Chapter 23
CHAPTER
TWENTY-THREE
Wells
The Vesperton Hotel was owned by the Costa family. They were some family based out of Chicago that was rumored to have serious ties to the Italian mafia.
No one around here really cared about that though. Especially with all the corruption that came through (and lived) here. Anyway, it was the nicest hotel in town, and the location was where Dorian’s parents chose to host his gala. The Prinzes basically shut the place down.
There was even a red carpet.
Thatcher, Squeak, and I had to stand out front for pictures, but I kept my distance from Thatcher’s little sister for the most part. I also hadn’t talked to her on the drive over, but that wasn’t unusual since Thatcher was there too.
Of course, Squeak looked like she wanted to speak to me at some points during the red carpet, but the thing about Thatcher’s little sister was that she was shy. She also wouldn’t say anything about what happened in front of Thatcher. Maybe she figured I already had.
I hadn’t, but I would. I was going to pull Thatcher aside when things were a little quieter anyway. The red carpet wasn’t the time, and neither was when we headed off inside.
Dorian’s parents filled this place with nothing but the most elite guests.
The Vesperton was hoppin’, and there was even a charity auction.
Dorian’s parents were really into giving, and honestly, so were mine.
Mom and Dad gave back whenever they could to this town and the same went for my other friends’ parents.
“Hey, I’ll catch you later,” Thatcher said right before our small group was about to enter the ballroom. His parents were probably behind us, but we hadn’t seen them at the hotel yet. Thatcher lifted his phone. “It’s Aspen. I’m going to chat with her for a while.”
My buddy was such a sap now.
Someone might as well be happy.
I shook Thatcher’s hand. He was off after that, and I was left with his sister.
Bow chewed one of her painted lips. “Hey, um…”
“We should probably find the others,” I said offering my arm again. That was all I could give to her right now.
Squeak’s face colored. She once again looked like she wanted to say something, and when she chose not to, something in my chest settled.
We ended up parting in the ballroom.
Squeak had found my parents. Mom looked gorgeous tonight.
I’d seen her in her pink dress before I left for the Reeds’, and she sparkled under the ballroom lights.
Dad looked pretty fly with her, and even though I’d seen him in a tux many times, that wasn’t his chosen preference for attire.
He liked to be pretty casual like me, and, after hugging them both, I had no problem leaving Thatcher’s little sister with them.
Mom was speaking to Bow anyway. Squeak had a great relationship with my parents, all the parents, really.
“I’m going to go find the guys,” I said to the three of them, and I didn’t miss the look Squeak gave me before I left. She still had that longing look. Like she needed something from me when I had nothing to give her.
I need a drink.
Finding my friends was only part of my excuse for leaving. I stole a glass of champagne off a tray from a nearby server, chugging it down before scanning the crowd.
I found Dorian right away. He was in the center of the hoard that was Maywood Heights’ socialites.
This didn’t surprise me since he was the man of the hour.
He was taller than nearly everyone in his black-on-black tux.
His girlfriend, Sloane, was curiously absent.
Ares was with him. He was the only one taller than Dorian, and his fiancée, Fawn, wasn’t with him either.
I could imagine both their girls were together since they were good friends.
I noticed right away that Bru wasn’t in the hoard of guests that were all up on my buddy Dorian, and that was the only reason I felt comfortable pushing my way through the crowd to get to him. I was not trying to deal with Bru right now.
“Looking good, my friend,” I said to Dorian once I fought through the crowd. His classic black-on-black ensemble made him stand out. This was his party, and he should. He also had his blond hair moussed back like mine.
Look at us all looking like classy guys, men. I shook Dorian’s hand. “And I’ve said it before, but congratulations.”
I was so fucking happy for my friend. He was starting this whole new life soon, and I knew playing football was his dream. The rest of us might be good at tossing a ball, but Dorian lived for it. He was so fucking good, and it was his passion.
“Thanks,” he said, hugging me after the shake. He grabbed my shoulder. “And you’re not looking bad yourself. Almost like a classy fucker.”
I jostled him, but I’d been thinking the same thing.
Ares smirked watching the two of us, then shook my hand too.
Could this dude not look like a fucking runway model?
He wore a regular black-and-white tux, but his curly hair was all out on his shoulders looking like a damn Pantene Pro-V ad.
