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As I ended the call, I sighed, but whether it was in relief or the fact that I’d somehow gotten myself into a position I had no place being in, I wasn’t sure.
Again, I wondered what the hell I was doing and how this had even happened. Preston was the last thing I’d expected, but I wasn’t ready to give him up just yet. Selfishly, I knew some of my relief was because Serena hadn’t asked me to. What kind of a self-serving bastard did that make me?
My door opened suddenly, causing me to start, but it was only my driver. Lost in my thoughts, I hadn’t noticed we’d arrived, and I gave him a curt nod and my thanks as I exited.
Already there was a hive of activity inside the Elysium’s gates, and I quickly shoved aside all thoughts of a gorgeous young thing I shouldn’t want for so many different reasons. I could think about it, beat myself up over it, or get myself off to him later, but for the next few hours, I had to flip the mental switch to work matters.
The brisk wind had me buttoning my coat as I headed into the courtyard, stopping to inspect the lights being strung up the building.
“Oh good, you’re here.” Our head decorator, Peg, hurried in my direction, clipboard in hand. “I’ve gotten all the volunteer groups sorted out and in their places, so we’re good to go on that front, but there’s a disagreement about where the orchestra will be moved to.”
“No problem, Peg. Thanks for holding things down.” I gave her a reassuring smile.
As we made our way inside, I listened to her run down the list of things we needed to get done by the end of the day and nodded along. The sound of laughter and dozens of voices echoed down through the foyer, and I scanned the room to see what was already in motion.
I should’ve paid closer attention to the group Peg had mentioned were helping load in the trees. If I had, maybe I would’ve avoided looking in their direction—to stop myself from locking eyes with Preston across the room.
Heat spread through my body the second I saw him, but that was a reaction I could keep to myself. I didn’t need to give anything away, not a smile, not a wave, not a greeting, because any one of those things would cause me to fail hiding my true feelings.
Thatwas something that couldn’t happen. The way Preston’s lips were starting to curve upward couldn’t happen.
I tore my gaze away, schooling my face to one of unaffected nonchalance, and focused on business. I gently led Peg toward the opposite side of the room, where I wouldn’t be faced with temptation.
EIGHTEEN
preston
“IF YOU THINK for one second that I’m going to take part in hauling a tree up a set of stairs, then you have clearly lost your mind.” East crossed his arms and eyed one of the enormous Douglas firs that had just been wheeled inside from the trucks out back.
Today was the day the Elysium was getting its makeover for the Winter Ball, and, unable to imagine my group of friends folding napkins or arranging flower bouquets in any kind of pleasing manner, I’d given them something simple—the unloading of the trees.
“The only heavy lifting I do is of the glass tumbler and ice variety. Not pine needles and sap.”
“Aw, that’s not entirely true,” West said, bumping into his friend’s arm. “Maybe the sap part, but you’re definitely the biggest prick amongst all the needles here.”
East shoved West away from him and aimed his wrath in my direction. “You doing this to impress Daddy Carrington?”
Aaand there it was, my new personal hell. I knew once I’d told my friends the truth about Archer that there’d be a price to pay, and of course it was East who was coming to collect first.
“No.” I gritted my teeth and marched over to him, clipboard in hand. “I’m doing this because it was assigned to us, and would you keep your voice down?”
He looked over his shoulder to the other volunteers inside the main hall. “Why? Afraid everyone will hear what you did to their president the other night? You’re right—blowing a president can createquitethe scandal. On the plus side, you’d definitely be taking a step in the right direction when it comes to politics.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Daire grumbled from where he stood with Donovan and Gavin. Travis had disappeared somewhere with one of the other member’s sons to help him “measure” something. I didn’t even want to know.
It was just our original crew today, all significant others coincidentally having other plans. Not that I could blame them; if I didn’t have to be subjected to East performing manual labor, I wouldn’t either.
Daire let out a string of choice words. “We could’ve had this one moved in the time it’s taken your mouth to stop flapping.”
East gestured toward the tree with a sweeping hand. “Then by all means, go ahead.”
Daire pushed past him and moved to the base of the tree along with West, while Donovan and Gavin looked at me.
“How many of these are there?” Donovan asked as we pulled our gloves on. East was right about one thing—the pine needles were no joke.
“Two for the stairs. One on each side of the landing, and?—”
“If there’s more than that, I’m peace-ing the fuck out.” Daire eyed me, his expression daring me to eventryto stop him.
