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Raine chuckled. “No. I’ll tell them we broke up. Things just weren’t working out. You know, the whole ‘we’re better as friends than lovers’ bit. And let’s say we’ve been dating for three months. That’s how long I was with Ryan. She knows I was with a guy.”
I sighed. “Great. My first long-term relationship isn’t even a real one,” I said, glancing around the room. I glimpsed Raine’s parents at the same time she did.
“There’s Mom and Dad. Come on.”
I nearly tripped over my own two feet when I saw who they were talking to. Panic raced through my entire body as I scanned the ballroom.
“Raine, what type of charity is this dinner for?”
With a plastered-on smile, Raine pulled me closer to her parents as she answered. “The Austin Builders Association. Daddy is the president.”
“Fuck me,” I whispered as she dragged me closer to the group of people straight ahead of us.
If I thought I had messed up with Morgan the other day, things were about to get even messier.
“WOW! YOU LOOK beautiful.”
Glancing up, I met Rich’s gaze in the mirror. “Thank you. And thank you for coming with me to this thing. I know how much you hate them. I couldn’t bear to go alone, though. I texted someone else earlier this morning, but he never texted me back.”
“I will try to not let that insult me.”
I smiled and gave him a playful push on the shoulder. When I had texted Blake earlier to ask if he wanted to go to the dinner with me tonight, I knew it was a big step. With my parents and Nash being there, we would be letting everyone know there was something between us. When he never responded, I had my answer. It was my fault for pushing him away. I was so angry with myself, but I was even angrier that Blake hadn’t even had the decency to text me back.
Rich looked me up and down. Not in a lustful way, but more in appreciation. Rich and I had dated off and on after Mike passed away. He was my rebound guy. The guy who helped me through the tough times when all I wanted to do was hide.
He clucked his tongue and spun me around with a whistle. “I find it very hard to believe you couldn’t find a date, Morgan. Look at you. You’re beautiful.”
I swallowed hard as I glanced down at the satin gown I had on. It hugged my body like a glove. The only other stitch of clothing I had on was a thin satin thong. I would keep that bit of information to myself.
“Thank you. Truth be told I sort of forgot about this dinner until this morning when my mother called to remind me. I didn’t have time to look for a proper date.”
“Proper date? You are trying to hurt my ego this evening, aren’t you?”
Smiling, I reached up and kissed his cheek. “I’m not. I swear. Are you ready to go? I don’t want to get there too late.”
Rich held out his arm for me, and we started out the door.
“Betty doesn’t mind me stealing you for the night?”
He chuckled and replied, “Nah. She’s working on a new design for a client of hers.”
“She’s okay with us going out? I mean, with our past and all?”
“She is. She knows you and I dated, but she also knows we’re friends, and I help my friends when asked. I don’t think she’s worried.”
“Oh my gosh!” I gasped as we walked out to a limo. “What did you do?”
He shrugged. “I promised you once I would pick you up for a date in a limo, but I never followed through. Now I am.”
Turning to him, I smiled. “But this isn’t a real date.”
“It’s close enough. I know how hard this time of year is for you. I wanted to do this for you.”
My eyes burned with tears. How crazy was it that my ex-boyfriend was posing as my date to a charity dinner posing when his real girlfriend was at home? Why did it feel like everything in my life was back-ass-ward?
“Maybe I shouldn’t go.”
“Nonsense, get into the car. Nobody there will be surprised to see us together. No one will ask questions.”
