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“Nice to meet you,” I respond politely and take her hand in mine.
“Ah yes, I heard you got married,” Audrina says coyly. News spreads like foraging wasps in this group. “She’s very beautiful,” Audrina says to Darren as if he purchased a show horse. “You must tell me how you met,” she asks expectantly.
Darren and I never discussed what we’d say if people asked, and I gaze at him with my mouth open, trying to think of something plausible.
“Oh, well, I paid her five million dollars to marry me,” he says straight-faced.
If I’d had something to drink, I would have spit it out all over Audrina’s expensive dress.
“How else do you think I would get someone as exquisite as her to marry me?” he asks with a wink.
Audrina lets out a laugh.
Alistair coughs into his fist and then adjusts his bowtie once more while he stands awkwardly at Darren’s side.
“Darren,” she exclaims, swatting his arm playfully, “you really do take after your father; so charming and quick-witted.” Audrina continues to laugh lightly, and even though Darren’s smiling, I can feel the muscles in his arms tense at being compared to his father.
“You have your work cut out with this one,” Audrina declares as she addresses me.
“I already know all about that,” I reply while giving her a tight smile.
“Do you mind if I steal him away?” Audrina asks.
“Just bring him back without any marks,” I tease while Darren makes a choking noise.
“Not any that you could see, dear,” Audrina teases back, but I find her straight face arresting as she waits politely.
“I won’t be long,” Darren assures me. “Dare I say Alistair will keep you company?” He raises a questioning eyebrow at Alistair.
“That’s fine, I need an alibi anyway.” He winks at me while Darren gives him a stern look.
Before he’s whisked away, he leans into me and whispers, “Don’t get lost, Queenie,” he says in a voice as deep as midnight. “I have something to show you later.”
But then he’s gone, disappearing into a sea of black and white tuxedos as I wonder what he’s up to while I’m left with Alistair.
“I would attempt to make an excuse for what you witnessed earlier, but I don’t think you care,” he says apathetically. “Shall we?” He motions towards the bar across the room, draped with a red tablecloth and adorned with different kinds of liquor bottles.
“Yes, please.” I follow his lead, making my way through the crowd, and noticing masks laying discarded on tables and used as placeholders on chairs. When we get to the bar, Alistair orders a jack and coke on the rocks with a lime, and then he gestures towards me.
“Champagne,” I say to the bartender.
While waiting, I pull my phone out of my purse to check the time when I see another message from my mother. I never answered her text the other day, and I don’t plan on responding now. I have a feeling it’s because she may have seen an article about Darren and I getting married, even all the way in Arizona.
With a sour face, I slide the phone back in my purse.
“Already checking to see how much longer you’ll have to stay?” Alistair asks, taking our drinks from the bartender and handing me the champagne flute as we move to the side.
“You don’t have to babysit me.”
He chuckles. “As long as we’ve got that out of the way,” he states, taking a sip of his drink. “You look like the kind of girl who can take care of herself, but this is a room full of sharks in tuxedos and ball gowns.”
“I was thinking wolves,” I quip, turning towards him.
“Wolves are too gentle,” he pauses and wags his finger before adding, “They actually take care of their young,” Alistair finishes and raises an eyebrow, causing me to scoff.
He takes another drink of his jack and coke before continuing. “Now sharks, they give birth and leave their young to fend for themselves.”
“Did you learn that at Georgetown?” I ask, taking a sip of my champagne.
