CHAPTER FORTY #3
“You’re lying, but I love the bravery.” Enzo smiled at me.
“I wanted to tell you three things,” he said as he spun me out.
“First, you’re doing great at work,” he said as he twirled me back to him.
He spun me again before I could thank him.
“Second,” he said, “you look devastatingly beautiful tonight.” He spun me one last time.
“And third,” he pulled me very close, “don’t hook up with Leo.
That would be a mistake of epic proportions. ”
“Thank you,” I replied, a little breathlessly, “and I won’t. Don’t worry.”
He grinned. “You deserve better than my little brother. He might turn into something different as he gets older, but right now he’s too immature to treat you how you deserve to be treated.”
“Thanks for the advice,” I said sincerely. Enzo was a bit of a mystery to me. He seemed almost interested in me, but not quite. I couldn’t read him.
“And who do you have your sights set on?”
His eyes flicked to a couple dancing nearby. “No one you know.”
I looked at the couple in time to see the man nod at Enzo and the woman give him a dazzling smile. She was a stunning blonde with a kind face. She looked very elegant, cultured. The type of woman who’d been born into wealth and privilege.
“Who’re they?” I asked.
For a moment, I thought he wasn’t going to answer me. But then he cocked his head. “You’re easy to talk to, do you know that?”
“I’ve heard it before.”
“I bet you have. They are my two best friends from boarding school.”
There was something in the way he looked at the woman that made me know he was in love with her. “Are you going to dance with her?”
“I’m sure I will. But they’re married to each other. I lost that battle a long time ago.” His eyes dropped to mine, and the smile on his face turned wistful. “No one else knows, my dear, so please don’t reveal my secret.”
“I would never.”
He simply smiled and twirled me again. I caught sight of Reynolds and was surprised to see him standing where I’d last seen him. He was still watching me, and he looked miserable.
I danced with all the Salazar men, even Carlos, and I sat between Leo and Nico at dinner. I was still scared of Nico even though he was never anything but nice to me. There was just something intimidating about him.
And the tattoos didn’t help. Even though he was in a tuxedo, some tattoos peeked out above the collar of his shirt. They made him look dangerous to me. I wasn’t sure why, since tattoos didn’t usually intimidate me at all. In fact, I thought they were kind of hot.
I realized I was staring and forced myself to look away.
I did my best not to look for Reynolds.
“Switch seats with me,” I heard Carmen say. She was standing behind Nico.
He rolled his eyes. “Are you serious right now?”
“Yes,” she hissed. “Move, please.”
“Fine. But you’re getting the worse end of this deal. I’m almost finished eating, and you have a lot left. I’m eating it all.”
“I don’t care,” she laughed, giving him a look as he moved around the circular table to sit in the seat she’d vacated.
As soon as Carmen sat down, she leaned in to talk to me. “Reynolds doesn’t have a date.”
“What?” I frowned. “I wonder where Whitney is.”
She looked surprised. “Um… you do know he issued a public statement breaking up with her the same day you overheard her talking at the dress shop, right?”
I cocked my head. “No. I unfollowed him on all social media and avoided West Bay Today like the plague. I couldn’t handle seeing him with Whitney.”
Carmen’s mouth dropped open. “How have we not discussed this before?”
I shrugged, then looked around trying to spot him.
“Don’t look.”
I dropped my eyes back to the plate in front of me. It was still full of the steak I’d barely touched. “Why?”
“He hasn’t taken his eyes of you all night. It’s starting to cause a scene. He hasn’t even sat down to eat, but he keeps going to the bar to get refills of his drink. I think he’s getting drunk. Probably because he’s watched you dance with tons of handsome men tonight.”
“Only your family members,” I said.
“I’m their relative, but I’m not blind. I know they’re handsome. Plus, I’m aware that Javier looks like my twin. So, obviously he’s gorgeous like me.”
“Obviously,” I grinned. She wasn’t wrong.
Carmen and I talked through the rest of dinner. I couldn’t help a couple of peeks in Reynolds’ direction, and both times he was staring at me. I looked away quickly each time. I didn’t want him to think I was still pining away for him.
