Chapter 26: Society’s Darling
The after-party was an intimate affair compared to the grand auction—perhaps fifty of the evening’s most important guests gathered in the hotel’s exclusive Sky Lounge, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the city lights below.
I felt perfectly at home in this rarefied atmosphere, moving through conversations with the kind of natural grace that made Adrian’s eyes gleam with possessive pride whenever he caught sight of me across the room.
“Calla, darling,” Mrs. Patterson, wife of the city’s mayor, appeared at my elbow with champagne flutes for both of us. “I simply must tell you how refreshing it is to see a young woman who understands the importance of supporting her husband’s position in society.”
“Adrian makes it easy,” I said warmly, accepting the champagne. “When you’re married to someone so accomplished, so admired, supporting him becomes a privilege rather than a duty.”
“Spoken like a true political wife,” Mrs. Patterson laughed. “Though I suppose being married to Adrian Thorne is rather like being married to royalty in this city.”
Royalty. The comparison sent a little thrill through me. Adrian was certainly treated with the kind of deference usually reserved for heads of state, and by extension, that reverence now extended to me as well.
“I’m learning that there are responsibilities that come with the position,” I said thoughtfully. “Tonight, for instance, several people mentioned that I should consider hosting dinner parties, charity events. Ways to give back to the community that’s been so welcoming to us.”
“Oh, you absolutely must!” Mrs. Patterson’s eyes lit up with genuine enthusiasm. “Adrian’s never entertained much—too busy with business, I suppose—but with a hostess like you? You could become one of the city’s premier social couples.”
The prospect filled me with anticipatory excitement. Planning elegant dinner parties, curating guest lists of interesting and influential people, creating events that would be talked about for months afterward—it sounded like the perfect way to contribute to Adrian’s continued success.
“I’ll have to discuss it with Adrian, of course,” I said. “But the idea appeals to me enormously.”
“Any hostess needs her husband’s support,” Mrs. Patterson agreed sagely. “But I can’t imagine Adrian would be anything but delighted to have you representing the Thorne name so beautifully.”
As if summoned by the mention of his name, Adrian appeared at my side, sliding his arm around my waist with that casual possessiveness that never failed to make my pulse quicken.
“What are you two plotting?” he asked, though his tone suggested he was pleased rather than concerned by whatever conspiracy we might be hatching.
“I was just telling Calla that she should consider hosting some social events,” Mrs. Patterson explained. “With her natural elegance and your position in the city, you could become quite the power couple on the social scene.”
“My wife would make an incomparable hostess,” Adrian said, his pride in me evident to everyone within earshot. “Though I’d want to ensure she wasn’t overwhelmed. She’s still adjusting to all the demands of being Mrs. Adrian Thorne.”
Still adjusting. The phrase might have irritated me once, but now it just made me grateful for his protective instincts. Adrian understood that being thrust into his world of wealth and influence could be overwhelming for someone from my more modest background.
“Perhaps we could start small,” I suggested. “An intimate dinner party for fifty or sixty people. Nothing too ambitious while I’m still finding my footing.”
“Perfect,” Adrian agreed, his approval warming me like sunshine. “We could host the Sandersons, the Whitmores, perhaps the Harrisons. People who would appreciate good food and stimulating conversation.”
“And who would spread the word about what wonderful hosts you are,” Mrs. Patterson added with a knowing wink. “Before you know it, you’ll be the most sought-after invitations in the city.”
As the evening progressed, I found myself in similar conversations throughout the room. Everyone seemed eager to welcome me into their exclusive circle, to offer advice and encouragement for my role as Adrian’s wife.
“You’ve adapted so well,” commented Mrs. Harrison, whose husband controlled half the city’s real estate development. “Some young women find the transition to high society overwhelming, but you seem to have found your natural element.”
“Adrian makes it easy,” I said, the response becoming automatic. “When you have such a wonderful guide, adaptation becomes effortless.”
“He’s certainly devoted to you,” Mrs. Harrison observed, her eyes tracking Adrian as he moved through the room. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so… settled. Marriage has been good for him.”
Good for him. The idea that I was contributing positively to Adrian’s life, that my presence was making him happier and more successful, filled me with profound satisfaction.
It was nearly midnight when Adrian finally appeared at my side again, his hand warm on my lower back as he leaned down to murmur in my ear.
“Ready to head home, Mrs. Thorne? You’ve been the belle of the ball tonight, but I can see you’re getting tired.”
He was right—the combination of champagne, stimulating conversation, and the emotional high of social success was beginning to give way to exhaustion. But it was the satisfied tiredness of a job well done.
“I suppose we should,” I agreed reluctantly. “Though I hate for such a perfect evening to end.”
“There will be many more perfect evenings,” Adrian promised, already guiding me toward the exit. “Tonight was just the beginning of your reign as the city’s most sought-after hostess.”
Reign. The word made me feel regal, powerful in a way I’d never experienced before. This was what it meant to matter, to have influence and social capital that could be wielded for good causes.
As we made our goodbyes to the other guests—each person emphasizing how much they’d enjoyed meeting me, how much they looked forward to seeing more of us—I felt like I was floating on air.
“That was incredible,” I said as Adrian helped me into the car. “Everyone was so welcoming, so encouraging about the idea of us entertaining.”
“You were magnificent,” Adrian said, settling beside me and pulling me close. “Absolutely magnificent. I couldn’t be more proud of how you represented our family tonight.”
Our family. The phrase wrapped around me like silk, confirming my place in Adrian’s world with the weight of social acceptance behind it.
“I want to start planning that dinner party immediately,” I said, my exhaustion forgotten in a rush of enthusiasm. “Next month, like we discussed. Something elegant but intimate, the kind of evening people will remember.”
“Whatever you want,” Adrian said indulgently. “You have my complete support and unlimited resources. Create something spectacular.”
As the city lights blurred past the car windows, as Adrian’s arms held me close and his voice murmured plans and possibilities, I felt a contentment so complete it was almost overwhelming.
This was my life now—elegant society, influential friends, the perfect marriage to a man who cherished and supported my ambitions. I was exactly who I was meant to be, in exactly the place I belonged.
Whatever confused and troubled woman I might have been in the past was gone forever, replaced by someone worthy of the name Mrs. Adrian Thorne.
And I intended to make sure she stayed gone.