Chapter 35 Caught
Caught
SARAH
By the time I got downstairs, hopping into my heels as I reached the ballroom seating area, I was breathing hard, but on time.
Barely.
I found Natasha tapping away at her phone at one of the circular tables.
I quickly smoothed out my skirt as I strode over to her, patted down my hair.
“Hi,” I said, when I reached her table. I hoped I didn’t pass out from trying to breathe normally after sprinting all the way across the hotel.
Natasha looked up, luckily not seeming to notice that I’d skidded in without a moment to lose, my hair so wet it was nearly dripping in its bun.
“Sarah!” She smiled warmly and pocketed her phone. “Wonderful to see you again. My flight’s been canceled, so I’ve got plenty of time to chat now. Shall we eat?”
We headed out to the hallway where a row of long tables filled with stainless steel serving dishes and plates of pastries and fruit lined the center of the space, which smelled of coffee and bacon.
Christmas music piped out of the speakers, and a long line of people snaked out on both sides.
While we joined one, Natasha chatted about some of the history of Empire and more about their central offices.
I was listening, but I also found myself scanning the lines for Jamie. I didn’t see him anywhere. I forced myself to focus on Natasha. I needed to focus. I didn’t know what my future held, but I knew I didn’t want to burn any bridges.
Natasha’s phone trilled when our line was nearly at the table. She glanced at the screen and then looked at me apologetically. “I’m so sorry. I have to take this.”
“Of course.” I was relieved at the brief bit of reprieve this would give me. I’d been switched on for the past twenty minutes straight and needed a moment to breathe.
I reminded myself that this was all going well, save for not having heard from Jamie. I was just considering texting him when someone called my name.
“Sarah! Hey!” It was Sam. He looked adorably rumpled, aside from the hint of bags under his eyes.
“Hey Sam,” I said. I smiled, but glanced up at Natasha’s back a few feet away.
“Can I hop in line with you?” Sam asked. He made a praying motion to the guy behind me, who was also on the phone but waved him into the queue before I could stop him.
“You would not believe my night last night,” Sam said a little dopily.
“Actually,” I said, trying to whisper. “It’s not a good time.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m starving, too.” He picked up two plates, handing one to me. “I’m not going to kiss and tell, but man… I kissed. And shit, I’m telling. At least that part.” He frowned. “I probably shouldn’t be saying anything to you, huh?”
“No,” I said, glancing up at Natasha.
Thankfully, she was still chatting into the phone. Plus, I didn’t have to be a jerk to Sam.
I grinned. “But I’m glad you had fun.”
Last night, before Ellie and I got to the social, we’d run into Sam out in the lobby. He’d insisted on us doing a shot with him, which I’d declined, too anxious about seeing Jamie.
But Ellie went for it. We’d ended up chatting for a while, though Ellie and Sam had gotten along so well, I started wondering if it would make a difference if I left.
If I was putting two and two together, I’d say they were happy I did.
“Guess I also shouldn’t tell you that I saw Jamie this morning,” Sam continued. “He was heading somewhere in a hurry. Looked a little underslept.” He laughed. “Guess everyone had fun last night.”
For all I knew, Sam thought Jamie had just stayed out too late with all the festivities. He wasn’t suggesting he’d been tired for other reasons.
Still, my heart thundered with guilty panic.
“Sam,” I said, glancing back at Natasha, who’d turned our way like she was wrapping up, though she still looked to be saying her goodbyes. “I’m kind of in the middle of—”
“Sammy!” a guy walking by practically shouted, startling us both.
“Heyyy, bud!” Sam said. “Nice to see you.”
His tone made it sound like it wasn’t actually nice, though he raised his hand up to receive the guy’s high-five.
Natasha’s brows furrowed at the impromptu bro-down.
“Sam!” I said, louder now. I was this close to grabbing his ear and yanking it.
“Oh, sorry,” Sam said. “Sarah, this is um… Ben, right? From…” Sam winced, clearly not remembering where.
Ben was as rumpled as Sam, though he appeared to be a little worse for wear. He was sloppier, his tie crooked. He looked like he’d passed out in his bed wearing shoes and gotten right up again for breakfast.
Sam, for his part, looked like he had regrets now that the guy was standing there, chewing on a piece of toast with his mouth open.
“Sup?” the guy said to me, acknowledging my presence for the first time. But he frowned when he took me in. “Oh shit, you’re her!”
My stomach plunged. “Excuse me?”
“You’re the girl. From last night.” To Sam, he grinned. “She’s the one I was telling you about!”
“I don’t know you,” I said with increasing panic. Natasha was still on the phone, but Ben was so loud she had to be able to hear every word.
“Yeah, you are!” His voice was impossibly loud, his expression lit up now, like he’d found a prize.
Heads all around us were turning, and Natasha’s eyes were on us too, though she still had her phone to her ear.
“Listen, whoever you think I am, I’m not her. Now if you’d—”
“Nope,” he insisted. “You’re who I saw.” He gave Sam a look like I’d lost my mind.
“Hey, man, maybe you’re mixing her up with someone else,” Sam said, looking deeply uncomfortable now.
If I wasn’t panicking, I’d be pissed.
But I was panicking. What had he seen? He wasn’t one of those guys standing by the door next to the gap in the tree. They’d been older. But who was he?
I stepped out of the line now, desperately trying to get them to follow me away from Natasha.
“I think you should leave,” I said, panic making me lightheaded. But I was angry, too. This guy was familiar. Not him exactly, but the kind of guy he represented. All those guys on the job sites, testing me. The ones who smirked when they saw tits with the hardhats. “Now.”
And just as I knew would happen, that familiar smirk appeared on his curling lips as he worked the toast around in his cheek. I could practically see the thought bubble coming out of his thick head.
Bitch.
The man wasn’t just hungover. He was still drunk.
“Hey!” Sam said. “That’s enough.” He tried to guide the guy away, but he shrugged off Sam’s hand.
“You know how I know it was you?” The guy guffawed.
“It’s because it’s not too often you see a lady coming out from behind a fuckin’ Christmas tree shirt all buttoned funny.
Especially not with a big-ass dude coming out after, like fuckin’ Santa Claus.
That was the dude who was up on stage yesterday.
And you were the lady in the tree, because that lady had that little fuckin’ thing, right there on her chin. ”
He pointed at the mole on my jaw.
I felt like I was going to throw up. My mouth had watered, more and more, with each word he’d uttered.
I felt like I’d fallen into a river, and I was being carried toward a treacherous waterfall, and when he sullied the affection Jamie had showered on my mole last night—a mole kids used to make fun of—I’d plummeted right over the edge.
The guy went to say more, but Sam had him by the collar, using both hands to shove him away.
Natasha had finished her call, and was looking astonished at the scene. Then at me.
I felt the silent stares of everyone in the massive line up, the whispers already murmuring like buzzing insects about what that asshole had said.
This was the kind of spotlight no mints could fix.
I couldn’t meet Natasha’s eye. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
Then I ran.