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“Yes.”
Once we’re out there, I pull Ally close to me, keeping my distance from Autumn and Trevor, as we move. Trying to pay attention to her, while also watchingthem, is complicated. But it helps that Ally is a better dancer than I am, or pretty much anyone else there. When I hold her closer for a slow song, Autumn’s happy expression slips.
Good.
She excuses herself and goes back to the champagne table to retrieve her camera before she heads back inside.
“I hate to dance and run, but I need to go check on my kids. I hope you don’t mind—
“Of course not. You’re a good dad.”
No, I’m a terrible dad for using my kids as an excuse. But to make myself feel better about abandoning her, I ask her to wait and introduce her to Trevor. “Have you two met?”
“Can’t say that I’ve had the pleasure,” he smiles.
I see that glint in their eyes and hope to God that they hold each other’s attention long enough for me to find Autumn.
“Leaving so soon?” I ask when I spot her in the entryway.
“I have to go, Rowan. I’ve got stuff to do.”
“No,” I say.
“I’m busy. I don’t have time for this,” she reaches for the doorknob, but I pull it shut.
She crinkles her nose in frustration. “Let me out.”
“No. Not until we talk.”
When she turns around, we are mere inches from each other. Her eyes tell me everything. She is angry because she’s hurt.
“Talk,” she instructs, folding her arms across her chest.
A noise down the hall disturbs us both, and I grab her hand and pull her into the powder room. The walls are adorned with rich, textured wallpaper and the flooring is natural stone. The lighting is strategically placed to highlight the best features of the space, the stunning marble vanity with its sleek and modern brushed nickel fixtures.
When Autumn sets her camera on the counter, I see the pain in her eyes, which is reflected in the elegant mirror in front of us.
“Why are you so upset?”
“I’m not,” she lies. “How long have you been seeing that girl?”
“Is that what this is about? You think I’ve been seeing someone else?”
“We said we would do the friends-with-benefits thing until one of us met someone else.—
“She’s nobody special. My mom just introduced me to her three minutes before.”
“Oh.”
I fold my arms. “And how’s Trevor?”
“You don’t have to say his name like that.”
“You didn’t have to grind up on him either.”
“I didn’t!”
“I know what I saw.”
