31. Chapter 31
Chapter 31
Gala's Have Their Ups and Downs
After a very long week, the day of the gala arrived. Fiona came to Violet’s place to get ready. They cranked the tunes and set to work on makeup and hair. Violet wore a deep emerald gown. Layers of sheer fabric gathered around her chest, leaving a diamond-shaped peephole in the center below her breasts, where the fabric lightly flowed down. It accentuated her perky bosom, and the emerald hue of the gown was stunning against her fair skin. She wore a diamond necklace and matching stud-encrusted Mary Jane stilettos.
"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” Fiona exclaimed as Violet came out of her bedroom in her gown. “Ye clean up well.”
For the most part, they only ever saw each other in jeans and T-shirts at the stables. It was a far cry from the fashion world she’d imagined herself in. It was fun to have an excuse to get dressed up.
Violet chuckled. “Right back at you. You’re gorgeous!” Fiona wore stunning navy satin wide-leg pants paired with crisp red stilettos that matched her lipstick, and a red satin tartan wraparound halter-style top. The ensemble was funky yet formal, suiting her perfectly.
“Right?” Fiona teased. "We are like two fucking Cinderellas going to the ball.”
"Ha! How many prince charmings do you think might be there?" The truth was, she only had one prince charming on her mind.
There was a knock at the door. “Ah, here's one now.” Fiona quipped, pulling open the door.
Andy stood dressed in a red tartan kilt with a formal jacket and vest, as well as a soft fur sporran adorned with metal accents.
“Looking sharp there, Andy.” Violet smiled.
“No' sure sharp enough for ye two stunners! Wow!”
"Psh, off with ye, Andy." Fiona gave him a gentle shove out the door. “C’mon, we better get a move on. We dinnae want to be late to our first gala.”
The trio took a cab to Cailleach Distillery. They drove up the horseshoe drive to the main entrance. It was a beautiful stone building that appeared old but charming. Now, this was a castle or at least more so than Lachlan’s home. Strings of simple light bulbs graced the front, creating a warm, inviting ambiance. Once inside, the building was buzzing with people. Everybody was dressed in their finery. Violet almost felt she’d gone back in time. The men looked dashing in their Prince Charlie Kilt formal wear, and the ladies were stunning with their jewels, gowns, and tartan wraps.
The inside was just as old and charming and full of warmth as the outside. It was late June, and the days had grown long in the Highlands, with the sun setting late in the evening and rising early in the morning. Tonight, it was damp and cooler outside, so the logs burning brightly in the large stone fireplace were a welcome, cozy sight.
“Wow.” Fiona exhaled as they made their way further into the main room. There was a stunning buffet of cold meats and pastries, and another table had layers of beautifully presented finger foods, almost too artful to steal from.
As they walked in farther, a wall of windows gave way to a view of a manicured garden with walking paths and, beyond that, the vastness of rolling green hills. The rain clouds darkened the skies while the garden lights did their best to brighten the stunning vista. This place is like a set of a fairy tale , Violet thought to herself, accepting a glass of red wine from a tray a finely dressed server held out to her.
Andy and Fiona followed suit.
“Blimey, now this is what I call a party,” Fiona said, taking a hearty gulp of her wine.
“Agreed.” Violet looked around, trying to take it all in.
“Good Evening, everyone.” Lachlan’s voice rang out over the crowd, rich and smooth as dark chocolate.
Violet scanned the open ballroom and saw him standing a couple of steps up in a beautiful stone stairwell, and her heart stuttered at the sight of him. She could only see him from his broad shoulders up with the crowds of people, but God, he looked achingly handsome. It was as if she'd forgotten in the week that he was gone just how good-looking he was, and then that look he'd thrown her before he left popped back into her mind. Perhaps tonight she'd find out what that was about. The thought sent a little thrill up her spine.
The crowd quieted down.
“Welcome to Cailleach distillery. I cannae tell ye how pleased I am to huv ye all here for this wonderful event. And what a stunning group ye are!”
Everyone soaked up that comment with cheers and whistles.
“I’m going to keep this short and sweet.”
A couple of people cheered their approval at that statement, and Lachlan’s lips tipped to the side in a smile that had her holding in a groan like when she bit into delectable chocolate with a gooey caramel centre. A week without that damn smile of his, and she was on the verge of needing to excuse herself to splash her face with cold water!
“A few things I’d like to mention, if ye're interested in a tour of the distillery and a wee tasting—”
More cheers went up.
“We have a couple guides that will be taking groups. Just head over to the left of the stone fireplace in the foyer. Tours will be throughout the evening, so there is no rush. In the grand hall to the right of this stairwell, you will find some incredible items that huv been generously donated for our silent auction. Please do go huv a look and see if something catches your fancy. We thank ye all for joining us tonight for this fundraising gala. As ye ken the Highland Haven is near and dear to my heart and to many that are here tonight. I’m incredibly grateful to all who’ve been involved and to all who have donated and continue to donate and support us so generously. This sanctuary would no' be possible without the people in this room. So please eat, drink, dance, and enjoy your evening! Thank ye.”
