38. Lowri
LOWRI
W ith my arm laced around Sean’s, we walk into Pinot & Pie for the soft opening. Tonight Cassie is hosting a reception and dinner as a test run before the real opening.
I’m stunned, which is surprising given that I’ve already seen the remodeled space.
It was magnificent when I had lunch here with Cassie.
Now it’s reached another level, if that’s even possible.
In the dim lights, the purple, gray, and cream décor have a royal vibe.
It’s befitting of my best friend’s soon-to-be princess status.
“Sean, this place is even more spectacular in the evening. It’s perfect.”
“I’m pleased with the result. We were aiming for a regal, modern look.”
“Mission accomplished. It’s very Cassie. Everyone’s going to love it. Do you see Cassie and Evan? I should congratulate her.”
“She’s on the far side, surrounded by people. Let’s give her time to get through the initial greetings. Then she’ll have time to talk. We can grab a drink and try out the appetizers while I thank the guests who received special invites from me.”
“Lead the way.”
Music and electric energy fill the air as we mingle among the guests dressed in shimmering cocktail dresses and tuxes.
Sean said that everyone accepted their invitations to attend.
Who wouldn’t? They’ll forever be sharing stories about the evening that a future princess was their chef.
That will be a unique brag for years of cocktail parties to come.
As we slowly make our way around the bar area, Sean shakes hands and introduces me to more people than I could possibly remember.
I smile and make small talk, but my mind is on Cassie.
This year has been transformative for her.
She’s gone through such an unexpected metamorphosis from burned-out lawyer to chef to a future princess in a few months.
Her life sounds like the plot of a romance novel, but it’s real. I’m ecstatic for her. After losing her parents the weekend of her law school graduation, she’s had a tough time. She deserves happiness and security. Everyone does.
A waiter offers us champagne. The rims are dipped in crushed, freeze-dried raspberries, which is one of Cassie’s favorite tricks to add a little extra splash to the presentation.
A guy approaches us, slapping Sean on the back, saying, “Hey there. It’s great to see you.”
“Wes, I’m glad you could make it. Lowri, meet my friend, Wes. He owns one of the best food and beverage distributorships in Las Vegas. He’s responsible for sourcing the ingredients that Cassie is using tonight.”
“It’s great to meet you. I suspect you’re one of Cassie’s favorite people if you procured the items she wanted,” I say.
“She’s amazing to work with. It’s been a pleasure. Try these crostini,” Wes insists, signaling for a passing server to stop.
Taking a bite, my mouth is filled with a lovely mixture of textures and flavors. “These are phenomenal.”
“They should be. Cassie insisted on fresh figs for homemade preserves, the best whole-milk ricotta, imported Italian prosciutto, and a delicate lavender honey from France. We’re nearing the end of fig season, so it was a challenge to find the quality she wanted, but we did.” Wes says.
“I’m glad you succeeded. When Cassie moves to Catalinius, I’m going to miss her showing up at my parties with her creations like this,” I say.
“I bet,” Wes comments.
Sean has already checked out of this conversation, which is strange. He’s been a little off all evening. Nudging him and turning to his friend, I say, “Wes, forgive us. We need to find Cassie and Evan.”
“Yes, excuse us, Wes. Thanks again for being here,” Sean says, taking the hint and moving us along.
When we’re out of earshot, I ask, “What’s wrong? Why are you scanning the crowd? Is someone missing?”
“Nothing’s wrong. One of my guests, Mr. Simon, is supposed to have information about which of my employees was meeting with Rossi’s guys. I’m also hoping Mr. Simon can shed light on what involvement the Rossi guys had in Mr. Brentwood’s death. I can’t find him though.”
“What does he look like? I’ll help you look for him.”
“That’s the problem. He’ll be in disguise. He doesn’t want to be recognized.”
“What’s the plan then?”
“He’ll be wearing a signet ring and should approach me. I’m impatient though. We need answers.”
“I understand, but you’ll have to wait. Let’s enjoy the party for Cassie and Evan’s sake until Mr. Simon makes his presence known.”
“I’ll try. Let’s find the royal couple.”
We slowly make our way to the corner where they’re talking with a beautiful woman who’s a little younger than I am.
Sean smiles broadly when he catches sight of the woman and hurries toward her. They embrace in a long hug as he whispers something to her.
My chest tightens. Is this one of his previous conquests?
I reach Cassie’s side and turn to face her with a questioning look as I mouth, “Who is she?”
Cassie hides a snicker behind her hand and whispers, “Jealously is not an attractive look. Besides, she’s …”
Sean steps out of the hug and reaches for my hand, interrupting us.
