Page 94 of Last First Date

“You sound disappointed.”

“No, it’s just so crazy that little old me is here with you and all these people I would have never dreamed of meeting, let alone them knowing my name.”

“I understand,” I said, my gaze fixated on her.

As the music faded and the dance concluded, I led her off the dance floor. I had to get back to my job of managing things. “I’m going to be busy making sure everything runs smoothly from here on out, but I want to talk to you.”

“I can help,” she offered.

“No,” I said, smiling. “I’ve got it handled. Enjoy the party. But if I don’t get a chance to talk to you again before the party is over, can you find me before you go to bed?”

She nodded. “Of course, but I can help. I’m here as your assistant first. What do you need?”

“Nothing,” I assured her. “Just come find me.”

“I will.”

I kissed her cheek and walked away. As I moved across the room, I couldn’t help but glance back toward Waverly. She was already inundated with attention, surrounded by a group of fashion insiders, eagerly chatting away. The glow from her face was infectious. She looked like she belonged here. I watched as she leaned in to take a selfie with someone. I loved that she was having such a good time.

My mind raced with thoughts as I headed toward the catering staff. Champagne glasses needed refilling, hors d’oeuvre trays were empty too soon, and one of the Hollywood starlets was having a meltdown in the bathroom for an unknown reason. These seemingly trivial problems could quickly escalate into full-blown disasters if left unchecked during an event of this magnitude.

The next couple of hours were a blur of problem-solving, subtle networking, and a lot of damage control. As the evening wore on, I noticed Waverly seemed to be getting tired. She still smiled and chatted with her admirers, but her eyes met mine across the room more frequently. It was exhausting. I had spent my fair share of time schmoozing and knew how taxing it could be. The constant smiling and shaking hands and making small talk took its toll.

But she was handling it well.

I watched as she politely excused herself from another group of fans and admirers and started gliding toward me. Her eyes met mine. The joy had faded, replaced by exhaustion, but there was still that twinkle, that spark that made Waverly Waverly.

“I’m beat,” she said as she approached me. Her words were a mere whisper, meant only for my ears.

“Are you ready to call it a night?”

“No, not yet,” she said, her voice trailing off. She wore a tired smile on her face. “I can hang in a little bit longer. What about you?”

“I need to take care of a few more things and then I’ll be heading up.”

She nodded.

“You’ll come by, or if I leave after you, I’ll stop by your room?”

“Yes,” she said, smiling before drifting away once again.

39

WAVERLY

The party still buzzed with energy despite the late hour. The official party was over. Now, it was just the stragglers taking advantage of the free alcohol. Laura and I found ourselves in a quiet corner, talking about her modeling journey. Yet, despite the engaging conversation, my thoughts were inevitably drawn to Knox.

I watched him move seamlessly through the crowd, effortlessly navigating the world that was very much his. His confidence was evident with every smile and handshake. He didn’t seem the least bit bothered by the fact he was surrounded by millionaires. I supposed he wouldn’t because he was one of them.

As our eyes briefly met, he gave me a casual look, subtly letting me know he was heading upstairs. The unspoken understanding hung between us. I gave him a slight nod, letting him know I would be up soon. I didn’t want to be rude to Laura.

As Knox disappeared upstairs, I felt a magnetic pull to follow him. I knew this might very well be the last night we had together. What if everything changed once we returned home? Tomorrow, reality would sink in. Would he still feel the same way about me when we were no longer in this fantasy world? I couldn’t shake off the sadness that the connection we made would likely be over.

“You’re doing great, you know?” Laura said, her voice warm. “It’s your first time here and you’re handling it so well.”

I smiled. “Thank you. It has been an exhausting week. I think I’m going to turn in. It was so nice to get to know you.”

“I hope we’ll see each other again,” she said. “You’ve been a lot of fun this week.”