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The crowd erupted with applause, almost everyone standing to clap as Ezra and Ava descended from the stage and Take On Me by a-ha took over the sound system.
“Cheers,” Luna said, tapping her glass against mine.
I echoed the move before sipping the icy red cocktail in my glass. “What’s this called again?” I asked, glancing around our table for the card that explained all the themed cocktails.
“Woo woo,” Luna said. “It’s yummy. Perfect for celebrating your success.”
I laughed, watching as she took another sip. She licked a few stray drops off her lips, and I swallowed hard. Fuck, she was sexy. And funny and smart and talented. The complete package.
“Nothing is solid yet,” I finally managed to say.
“Please,” she said, waving me off and setting down her drink. “Did you see the wink? Ezra is very Team Brad.”
I grinned at her. “What about you?”
“What about me?” she asked.
“What team are you on?”
She bit back her smile. “That depends.”
“On?”
She nodded toward the dance floor where throngs of people were dancing. “On if you’ll dance with me or not.”
“Always.” I pushed away from the table, offering her my hand.
She took it, sliding hers into mine and allowing me to lead her through the crowd until we found a spot. I wrapped my arms around her, bringing her body flush against mine as we moved to the music.
Luna grinned up at me, laughing with each song change as we adjusted to the melody. It was effortless and fun as hell. And her smile, the sound of her laugh, was everything. My heart couldn’t get any fuller. I had the girl of my dreams in my arms, the smell of her skin still lingering on mine from the way I’d claimed her body earlier, and she’d let me help her launch her clothing line, a dream she’d had for years. Not to mention I was pretty sure Ezra would be signing with me before the night was over.
Everything was perfect.
But I needed to know Luna was really with me. Needed to know she wasn’t simply playing her part for my benefit. And as much as I knew I needed to give her time because of her recent breakup, I also knew there was no way I could go home and just pretend to be her friend again. If she told me that was what she needed while she healed, then fuck yes, I’d do it. I’d wait for her forever, but I needed to know where her mind was at, even if it wasn’t fully Team Brad like she’d mentioned earlier.
I parted my lips, ready to lay all my cards out in front of her—
“I need a break!” she said over the music, waving behind her. “Bathroom. Meet you back at the table?”
A rush of breath flew past my lips, all the buildup of my confession delayed with her words. I nodded, grinning at her before she turned around and weaved through the crowd and out of the ballroom, headed for the bathrooms just outside of it.
I watched her the entire time, moving through the dancers until I stood by our table and she was out of sight.
“You’re a real piece of work, Washbrook,” Craig’s voice sounded from behind me, so I shifted to face him. From the glare shaping his face, he was a little more than pissed. “I don’t know what you offered him that I didn’t, but it seems beyond business. I think they like you more for your fiancé than your investment interest.”
His words were slightly slurred, and I did my best to take that into account as I cooled the instant anger that boiled in my gut. I took a deep breath and shook my head.
“Nothing is official yet,” I said. “But you’re not giving them any credit if you think they’re basing it off my relationship status.”
“Bullshit,” he fired back. “You and Luna have been all over them. Attending all the events, the couply shit, getting more time—”
“And you and Marla haven’t?”
Craig shrugged. “I didn’t force Marla to attend everything.”
“I didn’t force Luna either,” I said, then felt a flare of guilt shoot through me. In a way, I had forced her into this entire situation, concocting a fake relationship so I could get more time, but that had been mainly in the beginning. Everything since day two had felt more real than any relationship I’d ever had.
But I didn’t know if it felt real for her.
Fuck, I really needed to find out.
“Whatever,” Craig grumbled. “Something feels off about you.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s understandable when you come in last place.”
“Fuck you, Washbrook,” he said, draining the contents of his drink.
I shook my head, holding my drink up to him as he stumbled away, flipping me off in the process. I took a sip of my drink, forcing his words away. He could be pissed all he wanted. It couldn’t touch me.
