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His jaw flexed, and he was clearly angry. “Fine. But anytime you try to leave and a man stops you like that, it is not okay. Regardless of his reason. Don’t make excuses for him.”
“Hmm. I actually strongly rememberyoustopping me in the exact same way a few times. Once in the middle of a haircut while I had shears close to your head.”
He stepped closer and lowered his voice, holding my gaze. “That’s different.”
“Why is it different? Your gentleness? The circumstances? Because you don’t know the circumstances of this,” I said, gesturing to the people dancing.
“Then tell me. What were the circumstances between you and that moron?” His eyes were hard and growing slightly angry.
I didn’t want to go there. I didn’t want to tell himhewas the circumstances.
His phone must’ve vibrated, because he pulled it out of his pocket and had a text waiting for him. I watched his eyes move as he read it, then he looked up at me. “Are you ready to leave?”
“Sure.” But we hadn’t danced, and I was sorry to miss that. Currently a Latin song was playing, though, and I couldn’t salsa very well.
“I promised Karina a ride home,” he said. “I’ll go tell her.”
I slipped into the hallway, away from the wealthy dance fest going on and the loud music and the dark room, and breathed deeply. Mrs. Daugherty sat on a chair farther down the hallway, and I walked toward her. I hadn’t actually needed a bathroom; I’d only needed space. “Are you leaving?” I asked.
“Yes. I’m waiting for my car.”
“It was nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” She looked at me with an appraising eye and patted the bottom of her French twist. “You’re different. Don’t let them change you.”
Them? No one was changing me. I was still a working-class girl hitching a ride along with a movie star for a few weeks. In my fantasies of being with Rhett, I’d never imagined I would actually reach the point where we were on a first-name basis, let alone this, where he considered me something of a friend. Now that I had, though, things were nothing like I expected, and it was hard not to question the wisdom of pursuing him.
But this was different, right? He wasn’t with me officially. If he were, then he wouldn’t be fake-dating someone else. I wouldn’t have danced with Jackson. I wouldn’t have been put in a position where someone was trying to use me to get to Rhett.
I wouldn’t put up with being a second choice to any real boyfriend. Things would be different if I was Rhett’s girlfriend...whenI was with him.
This girl had to remain optimistic. You never knew what could happen with a little positive thinking.
“Have a good night then, Mrs. Daugherty.”
I snuck back inside the ballroom and found Rhett and Karina talking to Portia and another man in a tux.
“Lunch then?” Portia was saying when I sidled up beside Rhett.
He sucked in a breath between his teeth. “I’m afraid I don’t have time.” His apologetic look appeared authentic, and I wondered if it was real or another demonstration of his acting skills. “My schedule is tight with this charity tour, and we leave for Miami soon. But I’ll call you next time I’m in town.” He leaned forward and kissed Portia’s cheek, then shook the hand of the man next to her—likely her rich boyfriend.
“Shall we?” Rhett asked, looking from Karina to me.
Portia gave me another once-over. “Remind me of your name.”
“Beth Parker. I’m just a hairdresser.” I gave her an unapologetic grin. “I hope you earn plenty of funds for the libraries tonight.”
Portia gave her boyfriend’s arm a squeeze. “We’ve done a lot of good this evening. Thanks for joining us.”
Rhett led Karina and me to the black SUV waiting outside the hotel and helped us into the middle row before sliding in beside me. Sitting between them felt really symbolic. The drive to Karina’s hotel was rife with uncomfortable silence. She swiped through Instagram the entire time with a frown marring her perfect lips, which were glowing slightly blue from the light of her phone. By the time we rolled up to her hotel, my body was sore from tensing the entire ride.
Rhett stepped out to help her, and Jax accompanied them into the building. It was well past midnight, and I was tired. Traveling really took it out of me. Or maybe I was suffering from a lack of food. It was probably the latter.
When Rhett returned, I moved to slide over to Karina’s seat, but his hand squeezed my knee, the gesture telling me not to move. I had an overwhelming urge to disappear with him for a minute. To go somewhere without all the people and the fancy events and the bodyguard and the driver. Somewhere Rhett could be a man and not a celebrity, where we could have a conversation without listening ears.
“Where is Bridget tonight?” I asked when the car started moving.
“Night off.”
