Chapter 28
TWENTY-EIGHT
THE FRONT DOORBELL sounded, Bastian had arrived. Her burnt orange dress was tight and stopped just above her knee. Moving fast wasn’t really an option. Though neither was loitering when her family were in the mix.
The front door was already open when she got to the stairs.
Darnit.
As she descended, her father shook Bastian’s hand, trying to draw him inside. Talk about calamity waiting to happen.
Only one person could save Bastian from that fate: her.
Running down the remaining stairs, she dashed across the lobby, passing Damon as he materialized from the dining room. Squeezing between her father and the door, she flattened herself against Bastian, urging him back onto the outer stair.
“We’ve got to go, Knight,” she said. “We’re late.”
Bastian followed her lead and didn’t resist. “Nice to finally meet you,” he called to her father, taking Harper’s hand to lead her to the car. “Are we in a hurry?”
“Just get in.”
He laughed and helped her into the car. She didn’t think it was so funny but didn’t care so long as they were heading away from her parents’ house.
On that trip, though the car was exactly the same size, it didn’t feel oppressive.
Rather than anxiety, it was excitement that joined her.
Maybe it was being alone. Just the two of them.
Without his mother. She hadn’t been this eager with him before.
Her stomach did flippy-flops around him, sure, but—that kiss.
Why was she thinking about his mouth? Hers? Unity and—oh, she’d drive herself mad.
They knew each other now. Better anyway. Every word they shared brought them closer together. He captivated her. There was no other word. The ease of his smile, that dimple, the glow in his eyes when they briefly met hers.
When they arrived at the Hunt house, Bastian handed his car off to a valet as another helped her out. A breath later, Bastian hooked her hand into his elbow. Like clockwork.
There would be people. Lots of people. Far more than dinner party night. The number of strangers at the charity ball unsettled her with their volume, but there, in that place, these guests meant something to the family, to Bastian, they weren’t strangers.
“Oh, there are people here, lots of your friends,” she muttered as they ascended the stairs. “Do your parents know everyone in California?”
“Probably.”
A nod here, a smile there, Bastian kept them moving into the house. If they stopped, she guessed they’d get no further for the rest of the night. It wasn’t just that the people existed, it was who they were that made them different.
“These people mean something to you. Last time we were at an event like this, I embarrassed you.”
“How did you do that?”
Had he really forgotten? “I kissed you.”
“I remember the kiss. I don’t remember being embarrassed.”
“Don’t encourage me.”
“To kiss me?” he asked. “Tell me the trick and I’ll do it every day. Every hour.”
On glancing up, she caught his eye. That smile. Oh, he delighted her. This man was beyond a catch. Whoever landed him would lead a happy life. So, so happy.
“I promise not to assault you. I’ll sit quietly, smile, I won’t talk to anyone.”
“That’s a shame,” he said as they crossed the buzzing, bustling hall.
“A shame?”
A group moved aside as they approached the bar she hadn’t noticed before. Was it…? No, there were sliding doors that opened to reveal the bar. It hadn’t been there the last time. She didn’t think but—
As others made way for Bastian’s determined step, a woman at the bar turned and…
“Roxie,” she said, practically ignoring the men with them to accept Roxie’s embrace. “What are you doing here?”
That was a stupid question. Roxie and her husband must’ve known the Hunt family longer than her.
“Never say no to a good party,” Roxie said, perched on her stool, leaning back against Zairn. “And it’s always a good party if I’m around.”
Whether the three had known each other longer or not, the way Bastian brought her in and came immediately to the bar suggested this may have been orchestrated. He’d guided her to friends. That was pretty much confirmed when Roxie pushed a glass down the bar to her.
One quick sip and, “Gin and It.”
“That’s it, baby,” Roxie said. “You’ll need a lot of fuel to get through tonight.”
Uh oh. With their friends present, she thought they’d bypassed the need for social anxiety. Couldn’t she just stay there, at the bar, and let others pass her by. Her? Maybe. Roxie? Not so much. Her friend was a butterfly in these situations.
“Why will I need fuel?”
Without leaving the stool, Roxie took her arm, angling her to face the room.
“There are a lot of people out there you should get to know.” Her friend’s lips came closer to her ear. “A lot of prospective customers. Super rich prospective customers.”
“She’s lying,” Zairn said. His words tipped her head back, but he was scanning the same space. “Roxanna wants the people out there to share Bastian stories.”
“Embarrassing ones, ideally.” No contrition from Ms. Kyst. “And they can be both, Casanova, sources for stories and prospective customers, though that reminds me.” The beauty whipped her around fast. “How come none of your parties are at Crimson, Harper, honey?”
“My clients can’t afford Crimson. And it’s got to be something special to even be considered.”
Crimson, LA. Crimson, anywhere, was an exclusive get. Yeah, she knew the owners now, but she wouldn’t exploit that friendship.
As always, Roxie remained enthusiastic. “You can plan our next big event.”
“Be careful,” Zairn added. “The last person Lola asked to plan an event for us ended up getting married at that event.”
Now that had to be a joke.
“No chance of me getting married. Anywhere. Probably ever.”
“You don’t believe in marriage?”
“I don’t believe in relationships working out, no offense. For me, I should add. I don’t believe in relationships working out for me.”
As did her family and maybe every person she’d ever known.
“I don’t believe in that,” Roxie said. “In fact, I guarantee I can find you the man of your dreams in this very room.”
“Good plan, Lola. Set her up on a date while her date for the night is standing beside us.”
“He’s a faker, Casanova.” Roxie waved over her head as though Zairn was an irritating bug. “Not the real deal.”
