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“So, if I’m eating tiny, weird birds tonight, what are you eating?” he asked.
I chuckled. “They’ve prepared another dish for me.”
We re-entered the ballroom and I was glad to see that no one paid us much attention.
“Another drink?” I asked.
“Sure,” he said as we headed for the bar.
An all-American blond man was standing at the bar, waiting for his drink when we approached. He turned when he saw us.
He smiled. “Hayden.”
I paused. “You must be Walker.”
“That’s me.” Walker looked to Bones, his pleasant expression remaining.
“Walker, this is Royce Dalton, my boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend.” Walker laughed and shook his head. “No wonder you said no to dinner. Nice to meet you, Royce.”
“You too,” Bones said. I looked at his face to determine if he was being authentic. There was no tension in his shoulders or jawline.
“I came here without a date. Thanks,” he said to the bartender who offered him his drink. “But I’m kind of glad because there’s a gorgeous woman in a red dress that I want to meet. You wouldn’t by any chance be able to introduce me?”
“Gorgeous woman in a red dress,” I repeated with a smile. “She’s my best friend, Charlie. And I’d be glad to introduce you. Actually, there’s a spot open at our table. I can do some last-minute re-arranging so you can sit next to her if you’d like?”
“Absolutely. I don’t think my father will miss me,” he said with a rueful smile. “He’s in his element. Shop talk, you know?”
“I know. Believe me, I know.”
“Well, great. I’ll see you both in a bit,” Walker said as he left the bar.
We stepped up to order.
“Nice guy,” Bones said. “For a politician’s son, anyway.”
I grinned. “I appreciate you reigning in the jealousy.”
“Nothing to be jealous about,” he said easily, taking his scotch from the bartender.
“But you were jealous of Tyler,” I said. “Why? That was years ago.”
“I was jealous,” he admitted, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me toward him. “But it was more of wanting to flatten his ass for how he treated you. Two entirely different things.”
“I think you’re turning me into a heathen,” I quipped. “Because I kind of like the possessive alpha thing. Just don’t club me over the head and haul me over your shoulder. Oh, well, actually…you could throw me over your shoulder if you wanted.”
His booming laughter turned heads and I enjoyed that people saw us happy together.
If I had Bones at my side, how many of these events could I live through? The idea that he’d get to wear the tux more than once had my insides cartwheeling.
“I have to speak to my mother real fast about inviting Walker to sit at our table,” I said.
Bones’ phone buzzed in his trouser pocket. He let me go to pull it out. “I have to take this. I’ll come find you in a bit.”
I nodded and watched him put the phone to his ear and walk toward the exit.
My mother was in the middle of a conversation with Imogene Oglethorpe, a wealthy socialite who’d recently married an even wealthier cattle rancher.