Even though I was.
He had broken up with Whitney. He wasn’t frequenting Cayenne or Sugar. He didn’t have a date for his own ball. He wasn’t talking to anyone. He was staring at me continuously. What was going on?
Carmen seemed to read my mind. “He’s not acting like this is an inaugural ball. Or that it’s being held in his honor. Lord. He’s not smiling at anyone.” Her eyes were wide. “People are talking about it.”
I looked around. Several groups of people were standing together, talking and staring at Reynolds.
“Let’s dance, sweetheart,” Leo stood up and was at my chair.
“God, anxious much?” Carmen asked. “They just cleared the plates.”
He ignored his sister and held out his hand to me.
He maneuvered us back to the dance floor.
We were once again one of the first couples dancing, and I felt self-conscious.
I was even more so because I could feel Reynolds’ eyes on me.
I couldn’t wait to leave. I was glad I’d come so that he could see I was moving on just fine without him.
That I didn’t need him in order to come to his stupid, fancy ball.
That I had people in my life who weren’t embarrassed to be seen with me at all.
They just happened to be some of the most important people in West Bay, too. Probably more important even than he was. If that wasn’t a vote of confidence that I was ready to be seen in polite society, I didn’t know what was.
But I needed to process everything I’d learned tonight. Did Reynolds regret how everything went down? Did he wish he hadn’t hurt me? Was he actually in love with me? If he was, would I consider dating him again?
Thoughts were racing through my mind, and I couldn’t get them to stop.
“We don’t have to stay at this lame ball much longer,” Leo said.
I smiled in relief. “That’s good. I’m getting kind of tired of being here,” I admitted.
“I hear you. But for now,” he got an evil grin on his face and looked at someone over my shoulder, “we can make Reynolds jealous as fuck.”
Before I even knew what was happening, Leo pulled me to him and kissed me—thoroughly—in front of everyone at the ball.
We stopped dancing, his hands came up to cup my face, and he continued to kiss the hell out of me right in the middle of the dance floor.
There might as well have been a spotlight on us.
When he pulled away, I was breathless as I stared up at him.
He was an excellent kisser, and I wasn’t dead. My body was definitely attracted to him. But I didn’t get the same spark, the same fluttery feeling that I had with Reynolds. I blinked as I tried to regroup and continue the dance.
But I didn’t get the chance.
Because Reynolds was right beside us.
We had to stop dancing to keep from running over him. “Are you with him now?” he asked me.
I opened my mouth to answer, but Leo jumped in. “She sure is, though it’s none of your business.”
“She’ll always be my business,” he said, blue-gray eyes full of fire as he stared at me. He gestured to Leo, but spoke to me. “Do you know how many women I’ve seen him fucking at Cayenne? It’s a ridiculous number.”
I gasped. The sex club was top secret. What was Reynolds doing?
“Oh, you’re one to talk,” Leo answered, looking around. “But keep your fucking voice down,” he hissed.
Reynolds looked at all the people standing around and staring at the drama unfolding on the dance floor.
“I don’t care,” he yelled, and it was then that I knew he was at least tipsy if not drunk. “I don’t care about anything anymore.” He stepped back and addressed the crowd. “Do y’all know who you elected as mayor?” he yelled.
“Oh my God,” I said and tried to reach out to him. He wasn’t looking.
“You elected a goddamn fool, that’s who!”
Many in the crowd gasped, while several older women actually clutched their pearls. For real. I’d thought that was just a saying.
“I had a choice,” he went on, “between the love of my life and the love of my career, the love of my city. I chose politics and I chose West Bay, ladies and gentlemen. But I chose wrong! I’m sorry, Nadine.
I’m so sorry. I thought I couldn’t have both.
I thought people would find out you had been a stripper, and they wouldn’t vote for me.
But I don’t care anymore. I’d rather step down as mayor than go through life without you, Nadine. ”
More gasps went up from the crowd, while I turned bright red. What the hell did I go through all of those etiquette and refinement lessons for if he was just going to out me as a stripper, anyway?
