Beautiful Mistakes

Aaron sighed, but he turned to look at Emma.

Emma offered a smile and took a seat next to him. "I knew you were coming, I didn't expect you to bring a date," he said, one eyebrow rising a little bit.

"I'm full of surprises," Aaron stated.

Smiling, Emma's eyes twinkled a little as she said, "That you are."

"Not to be… me, but did you have a specific purpose for coming over here, or are you just trying to piss your husband off?" Aaron asked bluntly.

Julie smiled to herself, loving Aaron's lack of tolerance for bullshit.

Emma maintained her smile as she crossed her perfect legs, causing the dress to ride up just a little bit across her thigh.

Aaron merely shot her a look, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

"I was just coming over to see how Flavor is coming along," she said.

Frowning, Julie wondered if she heard that sentence wrong. It made no sense.

"Really?" Aaron asked idly.

"Yes," Emma said, smiling in that alluring way of hers. "I mean, I know you were setting up the last time we talked, but it's been a few days. I wanted to see how those tables I picked out for you worked. I know they weren't exactly what we had in mind, but I couldn't find an exact and you wouldn't let me order them custom made."

"It was expensive and unnecessary," he stated. "Things are coming along fine. Is that all?"

Julie was still frowning, and she felt totally in the dark. What was Emma even talking about? And why was she talking to Aaron when they hated each other?

Flicking a glance in Julie's direction, Emma observed, "She looks even more confused than usual. I guess you never shared any news of table shopping with her. It's dull, really, I don't blame you. And that lunch we had—”

"Okay, Emma, I'm not your husband," he said, cutting her off and giving her a dark look. "You can go now."

Giving him a little frown, she said, "You're so disagreeable sometimes. Anyway, Wednesday I'm flying to New York for that gala I told you about, but I wanted to let you know that you should stop by the gallery Friday night between 6 and 8, I'm having an exhibit and there are a couple of pieces that I think you might really like. There will be champagne and hors d'oeuvres, so even if I'm wrong, there's something in it for you."

"Matt's watching you pretty closely right now," Aaron observed, leaning back in his chair and looking up at Emma.

Rolling her eyes, she said sarcastically, "I care, really."

"He is your husband," Aaron reminded her.

Smiling, she gestured to Julie and said, "And she was his whore. Isn't it funny how we're all…tangled together?"

Standing up, Aaron said, "I'm going to get a drink."

He began to walk to the bar, but he stopped when he realized Emma wasn't moving and he looked back at Julie, frowning slightly.

"Come with me," he said to her, slanting Emma a slight frown as she continued to stand there.

Julie glanced back at Emma, but followed Aaron.

"Why did I come here?" Aaron murmured, almost to himself. "I could have gone to the wedding and left. Why did I come to the reception?"

"Family duty?" Julie suggested, but she felt distracted. "What was she talking about back there? I was so lost."

"Just… don't worry about it right now," he told her. "Just try to stay away from her, she's in one of her moods.

"

Julie nodded, but she still wasn't anywhere near satisfied. Emma had been talking about table shopping—together?—and lunch… and it didn't make any sense at all. And Emma was an art dealer, and she was talking about him coming to the gallery to look at pieces, but Aaron didn't really strike Julie as a collector of art, and even if he happened to have that unexpected quirk, why would he buy from Emma? He hated Emma, didn't he?