His guess was so close Josie felt herself blushing. She hoped Ed wouldn’t get in too much trouble, but she felt it was better to pretend ignorance than try to defend him. Alan snorted in an amused fashion. “Don’t worry. There are always a few gatecrashers at these things. Dan expects it and so do I.” He sobered. “I don’t much care for gatecrashers who make too much trouble, however, and I’ve been wondering about you ever since I first noticed you downstairs.”
“Who are you, anyway?”
“I’m Dan’s head of security, private secretary and chauffeur.” He bowed and glanced up at her.
“The one who makes things run smoothly.”
“Precisely.”
“You must have had your hands full from what I’ve seen.” She frowned as she imagined where Dan Junior might be at that moment—probably standing in an extra study somewhere with hastily summoned staff while his father made a toast to the birth of a son he seldom remembered. She squelched the feelings of pity the imagined scene brought on. She couldn’t afford to feel sorry for this family with its rich history and present so full of story material.
Dan came back into the room and Alan asked if everything was okay.
“Fine.” Dan nodded toward the door with a weary attitude. “Would you mind waiting outside for us, Alan?”
Alan nodded and left, shutting the door behind him.
Dan walked to the bar. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“It was the wine that got me in trouble to begin with, remember?”
He looked puzzled then smiled. “Right, the bathroom.” He poured himself a whiskey and sat on the edge of the desk. “You may not be able to find the bathroom, but you’re very good at digging skeletons out of my family’s many closets. My father has Alzheimer’s. We’ve kept it to ourselves for the past year and a half. He’s approaching the stage when I won’t be able to pay off everyone who finds out by accident.” He shot Josie a glance.
“I don’t want money.” She straightened, hoping her curt voice would set him straight.
“I didn’t think so.” He nodded to a chair and she sat. “You want the story.” He sipped his whiskey. “Would you consider keeping this out of the headlines for now?”
“Would you give me an exclusive when the time comes?”
Dan shook his head. “Can’t. It’ll be too hard to keep it quiet when it happens. My dad is a former mayor.”
“I know, which makes this story all the more valuable to me.”
“What if I give you a heads-up twenty four hours before anyone else? Your paper would have the story a full day before I officially announce it.”
“My ‘paper’ is actually a weekly magazine.”
“I’ll call you a week before. We’ll set up a private interview. You’ll have plenty of time to get the story out before anyone else even knows.”
Josie considered. She knew he could toss her out and call a press conference before she could get the story out. Alternatively, she could do as he asked. If she agreed, she won—on his terms. She held out her hand. “Done. But I want your mother at that interview.”
“Done.” He took her hand with a small, sad smile. “Let’s get back to the party.”
As they exited, Alan straightened from his position beside the door and gave Dan an inquiring look. Dan nodded and Alan hung back as they walked on. Josie noticed a click behind them and figured Alan had locked the door. She wondered what secrets were now safe from other prying eyes.
Josie decided it wouldn’t hurt to ask a few judicious questions. “You’ve only recently taken over your father’s business, haven’t you?”
“Within the past year. But I’ve worked in almost every aspect of the company.”
“Really?” She was interested. His public image of the playboy didn’t fit with someone who knew his family business inside and out. “I’d love to hear more.”
They were nearing the head of the stairs and Dan stopped, turning toward her. “Will you be at the benefit dinner for Senator Hill on Sunday?” He absently caressed her knuckles, reminding her he still held her hand.
She shook her head with regret. “I wasn’t able to wrangle a press pass and the magazine can’t afford to send me to every benefit in New York.”
He smiled. “No, I guess it wouldn’t. But you could come as my date.” When he saw her hesitate, he added, “Just business, I promise.” He leaned closer, squeezing the hand he still held. “Though I do want to get to know you better.”
“Are you always this direct?” She felt dizzy. Dan Mason was a formidable personality at close range.
“Almost always.” Dan dropped her hand, turning back to the stairs. “I’ll pick you up Sunday at seven.”
* * * *
Alan fell into step with Dan at the bottom of the stairs. “Is she a problem?”
Dan shook his head. “I don’t think so. We’d pretty much wrapped everything up before she walked in. I’m taking her to Senator Hill’s benefit. I’ll find out if she knows anything.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?” Alan looked amused. “I talked to her and she’s pretty tough. I don’t think she’s the kind of girl who’s going to let you sleep with her to find out if she knows anything.”
Dan raised his eyebrows and smiled in a peculiar way. “I hope not.”
* * * *
Josie glanced at the clock. Already eleven thirty. How long had she been upstairs with Dan? She’d found a vantage point on the grand staircase from where she could track at least some of his movements without being noticed. A group of young models wearing colorful dresses that looked like little more than scarves chatted nearby, a flock of butterflies blocking Josie from any casual observer below. She watched as Dan moved from group to group, pausing to exchange words, laugh at a joke, share a drink. Several breathtakingly beautiful women attempted to attach themselves to him, but he somehow managed to drift away without them.
“He’s really good looking, isn’t he?” One of the models leaned against the banister next to Josie. She looked wasted enough to fall down the stairs if somebody didn’t do something to stop her. “Everybody’s guessing who he’s going to be with at midnight, you know.”
“Are they?” Josie looked around.
“Oh, yes.” The girl pushed back her hair with a slender hand. A sparkly barrette hanging by a few strands came off and she looked at it in a puzzled way, as if uncertain how it had gotten there, before returning her wavering attention to Josie. “He’s just broken up with his girlfriend.”
“Who was that?”
“Who cares?” The girl giggled and turned away, adding over her shoulder, “She’s yesterday. We’re wondering who’s going to be next.”
Josie smiled and looked back at the parlor. Dan had vanished, and then the music stopped and everyone scrambled to grab a drink and a partner as the countdown to the New Year began.
“Five!” Josie smiled and yelled the countdown along with the others, brandishing her wine glass. “Four! Three! Two! One!”
Someone grabbed her arm and turned her around from the banister, putting one hand behind her head to tilt it up and kiss her.
Startled and off balance, Josie reached out to grab whoever held her and felt