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15
Finn drove Cora to the Davenport Estate, located in the foothills thirty minutes outside of Providence Falls. It was surrounded by acres of beautifully manicured lawns, rose gardens, a renowned golf course and a vineyard. Cora’s father and Finn had gone golfing there many times over the years, but she’d only been once for a friend’s wedding. Built in the late 1800s by a wealthy railroad baron for his wife, the Davenport now served as a hotel and resort famed for its destination weddings and events like the evening’s Bread for the Hungry charity ball. The palatial estate had ivory stone columns in front, a circular drive with a giant three-tiered fountain, and a sparkling ballroom that looked like something straight out of a fairy tale.
The place was so picturesque, Cora should’ve been charmed, but she wasn’t. Instead, she was roiling in a stew of frustration and resentment because she’d been at the gala for hours now, and Liam still hadn’t arrived.
“He’s kinda sexy in a sort of nerdy superhero way, you know?” Suzette was sitting at one of the round dining tables, studying Finn as he walked toward the buffet line.
Cora tilted her head and tried to imagine Finn Walsh in a cape with a giant hammer. He had the nice height and the broad shoulders, but he was just too clean-cut to give off that exciting superhuman vibe. “Nope. I don’t see it.”
“I’m not talking beefcake superhero,” Suzette explained. “But like a Clark Kent-in-glasses type, with the hidden sexiness that you discover once the clothes come off. Or one of those hot, genius scientists, you know? The kind who do important things in those labs with the bubbling test tubes.”
“Oh, you mean the evil villains with the maniacal laughter? Yeah, those guys are irresistible.”
Suzette rolled her eyes and adjusted the rhinestone strap on her black cocktail dress. “You’ve got no imagination.”
“What about you and Rob Hopper?” Cora asked, changing the subject. “He’s been cornered by that blonde woman over there near the punch bowl, but I swear he’s been staring at you for the past ten minutes.” Rob was smiling politely at a woman who seemed to have had too much to drink. She was practically falling all over him, and oblivious to the fact that his attention wasn’t on her.
Suzette gave Rob a cursory glance, then made a sound of disgust. “Not in a bajillion years.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder, then stole a couple more glances in Rob’s direction.
Cora checked her phone again. It was almost midnight, and Liam hadn’t bothered to respond to a single one of her texts. Unbelievable. She gritted her teeth and tossed her phone back on the table.
“Scowling like that causes premature wrinkles, you know.” Suzette plucked a chocolate from the dessert platter in the center of their table and popped it in her mouth.
“I’m just super annoyed at Liam. He’s the one who wanted to come to this thing, and he hasn’t even bothered to show up.”
“I showed up,” Suzette said around a mouthful of hazelnut truffle.
Cora reached out and laid a hand on her friend’s arm. “And for that I am forever in your debt. I shouldn’t have asked you to come at such short notice.” After two hours making stilted small talk with Finn, Cora had finally called in Suzette for backup.
“Hey, it wasn’t a hard sell. I never miss a chance to get dolled up and drink free booze. But I’m surprised Finn annoyed you enough to send out the emergency girl code Bat-Signal. He doesn’t seem that bad.”
“He really isn’t,” Cora said in exasperation. “I think I was just pissed off at Liam for not coming like he said he would, and I wasn’t in the mood for conversation.”
“Well, in your defense, the conversation hasn’t exactly been dazzling. Finn’s cute, sure, but the nerd factor is strong with that one. I heard him quoting Star Wars. And when I got here, he was telling you all about his rock collection.”
“Geodes.”
“Oh, excuse me. Sparkly rock collection. I thought any second he was going to bust out with, ‘One time, at band camp...’” Suzette’s hazel eyes sparkled with laughter, and she took another sip of her drink. “Still, all that aside, I like him for you.”
“Oh, not for you?” Cora teased.
“Please. You know I only go for the superhot, emotionally unavailable bad boys.”
“Maybe you should try a nice guy, for a change.”
“Where’s the fun in that? Speaking of hotties, where is that new roommate of yours? I was looking forward to getting a glimpse of him all decked out à la James Bond.”
Cora’s gaze flicked to the entrance of the ballroom. Captain Thompson was standing there in conversation with the mayor, while his wife, Alice, looked bored, but beautiful in her gold sequined cocktail dress. “I have no idea why Liam hasn’t arrived yet, but he’d better have a damned good explanation.”
“Maybe he really is an international superspy like 007, and he’s off saving lives,” Suzette said dreamily. “Maybe he’s sitting in his lair right now with, like, a white Persian cat on his lap.”
“Um, I’m pretty sure that guy was the villain.”
Suzette shrugged and lifted her champagne glass. “See? I always go for the bad boys. It’s a problem for me.”
Cora pointed to the dessert tray. “Give me one of those, will you?”
“Good plan. Chocolate makes everything better.” Suzette slid the silver platter closer.
