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“Chase has no idea that I’m here,” she told me. “He doesn’t think that you’ll forgive him, but I know that you can’t stay mad at him forever. You’ve known each other too long. Please, Annie.” Her blue eyes were wide and sincere. “Please.”
I lolled my head back. “I really don’t want to go.”
“Friends don’t let each other down.”
I sighed heavily, feeling myself giving in. If Ashleigh was lying, I was going to kill. “I’m going as just friends.”
Ashleigh jumped up and down, clapping her hands. “Excellent. Get up and get dressed. I’ll do something with your hair.”
“Am I going to regret this?”
“No! It’s going to be so much fun.”
Oh, I was definitely going to regret this.
36
Annie
The party was already in full swing when Ashleigh and I finally showed. It had taken longer to get my hair into the lush waves that Ashleigh wanted, and then I’d let her go to town with my makeup, too. The forest-green slip dress I’d chosen was something I’d worn for a med school banquet. I’d paired it with my new pair of black heels and left the house after Ashleigh applauded my clothing choice.
Now, we were here in the mansion of a house I’d practically grown up in, and I felt entirely out of place. I’d spent more time here than at my own house, but those days were long gone.
“I’m going to go save Julian,” Ashleigh said, squeezing my arm. “Have fun!”
I watched her go with trepidation. I’d forgotten that Julian would be here. I sure hoped this didn’t get back to his brother. The last thing I needed was for Jordan to think that Chase and I were getting together. Fuck.
I headed toward the kitchen to track down a drink and nearly ran smack dab into Chase. He caught my arm.
“Annie?” he all but gasped.
I could tell that someone, ostensibly Ashleigh, had applied makeup to his battered face to try to make him more presentable. And she must have had high-end cosmetics because it’d mostly worked. It looked more like he hadn’t slept in a few days than that he had a black eye. His nose had been reset cleanly, and only a small cut was still visible.
“Hey, Chase.”
“What are you doing here? I didn’t think that you’d…” He trailed off, gesturing around him.
“Ashleigh,” I said by way of explanation.
He shook his head. “My sister. She can do anything she puts her mind to.”
“Yep.”
“I’m really glad that you came, but you didn’t have to. I know that I shouldn’t have dumped all of that on you when you came to my house the other. I’m sorry. I really am.”
“I know,” I admitted with a sigh. “You were an ass.”
“Yeah, I was.”
“Let’s just not be that stupid again, okay?”
“That sounds like a deal.”
“We’ve been friends since we were babies. As long as we’re on the same page, I don’t think that we should stop now.”
“But just friends?” he asked softly.
I nodded. “Just friends.”
“All right.” He looked disappointed, but he let it go. “Well, let’s get you a drink. I’m so glad you’re here. My parents are going to freak.”
Chase snagged a glass of champagne and passed it to me. Then I followed him into the living room. His mom, Charlotte, put a hand to her chest when she saw me.
“Annie, darling!” she gushed, pulling me into a hug. “You look stunning. We’re so glad that you’re here.”
“It’s good to see you.”
“Oh, Annie,” Arnold Sinclair said when he saw me. “What a treat!”
I grinned up at him. “Glad to be here.”
“These two used to run around this house for hours when they were young,” Arnold said to the couple in front of him.
“How cute,” the woman said.
“Annie, this is Bart and Angelica Lawson. They own a very successful law firm here in town and have offered guidance to Chase for his new venture.”
“Nice to meet you,” I told them. Though their name rang a bell. “Are you Katelyn’s parents?”
“Why, yes!” Angelica cried. “She’s our little ballerina. She’s running around here somewhere.”
“Right.” I remembered then that Peyton had had an issue with all of them this Christmas season. That they seemed like perfectly nice people, but were actually entitled assholes. Not that I intended to bring any of that up. “I’m going to grab a bite. Lovely party. Excuse me..”
I hastily brushed past them, feeling overwhelmed by the pleasantries. I’d been enjoying a perfectly wonderful night of ice cream and television. Now, I was here, making small talk. Kill me.
When I made it to the buffet table set up along a long, open wall in the living room, I picked up a ripe strawberry and nibbled on it as I decided on my next move. I’d made up with Chase, and then promptly left him behind with his parents. I could feel his eyes on me, but I turned my back instead. This was such a bad idea.
