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We got into the car and silently drove to the ball—at least I was silent; Brandon and Becca kept up a tirade of words the entire way, which ground on my nerves. I was all dressed up to go to a ball—and not just any ball, but a masquerade ball—and I was the third wheel on my friend’s date!
I thought Luc and I made a connection over ice cream. True, we hadn’t really seen each other over the last few weeks, and when we did it was a slight lift of the chin in acknowledgment or a pleasant “How are you?” in the hallway, but I still thought we had made a friendly connection . . . but it seemed he thought otherwise.
Ugh! I didn’t need this right now. I wanted calm days, where the only worry I had was to make beautiful bouquets for satisfied clients. I didn’t need a guy to put pressure on me. Besides, Ray had dropped a hint that she had been thinking about expanding her business to the next town over, which meant I would be busy enough if that happened. I had started daydreaming about running my own floral shop. I would cater to weddings and birthdays, and any other party that needed a floral arrangement. I loved romance, but if what I’d gone through with Rich and the hot-cold scenario with Luc were anything to go by, I was happy to live vicariously through my clients.
“Earth to Jill,” Becca said, sticking her head into the car. “Everything okay?”
I turned to see that we’d arrived and my door was being held open by a man in a tuxedo. Becca was looking at me with concern. I made to move out of the car, and she stood back. As soon as her head moved out of the way I saw a grand staircase that was attached to one of the largest houses I’d ever seen. The whole place was lit up. There were lights along the walkway and amongst the luscious garden surrounding the front of the house. Everywhere I looked were men in tuxedoes and women in ballgowns, all wearing masks decorated with pearls and a number of precious jewels. The fragrances on the air were ripe, and to my surprise they did not make me gag. It was beautiful.
Who cared if I was by myself? This was a dream come true!I was at an actual masquerade ball!I could feel a smile growing on my face, and when I looked back at Becca, I saw relief.
“You okay?” she asked.
“I’m good, really good. Let’s go have fun,” I said, hooking her arm and starting toward the stairs.
Brandon walked closely behind us. He seemed tense and was sniffing the air. Must have been my imagination, though; I didn’t smell anything besides the numerous perfumes permeating from the women around me.
We blended in with the mask-wearing crowd as we lined up to get in. So, this was what it was like to have anonymity. I liked the feeling the mask gave me. I could do anything tonight, and no one would be the wiser.
We inched forward, the warm, inviting glow of the ballroom becoming more pronounced. Music wafted toward us. It almost sounded like sophisticated elevator music, soothing and gentle. I stood a little bit straighter, basking in its vibrant energy.
When it was our turn to enter, Brandon handed over our invitations, only to have one handed back. A twinge went through me as he quickly slipped it back into his shirt pocket. But Luc’s absence was put to the side when I stepped through the entrance. It felt like I had walked into another world! There was the monotonous tone of many people speaking at once, and then the music overpowering them all. Servers were passing out hors d’oeuvres in tuxedos, wearing white gloves and simple black masks. It was glorious.
I gave a little squeal and squeezed Becca’s arm. “We’re really here, Becca!”
She squeezed me back. “I know, isn’t it exciting? It’s even more magical than I thought.”
“I’ll go grab us some drinks. What would you like?” Brandon said.
I noticed he had placed a hand on Becca’s back, and I couldn’t help thinking that Rich used to do that to me; gentle touches here and there.
I saw a crowd of people on the other side of the room and decided to unhook myself as the third wheel. “Thanks, Brandon, but I’ll grab one later. Why don’t you two go and enjoy the party? I’m going to see what everyone is doing over there.” I gestured to the area I was intending on heading.
“Okay,” Becca said.
I turned to see Brandon whispering something in her ear. Yup, definitely time for me to break off and do my own thing.
I walked toward the crowd and got a couple of nods from men on the way. It made me feel good. I reminded myself I was single and dressed up in a beautiful gown, and I was going to have fun tonight.
I got closer to the crowd and saw they were looking at a display of past masquerade balls. One wall was lined with an array of masks. Some had so much detail on them that they looked heavy to wear, and I wondered how anyone could. I wandered through the area, realizing this ball I loved had started all the way back in the fourteenth century. It had a notorious past; a king had been murdered under disguise at a masquerade ball, but aside from that, it had become a way for people to live out their lustful dreams without others finding out.
Apparently, these balls weren’t so popular anymore, but not to me. I loved the costumes and extravagant masks, as well as the gaiety. It was like everyone felt safe behind their anonymity. It was thrilling.
I stopped to look at a mask that cupped your forehead and the top part of your head. It was gilded in gold lines and had a series of jewels running along the edges. It had a deep, ruby red velvet finish around the eyeholes, and I wondered what it felt like to wear it. I was just about to put it on when I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I looked up to see a slender-built man in a simple black mask. His eyes were dark and inviting, and I knew I was a goner already.
“Are you alone?” he asked me.
“I am,” I said, not sure why I trusted this guy to tell him that. His eyes reminded me of Luc’s, and part of me secretly hoped this was him. But he didn’t smell like Luc, sound like Luc, or even carry himself like Luc. Nor was there that confidence or smoldering hotness exuding from his body. This guy was just sexy, that was it. But he was close enough, and I had promised myself that I would have fun tonight, so I would take what was offered.
“Care to dance, then?” he now asked with a slight grin.
“Sure.”
He offered his hand in the most gentleman-like way, and I placed mine in his. As he walked us toward the ballroom, I did a quick scan of the entryway as we passed by and was glad to see Becca and Brandon weren’t there anymore. They must be inside dancing. I was happy for Becca, even if she didn’t want to admit it to herself.
As soon as we entered the ballroom, he swept me into his arms. With one arm extended, he held onto one of my hands, while the other came down to the small of my back and pulled me in. I was so close I could see the stubble on his chin. His lips were luscious, and when he caught me staring at them, he swept his tongue along his bottom lip. I swear my innards turned molten hot.
