when she heard him tell Lana that he was going to check the guest list.
He turned to Leesa. “We’ll find out who this mystery man is right now.”
Lawrence approached the security guard in a small room off the entrance, with Leesa two steps behind him. The guard sat at a desk with several computer monitors in front of him. He sat straight at the sight of Lawrence. “James, I’d like a look at the guest list, if you don’t mind.”
Leesa giggled, nervous from the excitement, thinking, if you don’t mind? Of course James doesn’t mind. You’re his boss. Leesa minded, but it was out of her control. She shrugged as James handed over a clipboard with the names of those in attendance.
Lawrence inspected the list of invitees and found no new name. Then he looked again at Lyza’s name, and it simply stated ‘Lyza Lane and guest.’ Lawrence wrinkled his brow for a second as Leesa looked over his shoulder. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Afraid Lawrence might do something to embarrass Lyza, Leesa tried talking to him. “Father, I know you have valid concerns.”
He started back to his table and stopped. “You bet I have concerns. Lyza’s accident took its toll. She was in a plane crash, for God’s sake. And you know as well as I do that she hasn’t been the same since her recovery. Sometimes I wonder if she’ll ever be her old self, and I’m not about to let some young man take advantage of the situation.”
Leesa found Tim at their table, two glasses of champagne sitting in front of him. She sat next to him and put her hand on his arm. “Sorry, I had a mission.”
Tim lifted his glass. “Here’s to a successful mission.”
She clinked her glass on his and took a sip. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lawrence coming up behind her.
“Glad to see you two. Hope you’re enjoying yourselves.” He smiled and took hold of Leesa’s elbow. “Can I steal her away for a few moments, Tim? I promise to give her right back.”
Tim turned toward the bar. “Sure, I’ll get us more champagne.”
Leesa frowned as Lawrence took her elbow, pulling her away. “Father, what are you doing?”
Lawrence bent down and whispered. “Who is that young man dancing with Lyza? You know more than you’re telling.”
“Oh, come on, now.” Leesa threw her hands into the air. “That’s all I’ve heard tonight. Everyone wants to know who Lyza’s with. Please. You know, I’m here, too.”
“I know you are here. I also know the man who brought you, and I happen to know him well. However, that’s not the case with your sister, and you know since the accident—”
“Oh, do I ever know! Since the accident, everything is about Lyza. You know, Father, she’s all right. She’s a thirty-two-year-old woman. She was one of six survivors in a horrible plane crash, and all of them are doing just fine. Let her have some fun.” Leesa wasn’t about to tell her father the little she knew about the mystery man, but she felt she had to say something to calm him.
Her voice softened. “All I know is that Lyza met him some time ago. He’s not exactly a stranger. I’ve met him, and he’s a nice man. All right?”
“Well, I don’t know why she doesn’t have his name on the guest list. I find that, well, secretive.”
Leesa laughed. “Oh, Father, lighten up.” She walked back toward the ballroom.
Lawrence frowned at the disrespect, and she heard him mutter, “Young people today.”
Leesa let him pass and followed him through the crowd to his table, where Tim had joined Lana, who was intently watching the young couple as they gave the orchestra a round of applause.
Lana’s right eyebrow arched. “Who is he?”
Lawrence stood to full height. “I’m calling my investigators in the morning. It’s some fellow she met recently, probably at some board meeting. In any case, I plan to find out more soon.” Leesa cringed.
***
“You look beautiful tonight, Lyza,” David whispered in her ear as they began dancing to “Moon River.”
She pulled apart just enough to look up at him and smile. Lyza loved dancing. “That’s because I’m dancing with you. Has anyone ever told you that you’re a wonderful dancer?”
“You’re flirting.” He grinned down at her. “It’s so cute on you.”
She pressed her cheek into his shoulder and smiled. She was having the time of her life. “Sure, you say that now, but wait until my feet start hurting, and I get cranky. Then you won’t think I’m so cute.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “I cannot even imagine what cranky—you did say ‘cranky’?—looks like on Lyza Lane.”
She remembered her life before the accident. “Oh, be glad you haven’t seen it. It’s not pretty. I’ve been told it borders on scary. I have a lot to unlearn.”
“You know what? I think you’re perfect just the way you are. I love dancing with you.”
“I’m enjoying this evening immensely. Thank you for coming. I know this type of affair isn’t really your thing, but you came anyway. I appreciate it.”
“I’m glad you asked me. This is an exquisite evening. Like I said, I’m enjoying myself. There must be every kind of orchid in the world represented here. I suppose that’s as it should be, since this is the annual ‘Save the Orchids’ benefit. Now, how many years is it—the eleventh?”
Lyza felt her face warm. “Tonight is mother’s kick off for the second decade of saving the orchids. That’s why she decided to hold it here again. Mother discovered orchids were in danger of becoming extinct. She loves orchids and couldn’t bear the thought of a world without orchids. Now it all seems too silly.”
David held her a little closer. “Orchids add much beauty to this world. This room is a perfect example. I feel like I’m in the rainforest. Everything here seems bigger than life. Even those ice sculptures look like something da Vinci created, although they probably wouldn’t be in the rainforest.”
Lyza laughed. “Ice sculptures in the rainforest? Yes, that’s Mother, sparing no expense to fuel her fantasies. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. You’re oblivious to all the attention you’re getting.”