Nadia's POV
Elena's fundraiser was exactly what a black-tie event run by someone who hated black-tie events looked like. Good food, efficient program, no unnecessary speeches. The women from the shelter who wanted to speak spoke. The ones who didn't weren't pushed. Elena had arranged it so the donors felt grateful to be there instead of being congratulated for showing up.
I told her that when I found her near the bar.
"That's the whole trick," she said. "Make it about them, and they write bigger checks." She looked across the room to where Julian was talking to someone I didn't recognize. "How's tonight going?"
"Fine."
"Just fine?"
"Good. Tonight is good. "I accepted a glass of water from a passing tray. "He held my hand while walking in and didn't make a thing of it. That's progress