“Lowri, this is Princess Gabriella Brianna Sofia Caterina, better known as Evan’s little sister.”
Talk about jumping to the wrong conclusion.
“Lowri, I’ve heard all about you from Cassie. Please call me Bri.”
“It’s wonderful you could be here with Evan and Cassie tonight,” I say.
“It took a little reworking of my schedule, but the last-minute invitation to the tennis tournament gave me the opportunity to make the trip.”
“I’d hoped our parents would join us too. Unfortunately, they already had another commitment,” Evan says.
“You know I never expected them to come. I’m thrilled to have all of you here. Opening Pinot & Pie is a dream come true and to have the most special people in the world with me is more than I could have hoped for,” Cassie says.
The lights blink several times and spotlights draw our eyes to the thirty-foot-high glass wall enclosing the impressive wine room.
The music changes to a pounding boom, boom, boom as five acrobats drop behind the glass in dramatic bursts, clinging to unfurling white and lavender aerial silks.
The women are wearing crystal-encrusted bikini tops with long leggings.
The men are only wearing leggings, showing off their ripped, bare chests.
As the music transitions to a vivacious, up-tempo song, the acrobats go into a fast-paced performance of twists, flips, turns, climbs, and drops.
Bri leans toward me, saying, “Look at the abs on the guy in dark purple.”
Nodding in agreement, I muffle a laugh. That wasn’t a comment I’d expect from a princess, much less one I just met. No wonder Cassie and Bri are already friends. She’s fun. “He certainly has the muscles to pull off those moves.”
Another performer catches my attention. I almost didn’t recognize Amelia. Her hair sits in a bun atop her head. Loose blonde curls dangle around her face. She’s every bit as fit as the guy who caught Bri’s attention. She also reminds me of someone else. I can’t remember who.
As the song ends, so does the show. The same deep voice from the pyrobatics show fills the room, saying, “Welcome to the soft opening of Pinot & Pie at the Grand Athena. Tonight you will experience the culinary magic of Chef Cassandra Edwards. It’s time to take your places in the dining room.
Prepare for your taste buds to be awakened, tantalized, and pleasured. ”
“That was quite the dramatic introduction. He made it sound like we’re about to have a sexual dining experience.” I laugh.
“Would that be so bad?” Sean asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
I don’t have a chance for a flirtatious retort because Detective Fielder quietly pulls Sean and me away from the crowd that’s scurrying to find their tables. “Thanks for including me tonight,” he says.
“Of course. Chef Cassie and I wanted you here. We appreciated your help seeking justice during the cooking competition,” Sean says.
Detective Fielder chuckles. “I guess that means she’s forgiven me for suspecting her at one point.”
“Don’t give it another thought,” Sean says.
“I’ll apologize again to be safe. I love her food and wouldn’t want to miss out on future invitations. That’s not the reason I tracked you down though. We have more info on the fake attorney who showed up in your office.”
“What did you learn?”
“We interviewed Greyson. He was scared, so he talked. His career as an actor isn’t going well.
He was desperate for money and willing to take any job that came with a quick payment.
He claims he didn’t realize it was a scam.
He thought it was a prank and would be good practice for an upcoming audition.
He explained that his agent got him a tryout for a role in a new legal drama.
He figured the role as Taylor would help him prepare. ”
“Who hired him?” Sean asks.
“He claims not to know. He was hired through a website where actors can post their credentials and availability for gigs. The website looks legit. He received the cash payment by mail, but unfortunately, didn’t save the envelope.”
“Did he know whether Mr. Galanis is really Mr. Brentwood’s heir?” Sean asks.
“No. He hadn’t met Mr. Galanis before that day, and they parted ways as soon as they left the Athena.
According to the actor, Galanis wasn’t very talkative before or after their meeting with you.
He doesn’t think Galanis was the person who hired him.
Greyson said that after your meeting, he suspected that his role was a scam instead of a prank.
He turned down a request to follow up with you about a settlement offer.
We’re reaching out to the website owner to see if they will share the name of the user who hired the actor.
But we’re not holding our breath. The website owner will probably insist on a subpoena.
Even if we receive the info, the user may have provided fake info. ”
“Did you arrest Greyson?” I ask.
“We passed along the information to the district attorney. It will be up to her as to whether he’s charged, but given the facts, it’s unlikely. We can still use the threat to make a deal with him if we need his help.”
“Thanks for letting us know. Keep us posted if you learn more,” Sean says, shaking the detective’s hand.