Twenty-seven
Ellory
A ll day, I’ve dealt with Heather’s passive-aggressive crap. Part of me wants to believe Papa’s finally seeing her for what she is. The other part? Still afraid he’ll choose her anyway.
Why is she even here? She doesn’t work for Olivier, yet she lurks in doorways, slips into meetings uninvited, and acts like she’s entitled to an opinion. My father is, of course, conveniently MIA. I can’t tell if he’s hiding from her, from me, or from both of us.
Tonight’s NAGI meeting feels like a lifeline.
No one knows I bought Night to Remember , but this monthly gathering of jewelry designers and cutters from across the Bay Area always recharges me, even if the hotel buffet barely qualifies as dinner.
Richard drops me off at the Marriott, and Duane follows me in. He’ll hang back, close enough if I need him but invisible to the untrained eye.
Inside, I scan the crowd for Patrice.
At the check-in table, I smile. “Hi, I’m Ellory Matisse with Olivier.”
The woman behind the table perks up. “Oh, I know who you are! I’m Janice Shultz. I’m a designer too.”
I get this sometimes. Olivier’s name carries weight, and apparently, so does mine.
“Nice to meet you,” I say warmly.
“You’re amazing. I adore Olivier. I was just there last week interviewing Antoine LaFrance for a NAGI magazine feature. He’s so talented.”
I nod. “He is. Antoine and the whole design team are incredibly gifted.”
A cough behind me reminds Janice that the line is growing.
“Oh! Sorry. You’re at table six tonight. Welcome!”
“Thanks, Janice. Looking forward to your article.”
Still no sign of Patrice, so I head to the bar. The liquor is usually mediocre, but the first drink is free, and tonight, I need it. I order an Old Fashioned, my current go-to. The bourbon glides down, smooth and smoky, taking the edge off the day.
My phone buzzes in my bag.
Matteo: You look beautiful in red.
I blink. Red? I glance down. My blouse is deep scarlet silk.
How the hell does he know that?
Me: Are you at the NAGI meeting?
Matteo: I’d tell you to turn around, but I’m enjoying the view.
I whip around.
He’s seated alone at a cocktail table near the edge of the room, nursing a glass of something amber. My breath catches. My pulse kicks. He looks…devastating. It’s not just that he’s here. It’s the way he looks at me, like I’m the only thing anchoring him right now.
“Ellory!” Patrice’s voice slices through the moment. “Oh my God, you’re here! I’m so glad.”
“How are you feeling?”
She waves away. “I was only drugged. I’m just glad you’re okay. What table are you at?”
We hug tight.
“Table six,” I say, gesturing toward Matteo.
She groans. “Ugh. I’m at eighteen. That’s practically in another zip code.”
My phone buzzes again.
Matteo: I’m at table six too. You’re sitting next to me.
Patrice sneaks a glance at my screen. “Who’s texting you? Please don’t say it’s someone from work.”
I tuck my phone away. “Just a vendor I’m meeting tonight.”
She arches a brow. “He better not be trying to sell us something.”
I grin. “You know I always refer them to you.”
At the bar, she orders a glass of red. “So…who is it?”
“Matteo Marino. From Luster.”
She almost spills her wine. “Men shouldn’t be allowed to look like that. He’s unfairly beautiful.”
I laugh, glancing toward Matteo again. “Tell me about it.”
“Ladies.”
Matteo approaches with that effortless charm and bends to kiss my cheek. “You made it.”
I blush. Patrice goes pale.
“Matteo, this is Patrice Wolfe. She’s one of my best friends, and she works with me at Olivier.”
He shakes her hand warmly. “Pleasure.”
Patrice lights up. “I’ve heard all about you.”
I whip around, eyes wide.
“All good, of course,” she adds quickly, cheeks pinking. “Sorry. I’m terrible at small talk. I can’t chew gum and walk without ending up with it in my sock.”
Matteo chuckles, easy. “Then we’ve got something in common. We both adore Ellory, and neither of us does well in public.”
Patrice drops her head with a groan. “She can’t take me anywhere.”
He grins, shooting me a sideways look. “Pretty sure she feels the same way about me.”
I slip an arm around Patrice’s shoulders. “I adore you both. We hired Patrice right out of school. She started as a geologist and is now a master gemologist.”
Matteo’s brows lift. “That’s impressive.” He gestures toward the case. “So—what’s your take on the Fire and Ice Diamonds?”
I look up. “You’re going to be sorry you asked.”
Patrice steps closer, eyes sharpening with professional focus.
“They’re extraordinary. Most people look for flawless stones, but that’s not what makes these special.
The inclusions—the flaws—scatter the light in a way that gives them that hazy, cloud-like glow.
It’s rare. Normally, we’d call a cloudy stone undesirable.
But here?” She tilts her head, admiration softening her voice.
