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“It’s not like I don’t know how to keep things casual. That’s all I’ve been doing for months.”
“You could cut things off now.” When I snapped my head in his direction, he lifted a shoulder. “I mean, what’s the alternative?”
I had literally no idea. That didn’t stop Benoit from rambling on.
“How did he take the news about your bringing a date Saturday? Because, trust me, those young ones can be extraordinarily jealous.”
A date on Saturday? To the Winter Ball? I frowned. “What did you say?”
“I said, even if he says he’s okay with it, once he sees you with someone else, he won’t be so accommodating. I’d expect fireworks if I were you.”
I blinked, wondering what the hell he was talking about, until it hit me out of nowhere.
Jesus Christ, Benoit was right. Ihadasked someone to join me as my date, weeks ago. I’d completely forgotten about it with everything going on. Rodney was the cousin of a legacy member, someone I’d met at another event, and we’d hit it off. He lived too far away for us to see each other regularly, but when he mentioned being in town to visit family during this weekend’s festivities, I’d offered for him to join me. Not so much as a romantic date, though who knew what he considered it as, but to have someone fun by my side on what could be a stressful night.
I hadn’t dreamed Preston would ever be involved in this scenario.
No wonder I had a couple missed calls from Rodney earlier today. He’d probably wanted to touch base. About ourdate.
Fuck me to hell.
“Preston doesn’t know, does he?” Benoit mused, tapping his lips. “Because you’ve been off having mind-blowing orgasms that knocked that bit of information right out of your head.”
“Dammit,” I said, running a hand over my face as I began to walk the length of the roof. Regardless of whatever we were or weren’t, I couldn’t see Preston taking this well. Hell,Iwasn’t taking this well.
“What was his name? The guy?” Benoit let out an exaggerated sigh, and his breath came out in a white cloud. “So many men in this city. I can’t keep up. At least this one’s age appropriate.”
“Shut up.” He wasn’t wrong, though. “I’ll just have to call Rodney and get out of it.”
He snorted out a laugh. “Really? And what will that sound like? ‘Sorry, Rodney dear, my college boy toy who’ll be at the party with my daughter won’t like it if I bring you’?”
He was right. That sounded fucking ridiculous out loud, but bringing someone was the last thing I wanted to do.
“You said it yourself—all the place cards and security checks are done. How will it look if the president of the Elysium has an empty chair beside his at the event?” Benoit tsked as I glared at him. Not because he was saying anything I didn’t already know to be true, but because I was pissed off at myself.
I stopped pacing, resting my hands low on my hips. “I’ll have to tell Preston tomorrow, I guess.”
“Why not tonight?”
“Because I’ll be here late, and it’s not something I want to do over the phone.” It would be easier to convince him this datewasn’t a big deal if I could do it in person and he could see my face.
“Well, good luck with your PYT, darling. And don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Benoit grinned and then made an explosive motion with his fingers. “Fireworks.”
THIRTY
preston
“IT’S COLDER THAN a witch’s tit out here this morning.”
I glanced past our group of bundled-up friends to where Travis was shoving his hands in the pockets of his ripped jeans as we headed through the gates of Astor.
The snow was falling pretty hard this morning, but despite the frigid forecast, Travis had opted, as always, for looking good over feeling good. In other words, he was freezing his ass off right now in black designer jeans and a sheer rocker-esque shirt, and the only thing that looked remotely warm was the scarf he’d wound around his neck—all in the name of “fashion,” of course. Hell, he should’ve gone with Donovan to the shoot he had this morning—it was for some new, edgy brand that wanted him and Kelly to represent them. Travis would’ve fit right in.
“You have such a way with words,” West joked. “Maybe you should come with me and JT to next week’s poetry slam.”
Travis screwed his nose up. “Yeah, how about…no. The last thing I want to be is a third wheel in a room full of sappy poets.”
JT looked around his boyfriend’s shoulder. “You’d be surprised. Most of the poems on slam night are full of outrage over injustices and?—”
