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Twelve
When she was preparing to come on this trip, Addi looked up “what to wear to a masquerade ball” on the internet. She’d never attended one, though she remembered Joe’s parents having one at their house about seven or eight years ago. She hadn’t been able to attend, but she’d seen photos online of Joe in his tux and mask, a pretty girl on his arm.
A costumed ball seemed so...impractical. At the time she’d been working her tail feathers off at corporate headquarters for a company that made athletic wear. Rhinestones and ball gowns weren’t exactly part of her wardrobe.
Joe either had fond memories of the party, or he wanted his parents to experience another. Or maybe, like her, he found the idea of a ball preposterous and was having a laugh over forcing his friends to attend.
She’d done research before she chose her outfit, and learned that masquerade balls were formal and classy. Loathe as she was to admit it, shopping for a ball gown was fun—and bonus, she’d found one to rent. Logical, since this occasion was quite literally a once-in-a-lifetime event.
The elegant rhinestone-studded gown was sky blue and sparkled like a sea of diamonds wherever the light hit. It was formfitting and cut into a low V at the back, which was almost chilly in the cooler air of the lobby. The mask she’d purchased online. With its matching blue and silver gemstones, she hadn’t been able to resist.
At the rental shop, she’d been floored not only by the elegance of the gown, but how she felt in it. Beautiful. Captivating. Shivers streaked down her arms as she spotted the Sunflower Room, where the event was being held. When she’d rented the dress, she had no one to captivate. Now she did.
Unfortunately, like the dress, she’d have to return Brannon after only one night. But oh, what a night it was going to be.
He insisted they find each other at the event. “A masquerade is cloaked in mystery, Ad,” he’d told her. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”
The ballroom’s interior was strung with fairy lights, but otherwise filled with shadows. A band played quietly in the corner, soft jazz that added to the almost romantic, and definitely mysterious, ambiance. Many women wore dresses similar to Addi’s, but in a rainbow of colors, bedecked in rhinestones and jewels. The men were in black, most donning formal tuxedos, though she spotted a few velour jackets.
She didn’t know what Bran was wearing, so she scanned the crowd. Seeking him out in a group was nothing new—she always looked for him first—but knowing he was looking for her caused her stomach to knot.
She’d agreed to be his date for one night, and here they were, the masquerade ball a preview of what was to come. Her goal for the evening was simple, but not the least bit pure.
She wanted him.
Tonight, she was going to be adventurous when it came to Bran—it might be her only chance.
A woman in a slim black dress, her long, dark curls falling over her shoulders appeared in front of Addi.
“Choose your fate.” Deep brown eyes blinked from behind a black mask as the woman offered up a basket of gold envelopes. “One of these cards is destined for you. Which will it be?”
Addi swallowed a laugh. Fate? In this basket? She highly doubted it. She chose her own fate. But, what the hell? Once-in-a-lifetime experiences should be savored. She held her hand over the basket and closed her eyes, wiggling her fingers over the envelopes before choosing her “fate.”
“It’s a good one. I can tell,” the woman told her before leaving to offer an envelope to another guest.
Addi stepped off to the side of the room and tore open the envelope. Inside was a note in handwritten calligraphy that read:
Find someone wearing a gold mask and ask them to dance. Your future awaits.
Addi giggled as she dropped the envelope into her purse. It was like reading a fortune from one of those machines at the fair. “What is up with this, Joe?”
“You read my mind,” came a female voice from over her shoulder. Addi turned to find a red-haired woman in a stunning red dress, a red mask obscuring her face. “Rebecca. From breakfast. What a beautiful gown.”
“Right, hello. Sorry, I didn’t recognize you.”
“The point of this event. What did your card say?”
“To ask someone wearing a gold mask to dance. What about yours?”
“Mine says I have to buy a stranger a drink. And you’re about to let me off the hook.” Rebecca looped her arm in Addison’s and walked with her to the bar. “We barely know each other. You count.”
After they each had a glass of sparkling white wine in hand, Rebecca asked, “Did you come with Brannon?”
“I’m his date, but we decided to meet here.”
“Ohh, young love. It’s too sweet.” Rebecca flashed a bright white smile behind painted red lips. “Allen probably won’t last long. A wild night for us ends at eight thirty. Is Bran wearing a gold mask?”
“I don’t know.” Addi scanned the crowd for him again. “I haven’t spotted him yet.”