“It’s like lightning trapped in fog. They’re beautiful because of what would normally be considered imperfection.
It makes them unlike anything else on the market. ”
Matteo studies the stone, quiet for a long beat, then says softly, “Beautiful because of their flaws.”
His eyes flick to mine, and something unspoken passes between us.
Patrice clears her throat, a knowing little smile tugging her mouth. “Okay, I’ll just pretend I didn’t see that look. You two could power the room without the diamonds.”
Heat creeps into my cheeks, but Matteo just laughs, easy and unbothered.
Patrice pats my arm. “On that note, I should find my table before someone reports me for monopolizing the guest of honor.”
“Where are you sitting?” Patrice asks.
“We’re both at table six,” I tell her.
She groans. “Figures. You two are at the cool kids’ table. I’m stuck at the kiddie table.”
“Hey!”
We turn to see Mike Anderson behind us, mock-offended. “I’m at your table. What does that say about me?”
Mike owns one of the top jewelry stores on the Peninsula.
Patrice crosses her arms. “That you’re definitely not one of the cool kids, Mike.”
He laughs, loud and unbothered. “Don’t care, as long as I get to sit next to you.”
She blushes, and I’m fairly sure Mike requested that seat. He’s had a thing for her for a while.
Matteo steps forward, extending a hand. “Matteo Marino. One of the owners at Luster.”
Mike’s eyes light up. “Been hoping I’d run into you. I saw that necklace at the Vegas Gem Show last year. Royal Elegance, right? That piece was unreal.”
He’s not wrong. Royal Elegance was a lacework collar of over a thousand diamonds, starting with twenty-five four-carat rounds at the throat, tapering to quarter-carat sparkles along the collarbone.
“Our mom designed it,” Matteo says. “My brother, Dante, brought it to life.”
Mike nods. “It was stunning. I picked up a few stones from you guys after that—top notch. And I heard about that big collaboration with the Paris designer?”
“I’ll be speaking on that tonight,” Matteo replies smoothly.
My brows lift. I hope he’s not planning to mention my purchase.
“I was at the Felicity Ford show,” I say carefully. “It was…breathtaking.”
Mike grins. “That’s what the write-ups said. My sister’s obsessed with finding out who bought the dress. Any idea?”
Matteo smiles, smooth as silk. “I know, but I’m contractually obligated to keep that confidential.”
Mike stage-whispers, “I won’t tell anyone. Seriously though, it was next-level. I’ve seen dresses with jewels, but this was art.”
“I’ve got photos,” Matteo says. “You’ll have to tell me what you think.”
“Time to take your seats!” someone calls. “Dinner is served.”
Patrice turns to Matteo. “Expect a follow-up call.”
“You can count on it.” He flashes that panty-melting smile, and Patrice visibly sways.
She turns to me next. “Lunch next Thursday still on?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
We hug, and she leans in to whisper, “He likes you.” When she pulls back, she winks.
No fooling her.
Matteo and I make our way to table six. As we sit, I lean toward him. “You made quite an impression on Patrice.”
“She impressed me too. I loved her description of the Fire and Ice gems. I think our designers could learn a lot from her.”
“She’s the real deal. I’m lucky she’s such a good friend.”
We reach our seats, and I spot the place cards. No surprise. Mine is right next to Matteo’s.
He leans in, voice low and smug. “I asked them to seat you here.”
I arch a brow. “You know you’re going to lose your ladies’ man reputation hanging out with me.”
“I’m okay with that.”
I soften my tone. “We haven’t really talked since the hospital. How are you?”
Before he can answer, someone stops by the table to gush about a recent design featuring Luster diamonds.
“That’s amazing,” Matteo says warmly. “Send us the photos and your website. We’re putting together a customer showcase and would love to feature your work. We’ll include a link.”
“Seriously? That’d be incredible.” The guy shakes Matteo’s hand like he just won the lottery.
As our salads arrive, Michelle Woo, the board president, approaches with a bright smile.
“Two people I’ve been hoping to sit with,” she says. “NAGI’s expanding rapidly, and I’m transitioning to the national board. I’d love for both of you to consider joining our board. It’s rewarding and a great way to stay connected across the industry.”
“As much as I’d love to,” I say, “my father’s threatening to retire this year, and I don’t want to commit to something I might not be able to follow through on.”
Michelle nods knowingly. “Your dad’s been such a pillar. Did you know he was one of our founding members?”
“He’s very proud of that. He pushed hard to build something outside of New York.”
“Well, he succeeded.” She turns to Matteo. “I mentioned your name to your brother. He said you’d be perfect for the board.”
Matteo chuckles, a trace of humility in his voice. “I’ll think about it. It’s probably been in the tabloids, but I recently found out I have a daughter. I’m working on securing full custody, so being home is my priority right now. She needs me.”