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himself staring at Rocki as she
accepted the hands of two tuxedo-clad men, lifting her onto the
stage.
    â€œ For those who are
new to the event, Lush, also known as Rocki Monroe, designs many of
the pieces sold in Lush & Lace ,” the petite redhead
on the stage said, smiling as Rocki sauntered toward her. “Lush
started out designing costumes in high school theater and began
devoting more time to design in college. But it wasn’t until
after her husband’s death that she actively began pursuing this
particular dream—it was a dream only her husband and I knew
about.”
    Rocki stopped next to the
redhead. The other woman smiled up at her friend. “The name
even came from him... Lush , his nickname for Rocki.”
    â€œ Don’t forget
about the other part,” Rocki chided, taking the microphone.
“ Lace . Short for Lacey Morgan, who takes the portraits.
My not-so-silent partner.” She bumped her hip against the other
woman and grinned as the paler skinned woman flushed a brilliant
shade of crimson.
    Somebody from out the
crowd called out, “Can we bid on the two of you?”
    Lacey quipped, “You
can’t handle the two of us, Mitchell.” Then she bowed to
Rocki. “Lush, the stage is all yours.”
    Rocki curtsied and
stepped aside as the two tuxedo-clad men helped her friend off the
stage.
    Staring at Rocki, Cole
found himself chuckling.
    â€œ That bitch .”
Mara appeared at his side, seething.
    Cole, his amusement
fading, looked at her. “Pardon?”
    â€œ She did this on
purpose—she fucking knew I’d find out who she was
tonight and she did this to humiliate me,” Mara snarled.
    Cole muffled a groan.
“Mara, nobody is even paying you any attention. You’re
not going to be humiliated unless you bring it on yourself. Now if
you’ll excuse me...”
    She went to grab his arm
but he evaded her. “Enough,” he warned her. “It’s
done between us and I’m not going to have you grabbing me and
digging your claws in every time you don’t get the final word.”
    â€œ How can you do
this to me?” She stared at him, all big eyes and sadness now.
Apparently going for a different tactic. “I can’t believe
you want to end it without even talking things through.”
    â€œ There’s
nothing to talk through. We’re through...I think we have been
for a while and I just didn’t see it.” He shook his head.
“I’m not going to discuss it when there’s nothing
you can do or say to change my mind.”
    â€œ That’s
hardly fair, is it?” she asked, her voice brittle.
    â€œ It’s not
about fair,” he replied. “You don’t even see what
you’ve become. If you don’t see it, you can’t
change it. And I can’t marry the woman you are.” He
stared at her, wishing he could see even a little bit of genuine
sadness in her eyes, but all he really saw was wounded pride and cold
anger. If he’d seen something of the woman she’d been
once, maybe...but there was nothing. Just the ice queen.
    Sighing, Cole turned away
and moved off into the crowd. He could leave. He should. Mara had the
keys to the car and the condo in her purse. But he could call a cab
and get a hotel for the next few days until he figured out where he
was going to stay, what he was going to do.
    Yes, he could leave. But
he didn’t. Nor did he really want to. He found himself in the
small sitting area tucked in the corner of Lush & Lace ,
staring into his glass of whiskey and brooding. When somebody slid
onto the corner of the couch next to him, he bit back a sigh,
convinced it was Mara.
    But it wasn’t.
    It was the redhead.
Lacey.
    She stared at him, her
vivid green eyes echoed by the green design of her corset. It was one
that Rocki had called an underbust, and although the woman was almost
as slender as Mara, he had to admit, it did wonderful