AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sean gave the matter a couple moments of thought. “Yeah,” he said. “Why the hell not?”
“There you go.” Theo smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Give the people what they want, you know?” He swept his hand toward the crowd. “Let’s go find the crew,” he said. “Get a setlist worked out.”
Then he turned his attention to me, as if he’d forgotten something important. “I’m not stealing him away from you, am I?”
Both my and Sean’s eyes went wide at the same time.
“No, no!” I quickly shot out. “I mean, we showed up together in the lobby and—” I stopped myself, realizing that I was sounding like a crazy person who really, really, had something to hide. “I mean,” I said. “No, we just bumped into each other in the lobby.”
Theo nodded and shot us a look that seemed to say “good save, kinda.”
And then they were gone, leaving me alone. Feeling a little out of sorts with the huge crowd around me, I made my way to the bar and ordered a gin and tonic. To my surprise, when I opened my purse to take out some cash, the bartender raised his hand to stop me.
“Huh?”
“Open bar,” he said.
“Is that right?” I slipped my wallet back into my purse and taking my drink.
“Compliments of Mr. Silver.” He extended his hand toward the crowd.
I should’ve known. I turned and sure enough, there he was. James was dressed in a sharp suit, his hair slicked back and his face all smiles as he glad-handed. And he was loud, too—as I watched him it seemed like every five seconds he’d break out into this big, barking laugh, like he was going out of his way to get everyone’s attention.
I didn’t like it. And I especially didn’t like it when his eyes locked onto me, and a big smile spread across his face. Great.
He put his hand on the shoulder of someone he was talking to and excused himself.
I really, really didn’t want to talk to him. So, I sipped my drink and looked away, as if I might vanish in front of his face if I didn’t acknowledge his presence.
No such luck, obviously.
“Shania!” he said. “So good to see you!”
He set his drink down on the bar and pulled me into a quick hug, thick with the smell of some kind of expensive aquatic cologne I didn’t care for in the slightest.
“Yeah,” I said. “Likewise.”
“Well.” He clasped his hands together before taking his drink back from the bar. “Are you enjoying the party?”
“Just got here,” I said. “But it’s…certainly a party.”
“When word got out that the most famous couple of couples was having a night out, it was only a matter of time before it turned into something like this. So, I figured I’d take the edge off by opening up the bar and kitchen and letting anyone get whatever the hell they wanted.” He pointed to the kitchen, which was currently abuzz with activity. “You had the Peppermint Angelfish here? Expensive as hell, but worth every bite.”
“Not yet,” I said. “Are you sure that any of this is even necessary? I mean, I know the couples have been trying to have a low-key thing for a while.”
He shrugged. “Word gets out,” he said. “You know how it is in this town.”
Something about it all seemed very odd, especially with how at-the-ready James had been to front everything. And I couldn’t quite put my finger on why, but it seemed like his motivations were something other than wanting to take the financial burden off the couples—couples who could easily afford to treat their friends, and who didn’t really even know James all that well.
“Anyway,” he said. “It’s nothing. Ever since the company made it big, I’ve had more money than I know what to do with. Paying for something like this is nothing.” Then he turned his eyes back to me. “But we’ve got music, we’ve got drinks, we’ve got everything else!” Then he raised a finger. “There’s only one thing I’m missing.”
Oh boy.
“And what’s that?”
“A beautiful woman on my arm.” He lifted his forearm in my direction, and it was clear as day what he wanted. But I was less than enthused. After all, this was the creep who forced himself on me in college and would not take no for an answer. It was creepy.
I had to say something. “James,” I said. “It’s not going to happen.”
The enthusiasm drained out of his face as he processed the words. Then he lowered his arm, obviously disappointed.
“I mean, don’t you have a date?” I asked. “Where is she?”
Truth be told, I didn’t even know who his date was. I mean, she looked familiar—a friend of Pepper’s, which is how James had gotten the plus one—but as far as the specifics, I was at a loss.
