“They’re less exciting than you’d think,” Skye told her. “I didn’t think you’d come. You hate my charity events.”

“I don’t hate them. I support the cause. I’m not into all the small talk with the rich and powerful.”

Skye grinned. “I know it’s boring. But I need to raise the money. Just sending out a request for a check never works as well as throwing a party. How are you?”

Lexi thought about her desperate need for two million dollars, forced herself to smile and say, “I’m fine.” She didn’t, as a rule, lie to her sister, but this was different. There was too much on the line to risk telling the truth.

“You said you were having a bad day.”

“Just work stuff. Did Izzy come?” Izzy, Isadora, was their baby sister.

“Of course not,” Skye said. “Izzy hates these things more than you. She’s due back any day but for now she’s still on that oil rig off Louisiana.”

Working as an underwater welder, Lexi thought, wondering how it was possible all three of them were sisters. They couldn’t be more different.

“So who’s new on the party circuit?” Lexi asked. “Anyone flashing a lot of money they can’t explain?”

“Not really. Who are you looking for?”

Whoever was trying to shut down her business. The more Lexi thought about how she’d been offered the financing and then had it pulled out from under her, the more she felt set up. Had someone done it on purpose? Was she being played, and if so, by whom?

“I’m not sure,” she admitted, turning so she could scan the crowd. “Someone with a reason to-”

Her gaze slipped over well-dressed couples, groups in conversation, a man in a dark suit. The president of the second largest oil company was in the room, along with his wife.

Her attention returned to the man in the suit. There was something about him…something familiar.

He turned. If she’d been holding a drink, she would have dropped it. As it was, her heart probably stopped. Years had passed. If she’d had a calendar, she could have counted the time to the day. Maybe the hour.