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“Move.” I can hear Dylan shouting.
“Watch yourself,” someone yells back. Oh, joy. Just what we need, one of the players acting like an asshole at a children’s charity event.
“You spilled on my dress. And you were checking out that girl,” Luisa shrieks from across the room.
Oh, I could hug her and kiss her. And buy a new dress for her. She’s providing the distraction that I need. Now everyone is staring at her and Paolo, who are faking a loud fight.
“You always overreact. I only have eyes for you, baby,” Paolo shouts.
I owe the two of them a meal at the nicest restaurant in town. People are craning their necks, turning to stare, moving towards them to enjoy the show.
Dylan reaches us.
“Not here, not now, not in front of the press and families,” I snap at him.
“If he doesn’t want trouble, he should get his hands off my girl,” Dylan snarls, as Lexi tries to grab at Mason.
“She should get her hands off me,” Mason snaps. “Take her. Please.”
People are starting to glance our way again.
Dylan draws back his fist for a punch just as I jump in front of him. He swings, I duck, and he almost hits me.
“That’s it,” Mason barks. “You, me, right here.”
“Mason, baby, you just don’t understand,” Lexi shouts. She wants people to think that Mason is the one causing this fight.
“Sorry,” Dylan says to me, throwing his hands up.
I reach out and grab him by the collar and drag him aside. He’s so rattled by almost having hit me that he allows it. “Are you sorry that you nearly punched me in the face, or are you sorry that Mason’s ex-girlfriend is making a total fool of you—on purpose? Are you sorry that you’re about to end my career?”
Dylan’s face flushes with anger. He glares at me defensively. “I’m not about to—”
I stand on my tiptoes and shove my face close to his. “If you start a fight with Mason right here and ruin this charity event that benefits sick children, I promise you I will dedicate my life to making sure that you take the heat for it. I don’t care if my boss doesn’t want me to. I’d do it for free. You will be permanently benched, for a woman who has been trying to climb Mason like a tree while he does everything he can to shake her off. Think about it, Dylan.”
I can see Mason struggling to control himself.
Dylan glares over at Lexi, who is pawing at Mason for the dozenth time. “Fuck this, and fuck you,” he snaps at her. He spins on his heel and storms off.
I turn my attention to Mason, grabbing him by the arm. He follows me out of the room, through a doorway, and into a hallway.
We stop, and he turns to face me. His eyes shine with relief, and he lets out a deep breath. “Rowan. Thank God you’re here. I’ve been trying to get ahold of you.”
“Yes, I know. I’ve been really busy not speaking to you.” I shake my head, fists balling at my sides.
I worked so hard on this event, and it was a disaster. All the good that was done might’ve been overshadowed by the drama. And although it should’ve been Amanda dealing with it, I’ll end up with the blame.
“Can we please talk?” He runs his fingers through his hair, which is his stress signal. I know that about him. I thought I knew him on such a deep, intimate level.
Turns out I knew nothing.
I suck in a deep breath. My heart throbs painfully in my chest and it hurts to inhale. “We have nothing to talk about. You made your choice. You need to figure out what your ex-girlfriend’s up to before she destroys your career. This is an event for children and I need to go salvage it before it’s entirely ruined. If you’ll excuse me, or even if you won’t, I have a party to attend.” I turn and hurry off, unwilling to turn back as Mason calls out my name.
39
MASON
The dayafter the charity evening, Lexi is dressed to seduce. I mean, it’s 10 a.m. and we’re meeting at Fifth Avenue by Central Park because I refuse to meet her in a coffee shop, and she’s wearing a dress that plunges down to her navel, letting her coat gap open to make sure her goods are on display.
