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7
Harry
Irakeda hand through my hair as I rushed back to the private dining room. Apparently, I’d lost Drew. Ty had never been angry at me before. Tonight, when I ruined his announcement, he might make an exception. While I tried to imagine his reaction and prepare for the worst, I rounded the corner and nearly ran smack dab into him. His presence wasn’t what caught my attention, actually. The woman I’d seen earlier outside, the woman with the skin-tight Velcro dress, was with him. Immediately, I halted. “Whoa, how’d you two meet up?” I frowned. This was coming out allwrong.
“I’m paying it forward.” She sighed. “This wasyourbrilliant idea.” She glanced at Drew, who seemed to be stumbling around even more thannormal.
“You took a nap. How can you still be this drunk?” I rolledmyeyes.
He grinned. “Hair of the dog. You should try it sometime.” He slapped mychest.
“Water instead of liquor.Youshould try it sometime.” My brow rose in challenge. “Then you wouldn’t need hair of the dog and you wouldn’t be acting a fool in front of…” I smiled at the woman who was almost wholly holding him up. I watched as her legs seemed to begin to crumble from his weight. “Let me helpyou,Miss…”
She mashed her lips together like women do when they’re applying makeup. I stared in rapt fascination. Then she smiled and revealed some of the most perfect, pearly white teeth I’d ever seen. “Are you trying to getmyname?”
“Trying, yes. Succeeding? Apparently not.” I grinned. “Can’t blame a guy for trying. After all, if we’re going to continue to run into each other like this, I’d love to have something tocallyou.”
Her head tilted and I noticed a spot on her neck where I’d love to bury my face and begin a trail of kisses. “Laney,” she murmured almostshyly.
Together, with Drew between us, we seemed to be making some progress. “Nice to meet you, Laney. I’m Harry.” At the moment, I had one arm around the lush and one hand gripping his wrist to keep his arm slung around my shoulders. “Dammit, Drew,” I grumbled. “Okay, I’d shake, but…” I jerked my head toward him by means ofexplanation.
Laney smiled. “I completely understand.” Then she moved her arm, which was also around his waist, up just enough so wetouched.
I inhaled sharply. This might be the closest I’d come to a true crush in a really long time. Those Hollywood starlets I dealt with on a frequent basis had ruined women for me. I studied Laney, then our eyes met and I wondered if she felt the same thingIdid.
“Too much?” she asked, her eyes sparklinginnocently.
“Just enough.” I could feel my cheeks burning. God, I hated being aginger.
“Good Lord,” Ty grumbled as he strode out of the private dining room toward us. “Well, how the hell is he supposed to sit through adinner?”
“He’s getting heavy,” Laneymurmured.
I glanced around. “Bench.” I nodded at the tufted backless setteebehindher.
“Whew. Perfect. He was becoming a bit much.” She smiled as we sat him on it and rested his back againstthewall.
“You think he’s heavy now, try knowing him your entire life. Positively excruciating,” Ijoked.
Laney chuckled and threw a hand up to cover her mouth. “Sorry.” She glanced shyly at Ty. “You’re very funny,Harry.”
Suddenly, I was speechless. All I could do was soak in the sound of her saying my name. I wanted to hear her say it again and again. For several seconds, I stood there and blinked at her while Ty glanced back and forth between us. Naturally, Drew interrupted our silence by falling forward and landing in a crumpled heap on the floor. “Oh, fuck me,” I grumbled. Then I looked at Ty standing just off to the side, staring at Laney with a curious expression on his face. “Can you help me,please?”
When Ty moved to pass her to stand on Drew’s other side, she stepped back and murmured, “Sorry, Mr.George.”
His eyes widened. “Miss Jenner. I thought Irecognizedyou.”
She ran her hands down her dress. “Yeah. Still me.” Her cheeks turned an utterly beguiling shadeofpink.
“You look…different.” He smiled at her. Then he addressed me. “Harry, can we agree Drew won’t be attending the dinner? After all, he can’t evensitup.”
I shrugged. “I concur. Shall we?” Then we each grabbed an arm and hefted him off thefloor.
Drew groaned when we finally had him back on his feet. “Sick. So sick,” hemuttered.
“Well, you should slow down on the alcohol,” I mumbled. Then I glanced at Laney and murmured, “I’m so sorry you have toseethis.”
She smiled and shrugged. “No big deal. I’ve been through worsetoday.”
