Chapter 22
Elena
The fashion show was a success.
It had exploded across social media within hours. Videos from the runway were everywhere, the designs were loved by all and fashion bloggers were already calling it one of the most talked-about shows of the season. By every professional measure, Elena should have been floating on air.
And she was.
Mostly.
The celebration party occupied the rooftop ballroom of a luxury Manhattan hotel.
Crystal chandeliers reflected against floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline.
Laughter, music, and the soft clink of champagne glasses filled the room.
Around her, guests mingled in designer gown and tuxedos.
Everyone seemed determined to congratulate her.
She accepted the praise with a smile.
After all, she had worked incredibly hard for this. The entire team had. Months of planning, stress, sleepless nights, and last-minute disasters had somehow transformed into a flawless evening.
She had even more to celebrate now that her divorce from Kyle was finally official. Just the thought of him still made her stomach turn. After everything, he’d actually tried to force himself on her, later threatening to drag the divorce out for years just to keep her trapped.
Fortunately, she had let Will handle him.
William had secured a restraining order within hours.
The moment she told him what Kyle had tried to do, he was absolutely furious.
The only thing that seemed to give him any grim satisfaction was hearing that Carter had already beaten Kyle to a pulp.
A dark, vindictive look flashed in his eyes before he looked her in the eye and promised the papers would be signed by Friday.
Knowing William, since Carter had handled the physical part, he was going to use the law to finish the job.
He had likely weaponized Kyle’s deepest fear—public ruin—and laid his entire reputation on the chopping block.
Sure enough, Kyle had signed the papers with dizzying speed, suddenly far more invested in saving face than holding onto a marriage he had already destroyed. Elena didn’t care what leverage William had used. All that mattered was that the ink was dry, and she was finally, beautifully free.
Elena was relieved. She should have been celebrating without a single concern in the world.
Instead, her eyes kept searching for Carter.
But she had absolutely no clue what Carter wanted from her.
Of course she wanted him. It was him. And honestly, she knew that even before they hooked up a month ago. Being with him had felt so incredibly nice. So safe. It was the exact same feeling of being loved by him that she used to crave, and that was the scary part.
Because what did he want now? A casual fling? Or worse, was he gearing up to reject her all over again? Elena knew her pride—and her heart—couldn't survive a second round of rejection from Carter.
So, naturally, she did the only logical thing a mature, rational adult would do: she bolted.
She had crept out of her bed in the dead of night, snuck out before he even stirred, and fled straight to Maya’s couch to avoid 'The Talk' entirely.
Distancing herself was the safe play. It was the smart play.
And to his credit, Carter had given her exactly what she wanted. He had given her distance.
Which, honestly? Was the truly annoying part.
For the past month, he had behaved perfectly.
Exactly the way she had asked him to. Every meeting had been professional, every conversation brief, and every interaction focused solely on work. If she didn't know better, she would think the night they spent together had never happened.
That should have been a relief.
So why did it feel awful?
Elena accepted a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. The bubbles tickled her nose as she took a sip.
Across the room, Carter was currently trapped in a circle of investors, deeply engrossed in a conversation that looked boring.
He was doing his classic "impassive businessman" face, looking devastatingly handsome and completely unbothered.
And the worst part? He hadn't looked in her direction once. Not even a glance.
Apparently getting exactly what she asked for wasn't nearly as satisfying as she'd imagined.
Pathetic.
She blamed herself entirely.
He wasn't pushing her. He wasn't cornering her into difficult conversations. He wasn't trying to convince her to trust him before she was ready. He was being the ultimate gentleman.
A small, deeply selfish part of her wanted him to break.
"What a successful evening."
Elena turned to find Julia approaching. Her aunt looked elegant and attractive as always, dressed in the blue gown from Waldorf Fashion's latest Couture collection. To anyone else, Julia appeared warm, sophisticated, and supportive.
Most of the time Elena saw that woman too.
"You did wonderfully tonight," Julia said.
"Thank you."
"I knew this collection would be a success."
Julia squeezed her hand affectionately. Pride shone in her aunt's eyes as she looked around the crowded ballroom. For a moment Elena felt ten years younger, desperate for Julia's approval and thrilled to have earned it.