I hugged him after our handshake. “’Sup, my dude? ”
“Nothing much, man. Just living,” Ares said, and he was doing that shit so well. Ares had a cancer scare not far back, but he was doing so awesome now. He was moving on to the next stage of his life too, and Fawn would be with him.
I asked him about her as well as Sloane.
There was never a place these guys went without their girls.
I also mentioned Thatcher and Bru at the tail end.
I said Thatcher took a call with Aspen. That made the guys roll their eyes which was ironic as fuck considering how they were with their own girls.
It wouldn’t have made sense if I didn’t ask where Bru was too, so I did but made it sound casual.
“The girls are in the bathroom and Bru hasn’t arrived yet.
At least, I haven’t seen him,” Dorian said, and I nodded.
Again, I kept it casual. Looking around, I noticed everyone was here but him.
I even spotted all of our parents in various parts of the room but no Bru.
That wasn’t like him to be fashionably late.
Maybe he was picking up a date or something.
I didn’t care about that. He could date whoever he wanted, and he should.
I found another glass of champagne off a passing waiter’s tray.
Bru had tried reaching out to me a time or two or twelve since that fucked-up shit that happened at the house.
I ignored all attempts though. I had just as much to say to him as I did to Squeak.
Not talking to him was a feat since we lived in the same house, but I managed.
It only made me that much more grateful that the semester was basically over. I’d move back home like I did every summer and wouldn’t have to use an excuse to avoid him.
Dorian glanced around. “Where’s Bow? I thought you were escorting her.”
“Last I saw her, she was with my parents,” I said before downing the rest of my drink.
“That was nice of you, to escort her,” Dorian said. He found some champagne off a waiter’s tray, and Ares did the same beside him. Dorian laughed. “Though, I’m ninety percent sure that’s you still trying to get in good with your dad.”
There wasn’t much my friends didn’t know when it came to me. They knew Bow and I didn’t get along. They also knew that I needed her to pass my classes and please my parents, more specifically my father. They knew all that. They knew many things.
Certain things, though, I kept closer to the cuff. Dorian and Ares wouldn’t be happy about what happened with Bow either. She was like a sister to them, and they loved her. They protected her for Thatcher just like I had in the past.
I gripped my glass. “Nah, that’s over.”
I passed my classes. Or at least, I would. I just had to wait for grades to be posted, and I knew those would be fine. I knew the material on my final exams cold.
I had to do a lot of work those final weeks. I stopped sessions with Bow and Bru, so I knew I was on my own. I was, but I managed.
Ares took a sip from his glass. His head cocked. “Any reason why you’re escorting her tonight, then?”
I wasn’t surprised he was asking me that, but before I could answer, his fiancée, Fawn, and Dorian’s girlfriend, Sloane, came over.
Both girls were fancied up in ballgowns.
Fawn had on a green dress that was sleeveless and highlighted all the colorful tats on her arms, and Sloane wore classic black like Dorian. She probably did that to match him.
Sloane looked pissed. In fact, she’d stalked over to our group with the look of a determined woman, and I didn’t understand until I saw the tiny person between her and Fawn.
My eyes lifted. Squeak’s arm was in Sloane’s hand. She was no longer with my parents, and as soon as Sloane brought her up to our small group, Sloane smacked me up against the head.
“The fuck?” I growled but backed off when Dorian shot me a look. I wasn’t about to go toe-to-toe with that dude. He got crazy when it came to his girl, but I also wasn’t about to let myself get bitch-slapped either. I rubbed my head. “What’s the big idea?”
“The big deal is you left Bow when you’re supposed to be escorting her tonight,” Sloane cut, and Bow shook her.
“Sloane, it’s fine,” Bow said, and Sloane shook her head.
Sloane pointed at me. “It’s not fine. That’s not what an escort does.”
“She was with my parents. Chill,” I said, but I got another look from Dorian. I shrugged. “She was.”
“Well, not when I found her.” Sloane folded her arms. “Even if she was, you’re supposed to be sticking with her.”
I wasn’t Squeak’s fucking keeper.
Saying nothing, I grabbed another champagne glass, and I think I made things worse by choosing to drink instead of engage. I loved Sloane like a sis but she was straight trippin’ right now.