Chapter Eleven
ALICE
Ipulled on my dress, pleased at the reflection in the mirror. The fabric shimmered in the light, shifting from emerald to a green so deep it was almost black.
I'd purchased the party dress on a whim over a year before with no idea where I would wear it. At the time, I hadn’t cared. It had been on sale and so perfect I couldn't resist.
The pleated wrap bodice dipped to a V between my modest breasts showing a lot more cleavage than I usually bared.
Classy cleavage, but cleavage all the same.
I’d pulled out my secret weapon for dresses like this, a black lace push-up bustier that turned my less-than-impressive breasts into a whole lot more.
I grinned at the thought of Cooper's eyes bugging out of his head when he caught sight of me. With a tight waist, a matching V at my back, and a full skirt held out by two black crinolines, the dress made the most of my assets.
Smoothing on lipstick, I gave my reflection one last look. Sky-high heels, sheer black stockings, knockout dress, and red lipstick. I’m no supermodel, but my best is pretty damn good.
I was lucky I had the dress in my closet since I hadn’t planned for the party tonight. None of us had. Earlier that afternoon, just as we were all packing up, Lacey had swanned into the office handing out invitations.
Squares of cream linen bearing our names in calligraphy on the front. Confused, I’d opened mine and pulled out a card. I was cordially invited to an engagement party for Evers Sinclair and Summer Winters.
What was this? My eyes had popped up to see disbelief on Cooper's face, anger on Evers’. Evers held the card out to his mother.
“What the fuck, Mom?”
“Language, Evers,” she chided. Evers had set his jaw and glared.
Lacey shrugged a shoulder and tossed her hair, somewhere between dismissive and defiant. “You boys locked me in that apartment with nothing to do. Wouldn’t let me see my friends, wouldn’t let me go out to lunch, and we have an engagement to celebrate. So, I took it upon myself to throw a party.”
The Sinclair brothers stared at each other, dumbfounded. How the hell had she planned a party? When he got over his shock, Cooper protested, “Mom, Jacob Winters' wedding is next weekend. We can't throw an engagement party the weekend before. It's rude.”
Lacey waved a hand in the air, shooing away Cooper's concerns. “Jacob won't mind. I've known that boy since he was born. He'll be happy to celebrate. In fact, he's already RSVP’d.”
“Summer wanted to plan the party,” Evers said, his voice flat. “This fall, after Jacob’s wedding, when things with Dad were resolved. She told you that. You know she’s been looking forward to it.”
Lacey rolled her eyes, unconcerned. “I’m her mother-in-law. It’s not up to her.”
Knox asked the only relevant question. “How many of these invitations did you send out?”
Lacey beamed. “Only a hundred. And most of them said yes.”
Cooper, staring at the invitation in his hand, said only, “Fuck me.”
Every available and qualified employee had been roped into handling security. Lacey didn't seem to mind forcing so many people to cancel their Friday night plans with no notice.
Cooper minded. A lot. He promised them all a bonus for putting up with his mother's thoughtless planning. Jacob and Abigail had, of course, assured him that they weren’t the least bit offended Lacey had decided to throw Evers and Summer an engagement party the weekend before their wedding.
Not only were the Winters and Sinclairs practically family, Jacob knew Lacey.
He knew this party hadn't been anyone's idea but hers.
The boys were dreading it. I understood that.
I kind of was, too. Still, I had this gorgeous dress and hadn't had an excuse to wear it. Even if Cooper and I weren’t official, even if I didn't have any idea what we were really doing, and no one would know, I loved the idea of dressing up for him.
This dress would drive him crazy. Especially when he found out what I was wearing beneath it.
As I left my apartment and locked the door behind me, I was struck by the fleeting wish that this thing with Cooper was real.
That he’d pick me up at my door and escort me to the party on his arm instead of picking me up with his mother and giving me a ride because he was my boss and we lived in the same building.
I hoped for a moment alone with him, but Lacey's door opened as mine closed. She met me in the hall, her cold eyes scanning my dress. I silently dared her to say something about it.
Technically, it fit with the rest of my clothes, but the wrap bodice and full skirt were classic. In fact, I’d found it on the rack at a department store at the mall. It was absolutely appropriate for the party, and, as I'd suspected, Lacey couldn't find anything to insult.
Instead, she turned her face away from mine, chin in the air, and tapped her foot with impatience.
Scanning her from the corner of my eye, I realized that while she looked as she normally did, her hair and makeup perfect, she was steady, not wobbling the slightest bit.
Was it possible Lacey was actually sober?
Or maybe just not drunk. She didn't even seem tipsy.
Maybe tonight wouldn't be a total disaster. It was possible.
The hum of the elevator drew my eyes. Cooper stepped out, his eyes skimming past his mother to land on me.
They traced the neckline of my dress, dipping between my breasts.
Knowing his mother was watching, his only response was a quick flare of his eyes before his jaw went hard.
He tapped the button for the elevator. “Let's get this over with, shall we?”
Lacey strode past me, looping her arm through her son’s and beaming up at him. “Don't be such a party pooper. This is going to be fun. I have a surprise waiting for you at the club.”
Cooper let out a huff of exasperation. “Is it a surprise that means we’ll get through the evening without any incidents and go home early?”
Lacey's laugh was a crystalline tinkle of sound, each giggle splintering to deadly shards as it landed. Cooper's jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth. I moved to his other side and set a hand on his arm.
“Don’t worry, it'll be fun,” I tried to reassure.
Lacey leaned across Cooper, the venomous glee in her smile driving me back. “Oh, yes,” she agreed, “it will be fun.”
I followed them into the elevator, suddenly uneasy.
There was a line of cars at the valet stand when we pulled up, despite being early. Not surprising.
All of Atlanta—the part that mattered to Lacey Sinclair—was eager to turn out for her last-minute engagement party.
The drama of the rush was part of the draw.
Everyone would be examining Summer for a baby bump, studying the family for signs of discord, gossip moving like wildfire as the guests tried to figure out why a Sinclair would throw such an important event with only a few days’ notice.
Lacey didn't care. If she had, she would have left well enough alone. I followed Cooper and his mother into the country club, ignoring the curious stares of guests who hadn't entered yet. Cooper did the same, fending off several approaches with an abrupt wave of his hand.
Cooper kept his cool, but he was perilously close to losing it. Lacey didn't care about that either.
I'd gotten dressed thinking I'd make the most of this, try to find the fun in a potential disaster. As I entered the ballroom and laid eyes on Evers and Summer, all thoughts of a silver lining evaporated.
Summer’s usually bright smile was dim as she shook hands and hugged people she barely knew. We'd only met a few times, weren’t close enough for me to offer any real comfort, but when I greeted her, I gave her a tight hug. “You okay?” I murmured.
She hitched her shoulder and gave me a brave smile.
“Trying not to kill my future mother-in-law,” she murmured through gritted teeth.
“If you want, I'll do it for you,” I offered, only half-kidding.
Summer’s blue eyes went dark. Ominously, she said, “Oh, you're not going to do it for me.”
She passed me to Evers, who was so pissed he practically vibrated with rage, though the only outward sign was the tick in his jaw. Giving me a hug, he said in a low voice, “Don't be mad at him, he didn't know.”
Who didn't know what? I wanted to ask, but the line of partygoers waiting to see Evers and Summer had piled up behind me.
I was strolling in the direction of the bar, a glass of champagne in my future, when I spotted Cooper standing beside his mother, his arms around a tall blonde in a strapless pink gown.
Placing an enthusiastic kiss on his cheek, she practically bubbled as she slipped her arm through his and smiled up at him.