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Arabella gives a sniff that might mean she’s getting a cold, smells something funny, or doesn’t think much of my refusal. “He’s fine. Come on—Payton’s with me.”
For some reason, I look up to where I last saw Fiona.
She’s still there, watching me with Arabella, and I fight the urge to grind my teeth. “Tell her I said hi. Maybe I’ll catch y’all later.”
Arabella rests a hand on my chest, sliding a sly finger between the buttons of my shirt. “Silly Mase. Are you still sad about the little mistake?”
Thelittle mistakethat could have well ruined my life? I clench my jaw and take a deep breath. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Look, I’ve got to run. Have fun, darlin’.”
I push away from her and come face to face with David.
David, who is best friends with both Bexley and her twin brother, and recently got together with Biba, the tall one in pink who gives Priyanka a run for her money. I pride myself on being a good host, which means learning names, numbers, and connections of those with Grayson. It’s the least I can do.
“Dude!” David’s eyes are wide as he tracks Arabella’s sweep of dark hair over my shoulder. “That’s Arabella!”
“Yup.”
“She’s—You—” He grins like a little kid meeting his idol, or a guy meeting a very hot woman. I guess we never change.
“Toxic, dude. Stay far, far away.” I clap him on the shoulder and head over to Grayson, hoping Arabella stays in her VIP pod for the rest of the night.
“Mase!” Grayson is all smiles. “This place is amazing.”
Bexley jumps with excitement. “Grayson says you own it.”
I widen my fingers. “A tiny percentage.”
“Yeah, but Mase has got a different idea of what tiny is,” Grayson tells her. “A drop of his trust fund is more than my entire salary from playing.”
My smile threatens to slip but I hold on to it like I’m stealing second. Grayson and I came up through the minors together. We practiced and trained and fought for our spots in the show, and yet hestillthinks of me as a spoiled little rich boy, like so many others.
I keep my expression smooth and do my best to ignore the slight. “Yeah, well, anything you want tonight, feel free.” I spread my arms out and almost knock a covered glass out of a woman’s hand. “Sorry about that, darlin’.”
I give her a double take, and she smiles at me over her shoulder as she walks away.
“You never change, do you?” Grayson marvels as some of the others head up the stairs. Bexley stops for a picture with a fan and pulls me and Grayson in.
“Why would I? I’m having fun.” I clap Grayson on the back. I might be having fun but watching Grayson with Bexley tonight, seeing the couples close together, the way they look at each other…for the first time, I wonder if something’s missing in my life.
“You stay clear of Bexley’s friends tonight, right?” Grayson says in a worried voice. “They’re all taken, and you’re a tempting sight.”
“Just like the apple.”
“Fiona’s not taken.” Bexley glances around with a frown. “But where is she? I haven’t seen her since we got here.”
“I sent her up.” I point to the balcony, where Fiona in the green dress is still standing at the railing look out over the club.
She’s a looker, I realize. The strawberry blonde hair. The slash of red lipstick giving her a Peggy Carter vibe. Even the interesting outfit is quite appealing from this angle. “She seemed weirded out.”
Bexley’s frown deepens. “She has a problem with crowds sometimes. I should have kept an eye out for her.”
“No worries. I handled things.”
Grayson points at me. “But you’re not to handle those things, got it?”
I raise my hands. “Bro, I just showed her the stairs.”
Grayson follows Bexley up as I take another glance at Fiona.