Julia's gaze drifted across the room. It landed briefly on Carter before returning to Elena. Something complicated flickered across her expression.
"Just be careful."
Elena sighed.
"Aunt Julia..."
"I'm serious, sweetheart."
The concern in Julia's voice sounded genuine.
"He hurt you once."
The words settled heavily between them.
"I know."
"I just don't want to see you go through that again."
Elena looked down at her champagne.
Neither do I.
The problem was that her heart had apparently missed that memo.
Julia went away as an interviewer asked her for a statement. Elena watched her disappear into the crowd before releasing a quiet breath. Her aunt was only trying to protect her.
At least that was what Elena told herself.
Still, the conversation left her feeling unsettled.
Elena looked back across the room, and the boring businessmen were gone.
In their place was a stunning blonde model who was currently laughing at something Carter said, her hand practically brushing his arm. Carter smiled back—that same charming smile that used to brighten Elena's entire day.
Elena absolutely hated it.
Objectively, she knew she had zero right to be jealous. She was the one who ran away, remember? But the ugly emotion poked its head out anyway, throwing a tiny, green-eyed tantrum in her chest.
Yep. She definitely needed a drink.
A much, much stronger one.
****
As she approached the bar, Elena ordered a bourbon. The bartender nodded and turned away to prepare it. Leaning against the counter, she silently scolded herself.
Who was she kidding?
She still loved him.
The admission felt both obvious and frustrating.
Her heart had apparently made its decision years ago and stubbornly refused to reconsider. Unfortunately her brain remained significantly less cooperative. Trust wasn't something she could rebuild overnight.
Carter never lied.
That was the problem.
If he'd lied, she could have hated him.
Instead, every time she confronted him about why he left all those years ago, he became uncomfortable and changed the subject. It wasn't deception exactly. It was avoidance.
And avoidance still hurt.
"Allow me to buy that for you."
The deep masculine voice pulled her from her thoughts.
Elena turned.
A strikingly handsome man stepped up beside her. With his sharp cheekbones, dark hair, and an easy confidence, he was completely impossible to ignore. And when he smiled? A single dimple appeared in his right cheek, transforming him from merely handsome to downright trouble.
"Mr. Kingsley?"
His smile widened, that dimple showing itself again.
"I was beginning to think you didn't remember me," he teased.
Elena offered a smooth, polite smile. “We met at the…Mayor’s Christmas gala last year.”
"And I haven't forgotten a single detail.” His gaze held hers as he gave her a polite nod. “Mrs. Montgomery.”
Elena winced. "No. Just Elena."
Understanding immediately flashed across his face.
"Kyle and I are separated."
"My apologies."
The response was so immediate that she laughed.
"You don't sound remotely sorry."
"I'm not."
The bartender handed over her drink. Ian Kingsley reached for it first and presented it to her with an exaggerated flourish. The gesture was ridiculous enough to earn another smile.
Definitely charming.
Unfortunately, charm wasn't helping the fact that her eyes kept wandering elsewhere.
Without meaning to, Elena glanced across the ballroom. The spot where she'd last seen Carter stood empty. A strange disappointment settled inside her stomach.
Maybe he'd left.
The thought bothered her far more than it should have.
"You're doing it again."
Elena blinked.
"Doing what?"
"Looking for someone."
Ian took a sip of his drink.
"And judging by that little frown, you're not finding them."
Heat climbed into her cheeks.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Of course you don't."
The amusement in his eyes made her laugh despite herself.
Fine.
Maybe she could spend five minutes having a normal conversation with an attractive man. Carter had spent weeks acting completely unaffected by what happened between them. Surely she could stop thinking about him for one evening.
At least in theory.
In practice, it was proving difficult.
"So," Ian said. "Tell me something."
Elena raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of her drink. "Depends. Am I going to need a lawyer for this conversation?"
"Probably," his grin deepened. "How does a woman survive being this beautiful without becoming completely insufferable?"
Elena stared at him, completely thrown, before a surprised laugh spilled out of her. "Oh my God."
"What?"
"That is the worst pickup line I've ever heard."
Ian pressed a hand dramatically over his heart. "That hurts."
"It should."
"I count any line that gets you laughing as a win.”