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Serena’s hand was suddenly on my thigh, giving me a quick squeeze, and then she leaned in by my ear, keeping her voice low and only for me.
“Did you see the guy who just walked in? Navy tux.”
I brought my glass up to my lips and casually looked in the direction of the entrance. The man didn’t look at all familiar, but that wasn’t why she was pointing him out to me. Tall, dark, and handsome, that was why. Whoever he was, he’d surely get the attention of many in the room, and maybe even mine if things had been different. If my entire being wasn’t currently focused on a certain blond man I still kept track of out of the corner of my eye.
“Not bad,” I said under my breath before taking a sip. “You should go for it.”
“I didn’t mean forme.”
“Why not?”
She smirked, her gaze moving to mine. “I’ve seen him before, and let’s just say I’m not his type.”
“Ridiculous. You’re everyone’s type.”
“Andyou’regood for my ego.” She leaned into me, grinning, and I once again found myself thankful for our friendship. To everyone else, it was a hell of a lot more than that, but Serena was my best friend, my confidante, and that went both ways. We were there for each other no matter what and didn’t hold anything back…at least, we hadn’t until the crush I harbored for her father had gotten a little out of hand. That wasn’t something I was dying to tell her, and didn’t plan to, since nothing would ever come of it.
The sound of chimes alerted the guests to direct their attention toward the front of the room, and I knew before looking who I’d find standing there.
Mr. Carrington kept his welcome speech short and to the point, managing to charm the crowd who’d paid an obscene amount of money to attend. Once the first course rolled out, he finally took his seat alongside the other Elysium board members, and every now and then I’d let my gaze travel to his table to see him smiling and laughing, though I couldn’t imagine what any of those uptight types could say that would be so funny.
That was the thought I was having during the appetizer when he looked up suddenly, his eyes catching mine and immediately relaxing into something familiar. I went completely still, but then he smiled at me, and I couldn’t help but return it. When he looked at me, it jumbled my insides and I had no clue how anyone around couldn’t see it.
“Oh fuck no,” Serena said, and for a heartbeat I thought she had noticed, that the last secret I’d kept from her was out, but no. Her attention was on someone approaching her father from behind, and her narrowed gaze said it wasn’t someone she liked.
“What’s wrong?”
“Not what,who.” She leaned in close and nodded in the direction of the man in the black velvet tux now stopping behind her father’s chair. He had shiny, slicked-back hair that was as dark as midnight, and it shone under the chandeliers. “Stuart Galloway. My dad’s ex. Ugh, this is so not going to end well.”
I narrowed my eyes on the man as he placed his hand on Mr. Carrington’s shoulder and leaned down to say something by his ear.
I tightened my fingers on my champagne flute and was surprised the thing didn’t shatter in my hand, as Serena’s father stiffened in his seat and turned. The charming smile from earlier fell from his lips as he looked up at this Stuart asshole.
“I’m guessing things didn’t end well?”
“That’s an understatement.”
I didn’t dare take my eyes off the two men, as Mr. Carrington pushed to his feet to greet the newcomer. Ever the gentleman, he forced a smile, and having studied him as closely as I had, I could sense the tension in him as though it were my own.
“What happened?” I asked, not only for Serena’s sake but my own. I wanted to know what kind of moron would end things with Archer Carrington, because if that had been me in his position, nothing on the planet would’ve stopped me from staying with that man.
“I don’t really know all the details, but from what I could gather, he didn’t like that Dad actually works for what he has. He was more about living a lifestyle than living a life. He wanted to travel and just have fun, whereas Dad?—”
“Enjoys his job and works hard at it,” I finished for her.
“Exactly. So Dad ended things.”
My lips automatically curved at that little piece of information, as Mr. Carrington shook his head and put a hand on Stuart’s arm, guiding him away from the table. Whatever theother man was saying, Mr. Carrington clearly didn’t want others to hear.
Serena let out a sigh and took a sip of her drink. “This is the last thing Dad needs tonight. He hates people speculating about him and his private life, and Stuart knows it.”
Something about that really pissed me off. Mainly because I knew how it felt to have others look at you and wonder. Feeling like you were constantly under a microscope was exhausting.
“Oh shitballs…” Serena said as Mr. Carrington held up a hand and then stepped around Stuart to walk out of the hall. “Damn it.”
As Stuart walked over to the bar, I turned toward Serena, caught the look of concern on her face, and reached for her hand. “Hey, you okay? Do you want to go and find your dad? Check on him, maybe?”
“No, no.” She shook her head, her blonde hair falling all around her shoulders. “He would be mortified to know I’d seen them arguing.”
