Charlotte looked over her seat at us. “What are you two talking about back there?”
She and Mason hadn’t exchanged a word since we got in. Were they always this quiet? I wondered how long they’d been dating.
“Nothing you need to concern yourself with,” Kaz said dismissively. Charlotte shot a glance at Mason, probably expecting her boyfriend to say something, but he didn’t even turn to her. He seemed lost in his own thoughts.
When we arrived at our destination, Mason helped Charlotte out of the car, and Kaz did the same for me. I tried not to notice how good his hand felt in mine, or how his eyes licked a trail down my body. I was deeply wary of the man, but I was also starting to acknowledge that all of our bickering was fueled by something very akin to chemistry.
That was fine. I could ignore chemistry. It was a flighty, destructive thing that was of little use to me.
All thoughts of the chemical variety left my head when I finally saw the house where the party was being hosted.
“Holy shit,” I breathed.
Mason whistled, and Kaz laughed beside me. “This isn’t a house. This is a compound.”
Philo’s lavish estate sprawled over a lot that could have easily housed five normal-sized homes. The immaculate lawn looked as if every blade of grass was trimmed individually by someone with a ruler, and the facade was illuminated with strategically placed lights. Water gurgled from a fountain in the shape of a horse frozen on its hind legs.
“This is insane,” Charlotte said breathlessly.
“So that’s what six platinum records and a twenty-year-long career gets you.” Mason sounded awed. “I can’t tell which is the main entrance.”
I could see at least three impressive wooden doors that could be it, but the safest bet had to be the one closest to the fountain.
“This way.” I began to walk forward and immediately stumbled over my heel.
A strong hand gripped me by the elbow. “Careful.”
I glanced up at Kaz, who was still taller than me even in my four-inch heels. “Thanks,” I muttered and let him keep his hand on me until we made it all the way to the front door. When I glanced over my shoulder at Mason, his expression was tinged with something sour, and he looked away when his eyes met mine.
A man dressed in a tailored suit checked our names off a list and opened the door. “Welcome.”
The first thing I saw was a chandelier I swear was bigger than my bedroom. Rings upon rings of glass teardrops reflected the throngs of smartly dressed guests. Lupe Fiasco was playing on the sound system, and when someone offered me a glass of champagne, I took it automatically. My eyes struggled to find something to focus on.
The rest of my party was equally dazzled with the scene. None of them seemed to know what to do with themselves. Mason hovered beside Charlotte, who was obsessively fixing her hair, and Kaz surveyed the surroundings, his lips in a tight line.
“We should go mingle,” I said over the music. It was loud, but not to the point where it made conversation difficult. It was a reminder this wasn’t just any party. People were here to talk business.
I grabbed Kaz’s wrist and pulled him forward.
“Where are we going?” he asked, his breath brushing against the nape of my neck.
“To get you a drink.”
“I already have a drink.”
“Well, finish it so that we can order another at the bar. It’s easier to start a conversation there.”
He pulled me back. “I told you, I don’t network, or mingle, or whatever other ridiculous word people use to describe conversations with strangers.”
I whirled around and put on my best don’t-mess-with-me expression. “Get over yourself, Kaz. I’m not asking you to go and talk to people for my own amusement, although I’ll admit there’s a part of me that’s looking forward to seeing you struggle.”
A corner of his mouth ticked up at that.
“If you want to make it in this industry, you’re going to need to know people. Trinity is giving you an opportunity to do that. So pull that stick out of your ass for a few hours. These are musicians, for God’s sake. They’re your people.”
Mason caught the very end of my pep talk as he appeared by Kaz’s side. “She’s right. Let’s do this.”
Whoa.Was Mason actually agreeing with me on something?