Zairn caught his wife’s hand and pressed his lips to her palm. “You know better than that, Lo,” he said, trailing his fingertips down Roxie’s arm. Her friend flinched and she guessed it wasn’t the cold. “Who do you think you’d set her up with?”
“Rourke is in the room.”
“He’s married. And what woman in her right mind would choose that?”
“Good point. Roux had to be the right kind of nutty… and maybe a little high. Never really got to the bottom of that one. Maybe he’s blackmailing her…
Hmm…” Roxie reflected for a second then snapped out of it.
“Kintyre’s the most stand-up guy you know, Scroogey, but he’s married too.
Wow, your single friends are dropping like flies.
Soon there’ll be no way to get my friends laid. ”
“There are Breckenridges,” Zairn offered.
“Right, Tripp, of course, sex on tap. He can work them on a conveyor belt.”
“Sexy,” Zairn murmured, kissing the inside of Roxie’s wrist. “And I’ve often wondered what you two talk about.”
“Innovation, Lover Man. Innovation. That boy models himself on you in your heyday, Casanova. The legend that no longer exists.”
“A previous lifetime.”
“Yes, just a teeny, tiny blip in your rearview that marriage will never allow you to experience again. You’re stuck now. For good. One pussy, no waiting.”
“I spend half my life waiting for you, Lo.”
“You’re lucky to get it at all, Husband. Honestly, one of us will end up permanently damaged if we don’t stop all this newlywed sex stuff.” With her lower lip just a little out, Roxie pouted toward her husband. “What kind of mileage we get out of this newlywed stuff anyway?”
“You mean how long can we completely neglect our grown-up duties before we start hearing hostile takeover?” Zairn asked and half shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m getting laid, what do I care?”
Roxie scoffed. “Like that’s ever been a problem for my big, handsome billionaire. I’d be more worried about how long Ogilvie can be without you before we have to institutionalize him.”
“You’d institutionalize him in a heartbeat.”
“Yeah, I’m already in negotiations with the therapist Tripp’s screwing. She’ll handle the paperwork to have Ogilvie committed providing Tripp keeps her coming… if you know what I mean.”
In that drawled deep voice, Roxie could almost be channeling Elvis. She was some woman.
“Lola says the therapist thing for effect,” Zairn told them, for the first time breaking the volley with his wife… kind of. “But don’t bet on it being untrue.”
“Tripp sleeping with a therapist?” Roxie asked. “Why do you think he’s so well balanced?”
“He’s a Breckenridge,” Zairn said like it was obvious.
“Yeah, but come on, Tripp talking to a woman, other than me, who’d believe that?” Roxie’s lips went to the side for a second. “Where is your protégé anyway? On the hunt?”
“If he’s a real pro, he’ll be onto his third or fourth course by now.”
“Ah, romance, Casanova, so smooth.” Roxie fake swooned, gathering her hands by her cleavage. “Lickety-split in the ladies’ room then on to the next one.”
“Sharing your proclivities there, Lo?”
“We could be in a cesspool, and you’d still expect to get yours. Never heard you say no.”
“Never will, Lola Bunny. Never will.”
Without looking, Roxie tapped Zairn’s hand that now rested flat on the bar. “But you’re missing the point.”
“Baby, I’d be amazed if you had one.”
“Love,” Roxie said. “Comes after we get the sex part right. We have to get that part right for Harper first.”
“There is more than one Breckenridge present,” Zairn said.
“Yes! Breckenridges!” Roxie straightened fast and reached up behind her, catching the back of Zairn’s neck. “Grown up ones? Not the babies. Caber’s not here.”
“Axon is.”
“He’s too serious. We need someone fun. Caspian’s here.”
“Not a Breckenridge, and Caspian’s your go to for fun?” Zairn asked, almost deadpan though his fingertips went further south, tickling their way to Roxie’s waist. “Hell if I know when you saw Caspian’s fun side. Does Caspian have a fun side?”
“Never seen it either,” Bastian said. “You can introduce Harper to anyone you want, but the only guy she’s getting set up with is me.”
And when he opened his hand to her, she took it. “Caspian’s one of your good friends?”
“He is. Breck’s somewhere around with Sequoia too. You should meet her.”
“Sequoia is amazing,” Roxie said, exaggerating the last word. “But Breck’s too serious too.” Her friend frowned at the man curving an arm around her. “How come all your friends are boring and serious, Mr. Hunt?”
“Comes from prioritizing success,” Bastian said, the warmth of the words proved he wasn’t offended. “We build up our businesses—”
“At the cost of your personal lives. I’ve heard it, you break your mother’s heart,” Roxie said. “Maybe we need a man makeover too.”
“You can’t get more gorgeous than Bastian.”
“Not in looks, honey, he has that in spades. Just a few tweaks, here and there. Change his priorities. Wash out some of that starch, loosen him up.”
Except the Bastian she knew was loose. He smiled. He laughed. There weren’t words for how much she adored him.
Maybe Caspian and Breck weren’t as rigid and boring as Roxie thought. It was all in the eye of the beholder, right?
She wouldn’t mind meeting Bastian’s friends though, the men he’d chosen to be close to, they meant something.
Roxie picked up Harper’s drink to hand it over before raising her own.
“Girl, we have a room to work.”
The beauty tapped a manicured fingernail on her cheek. Zairn bowed to dutifully kiss the spot. Then Roxie kicked out a leg to hop off her stool.
A room to work. Oh, boy. This wasn’t a professional event where everything was under her control.
She couldn’t distract and busy herself with tasks, even ones she’d made up.
Still, Roxie wouldn’t abandon her and meeting Bastian’s friends…
? She was too curious not to take advantage of the opportunity.