Dan looked around the room. He couldn’t see Jet anywhere.
‘Don’t worry,’ Edie said. ‘She hasn’t deserted you. That’s not her style.’
Dan barely acknowledged Edie’s words. It seemed really strange that Jet would disappear and leave him on his own for this long. He knew he’d relaxed considerably since they’d arrived earlier, but she’d been insistent about wanting him to feel at ease tonight. The nine o’clock fireworks were starting, which made it even more odd she wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
Edie reached over and touched Dan’s arm. ‘Seriously. Don’t worry. Jet will be back. I can keep you company in the meantime.’
‘Thanks.’ Dan forced a smile. Edie was being nice and he should probably make the effort to get to know Jet’s close friend. Although he was still somewhat perplexed about their friendship. They were completely different, in his opinion, and he didn’t really know where to start. When all else failed, Dan always found asking people questions was a good way to move the conversation along. ‘Are you having a good night?’
A dark expression flickered across Edie’s doll-like features, then she smiled. ‘Better now I’m talking to a handsome winemaker.’
Dan smiled and took a sip of his wine. Jet hadn’t warned him the woman was a shameless flirt. ‘I would have thought there are plenty of other handsome men to talk to tonight.’
‘Don’t undersell yourself. I like refined men. Judging by the quality of your wines, you’ve got plenty.’
Was she trying to crack onto him? Dan didn’t know what to think. The actress could be drunk, bored or her normal self for all he knew. ‘Is that why you’re with Andrew?’ Dan asked, hoping to redirect the conversation.
Her blue eyes flared with something. Anger? Frustration?
‘Wolf in sheep’s clothing, that one. The only thing refined about Andrew is his bank account.’
It struck Dan as an odd thing to say about the man you were dating, but he didn’t say that—despite agreeing with her assessment.
Edie leaned in closer. Dan resisted the urge to step back. Her exotic smelling perfume was overpowering and she had a presence that belied her small stature.
‘Men like that don’t know what they’ve got until it’s gone.’
‘You’re probably right.’
‘I’m sure it will make Jet happy if I ended it.’
Dan chose his words carefully. ‘Happy, no. But you’ve got to admit it might make things easier if you’re not involved with her ex.’
‘So you have a problem with it too?’ she accused.
Interesting. Was Edie’s fun-loving persona all show? Well, Dan was honest to a fault and he wasn’t going to change now just because he was in a room full of celebrities. ‘The only problem I have is I consider him to be a monumental prick. You’re better off without him.’
Edie frowned momentarily and then threw her head back and laughed. Dan watched her with a smile on his face, but it was forced.
‘Oh, you’re too much. As usual, Jet seems to have all the luck.’
‘Luck? Given what she’s been through recently, that’s an interesting way to describe it—but thank you for the compliment.’
‘Jet is tougher than she looks. She’s also one of those types where the world seems to fall at her feet. She’s reaped the benefits of her failed marriage, let me tell you.’
Again, Edie’s perspective was an interesting way of looking at things, and Dan didn’t share it.
‘I’d say Jet has created her own luck. She’s been through a lot with the murder investigation recently.’
‘Is she still worried about that? Honestly, the amount of time she’s dedicating to worrying about one dead young girl is unhealthy.’
‘It’s hard when there haven’t been any clear answers.’
‘What sort of answers does she want? The girl was gutter trash. Plenty like her have similar ends. It’s not worth obsessing over.’
Wow, Dan thought. Harsh.
‘It’s difficult because she doesn’t remember much from that night,’ Dan said instead.
‘I know, right? I still can’t believe they haven’t been able to charge Alex for that. He’s such a creep.’
‘Alex continues to deny it,’ Dan said. Surely Jet had told her best friend about her conversation with Alex? He might be a creep, but it was looking less and less likely he had drugged her that night.
Edie lowered her glass and looked into Dan’s eyes so intensely, he felt uncomfortable.
‘If you think Andrew is an arsehole, I can assure you that Alex Benedetti is the scum of the earth. You’ve only got to look at the company he keeps to tell you that.’
Dan struggled to find something to say. Her evaluation of Alex was extreme, but then maybe she knew him better than they did. He settled on a polite question. ‘You worked with him at one stage didn’t you?’
‘Yes. I even fucked him a time or two and you can tell a lot about a man by the way he behaves in bed, let me tell you.’
Boom.
The fireworks lit up the sky outside and Dan was grateful for the distraction because this had gone from uncomfortable to weird. Dan looked around for a waiter to retrieve his empty glass. Anything to change the direction of this increasingly awkward conversation. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw familiar golden hair bobbing through the crowded room. Where was Jet going in such a rush?
‘I’ve offended you. I’m sorry.’
Edie touched Dan’s arm, her fingers lingering there and Dan was forced to return his attention to her.
‘You’re a decent man,’ she continued. ‘That’s why Jet was attracted to you. I often wonder what it would be like to settle down with a decent man, but all the men I date never turn out to be that way.’
Edie was looking in the wrong places as far as Dan could tell, because Andrew wasn’t anything approaching decent.
Jet’s head reappeared near the rear of the room and disappeared down the corridor to the bathrooms. Dan forced himself to return his focus to Edie.
‘I know Andrew isn’t a decent man,’ she said. ‘And I’m not stupid. He’s ... useful, is the best way to put it.’
‘Perhaps if you’re after something more long lasting, you need to change your criteria,’ Dan suggested.
‘Oh, I know money, power and fuckability don’t rate highly on Jet’s list, but they’re essential on mine. Although I must admit I’m curious. Are you a good fuck?’
Boom. Boom. Boom. The fireworks matched Dan’s rapid heartbeat.
Dan frowned and levelled Edie with a stare. Enough was enough. Dan sincerely hoped she was drunk, but he was beginning to wonder. ‘I’m going to pretend you didn’t ask me that.’
She sighed. ‘Which means you are. I knew it. Don’t worry, I’m not really looking for a decent man. Andrew will do just fine. I just need to show him his place.’
Dan’s gaze followed Edie’s across the room. It appeared the object of her focus was actor Matt Sweettree. ‘Is that wise?’
‘Trust me. I know exactly what I’m doing. Andrew likes to think he’s the one in control, but what he really needs is a woman who knows the rules of the game. I’ll get to enjoy the pleasure of that young man over there to prove my point.’
Dan returned his empty glass to the tray a waiter offered. He needed to go and find Jet.
Edie grinned. ‘On that note, I’m off to have my wicked way with a certain young gentleman.’
Edie stood on tip toes and planted a kiss on Dan’s cheek. She gave him a wink, then headed off in the direction of an unsuspecting Matt, leaving Dan shaking his head in disbelief.