The crowd clapped and cheered, and soon, the hum of chatter and music filled the air.
Violet found her gaze following Lachlan. She inched through the crowd, getting closer to him, and tried to convince herself that her eagerness to see him was because she wanted to catch him up on what he missed at the sanctuary while he was away. She felt her heart beat a little faster the closer she got to him. His eyes glittered, and the grin that played his lips made butterflies dance in her belly—he was magnetic.
Then she stopped dead in her tracks. He was giving that smile to a stunning woman who was looking at him under her perfectly arched brow. Violet recognized she’d come upon an intimate moment. She felt her butterflies turn to lead in her gut. She watched as the woman reached up and touched Lachlan’s face.
“Let's go check out the auction items.” Fiona pulled Violet from her daze.
Violet turned around and linked her arm in Fiona's. “Excellent idea,” she said, not wanting to see any more of Lachlan and that woman. She was desperate to get away from what she’d just witnessed. She didn’t know why it bothered her so much. It was not like she had any right to be possessive over him. She had hoped that maybe… Maybe there was something after that look he’d given her. It was silly of her to have hoped anything. He was her boss, after all.
She couldn’t help wondering about the woman. Had he met her in London on his business trip? No, they seemed too familiar for that to be the case. Maybe he’d been dating her all along. Oh God.
Violet was grateful her friends hadn’t noticed that she had been watching Lachlan, nor had they seemed to notice her reaction. Small mercies. Ugh. She hated how much it killed her to think he was dating someone. Was he in love with that woman? Her mind was spinning out of control, and her heart felt unreasonably squeezed.
“Right, but after this, I wannae do the whisky tour,” Andy informed them as he followed along behind.
“Good idea,” Violet concurred. The idea of getting plastered suddenly seemed like a good one.
“We’ll look at the auction first, and then ye two can do the whisky.”
“You aren’t going to join us?” Violet eyed Fiona, the self-professed lush.
“Nope, I can’t touch the stuff.” Fiona's petite nostrils flared as if protesting the very notion.
“What? Really, Fiona? I didn’t think any alcohol was off-limits in your world!”
“Let’s just say a certain birthday may huv wrecked me for life when it comes to drinking whisky. I cannae bring myself to do it again. It’s a bloody miracle I’ve even stepped foot in this distillery.”
Violet couldn't help but smile. She made the mistake of glancing back over her shoulder. She caught sight of Lachlan still with the woman, and her hand was on his chest. The sting of it had her snapping her focus back to the auction table. Lachlan was not hers, and she was a fool to ever think he could be. What had she thought? He'd made it obvious from the night they first spent together that he didn't want anything from her, and all these weeks working together, he never so much as touched a hand on her. And she knew better! She knew not to let her heart fall for him.
She put her empty glass on a nearby table and wondered where the serving dude was now. Violet began to walk slowly around the auction table, looking at all the items, trying her damnedest to focus on anything other than Lachlan and that woman.
A postcard with the distillery crest lay in a basket with a bottle of Cailleach fifteen-year-old scotch. She read the card and was impressed. It was for an overnight stay at the distillery and a private tour. The bid was already at ￡825, far deeper than her pockets went. The next item was a helicopter ride through the Highlands with a picnic lunch on one of the peaks. Then, there was a weekend stay at Eileen Donan castle. And a full day at the spa for two with dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant afterward. And on and on. And the bids were anything but low. At least, the sanctuary would benefit.
A stunning navy and green tartan blanket with thin poppy red stitching caught her eye on the table. Violet ran her hand over the beautiful wool. It would look so perfect in her cottage with her navy wingback chair.
Most of the items were well beyond what she could afford, but as she eyed the sheet for the tartan, her heart jumped. The page only had a few bids and the current one was two hundred pounds. More than she should spend, but she was so tempted. She deserved a little something to make her feel better tonight—shop therapy. Besides, she was making much more money now since she was working full time and had gotten a raise.
She stared at the auction sheet and ran her hand over the tartan, contemplating. What the heck? A little jolt of adrenaline made her feel delightfully reckless as she penned her bid—￡225. In fairness, the funds were going to a good cause, so she had even less of a reason to feel guilty about spending the money. It was unlikely her bid would be the final one, but just for the moment, it felt possible.
When she'd finished perusing the items, she realized her friends had, at some point, abandoned her. Where had they gotten to? She scanned the room. They’d just been there. She was about to set off to find them and another drink when a petite woman in a stunning raspberry red ball gown stopped her.