LJ gives me a shrewd look. “What’s really going on here?”
I recoil. “What do you mean?”
“I got a panicked text from Hope…”
I cut him off. “You what?”
“She’s worried about you. I thought for sure she was lying when she said you had a new date for the gala.”
My eyes narrow with confusion. “So, if you knew I had a date, what is this all about?”
“My concern about you will never vanish.” LJ turns to Dax with contempt. “This is obviously a cry for help.”
Ugh. He’s using Hope’s exact wording.
Dax’s knuckles crack, and he steps forward. “You’d better watch your mouth.”
My heart squeezes. There’s the mouthing off I predicted. I push between them, hoping to lower the testosterone-fueled rage.
Dax wraps an arm around me, and I gladly lean against him.
“I don’t know what kind of charity scheme you’re running here, Vanessa,” LJ says, motioning at Dax, “but it won’t last long. You know it only makes sense to be with me.”
“Why don’t you let her make up her own mind?” Dax says. “Instead of telling her how to think.”
“Oh, look who thinks he’s so progressive,” LJ says, thick with sarcasm. “Learned that on the streets, did you?”
I pull away from Dax and step forward, forcing LJ to step backward. “LJ, give it a rest. He hasn’t done anything to you.”
LJ grimaces. “He offends me by standing next to you.”
“Then get ready to hurl,” Dax blurts, clutching my hand and giving it a gentle swing.
LJ stares at our hands, and then his eyes wander upward to meet mine. “Is this really how you want to be seen? What happened to what we talked about?”
I give him an incredulous look. “There’s no we.”
LJ looks at me pointedly, lowering his voice. “You always told me that your reputation is your number one priority. Do you really want this getting out? Do you really want to ruin everything you’ve worked for? What your family has…”
“All right, LJ!” I snap, dropping Dax’s hand as I stomp my foot. “Just cool it, will you? It’s no big deal.”
“Hope promised not to tell anyone else about this.” LJ glances at Dax before sending his attention back at me. “We’re hoping you come to your senses, and that’s when I’ll get your call.”
LJ walks away, and I let my frustration billow out like a steaming kettle.
“Are you okay?” Dax asks, stepping away from me.
I sigh, smoothing a hand over my hair. “Yeah. I tried not to let him get to me, but I just broke.”
“You dropped my hand pretty quick.”
I lift my head, and his mood is down. “Are you okay?”
“He was right, wasn’t he?” Dax asks, avoiding my eyes. “You’d stop seeing me to save your reputation.”
“What? No!” I step forward and place my hands on his forearms. “I want to be with you. I’m so excited to walk into the gala with you.”
“And after we do that and piss off your parents, then what?”