I stared at him as he reached for me. “Dance with me.” He tried to pull me away from Leo, but he was unsteady on his feet and only got a hand on one of my arms.
“You’re embarrassing her, you asshole,” Leo said, as he pulled me back and shoved Reynolds.
“Fuck you, Leo!” Reynolds bellowed as he launched himself at Leo right in the middle of the ballroom. He barreled into Leo’s chest, and they plunged to the floor. Reynolds was up instantly, straddling Leo as he punched him, hard, in the face.
“Reynolds!” I cried. “What are you doing?”
Before I could head over to the two men, Leo had knocked Reynolds over and they were rolling on the floor, punching and grasping at each other.
“Oh my God.” My hand was over my mouth.
Nico and Javier ran over to pull them apart while Enzo and Carlos stood to the side and watched. They were drinking their whiskey and looked amused.
Carmen hurried over to me. “Why isn’t your father more upset?” I asked her.
She laughed. “Are you kidding? With five boys in the house there was always someone fighting someone else. They all beat the crap out of each other growing up.” She nodded at them.
“But Nico will sort it out. He’s the toughest and the strongest.” She thought about it for a second. “And the meanest.”
I didn’t doubt it. Nico held Reynolds, who was fighting against his hold and trying to get back to Leo. Javy held Leo, who was more concerned with smoothing down his hair and fixing his clothes than anything else. He eyed Reynolds angrily, though.
Flashbulbs had gone off through the whole fracas. I knew it would be all over the news and social media by morning.
Reynolds had just tanked the career he cared so much about. He broke free from Nico and made his way to the stage. He climbed the stairs and went to the podium, much to everyone’s surprise. I knew he was supposed to give a speech, but this wasn’t exactly the best time to do it.
I felt like I was watching a train wreck as he tapped the microphone. It made a loud thunking sound around the ballroom, and a few people covered their ears.
“Is this thing on?” he asked.
Several people nodded.
“Good. I have a few things to say.” He took a deep breath. “I lied to all of you while I ran for mayor.”
There were a few audible gasps in the audience, but most people just stared open-mouthed at the dumpster fire that was unfolding on stage for all to see.
“I didn’t lie about loving West Bay. I do. I think it’s the best place in the world.” He leaned heavily against the podium. “And I’ll do everything I can to help the police catch the murderer who might actually be a serial killer.”
Oh, shit.
The audience erupted. Some people cried out in alarm. I saw the sheriff shake his head while palming his face.
“Please, listen. This is important. I mean, so is that, obviously, but it’s not what I want to talk about tonight.
No, tonight I want to tell you that Whitney Masters was never my girlfriend.
I was advised to ‘date’ her,” he used air quotes, “so that y’all wouldn’t think I was a player.
But I was one.” His eyes searched the audience until they landed on me.
“Until I met her.” He pointed at me, and the entire ballroom seemed to turn as one and stare at me.
“That stunning woman is Nadine Walker. And I’ve been with her for months. But I messed up.” He shook his head sadly. “She loved me, and I threw her love away. I didn’t trust y’all enough to tell you the truth. That I was in love with a stripper.”
I cringed and wished a hole in the floor would open up and swallow me whole. “It was only for a couple of weeks,” I said defensively. Lord. I hoped he didn’t tell them he’d paid for me in an auction next.
“But I am, ladies and gentlemen. I love her. Desperately.” He stared at me. “I want to marry her someday. I can’t imagine being happy with anyone but her.”
My eyes widened along with everyone else’s.
“I love you, Nadine,” he shouted into the microphone, making it squeal.
Everyone winced.
“Sorry,” he backed away a bit. “I love you, Nadine,” he repeated. “Please, please, give me another chance. I’m begging you. Please.”
His eyes were locked on me. Mine were locked on him. Everyone was staring back and forth between us.
Melda Rogers, his campaign manager, was staring at me. “Well?” she finally shouted. “What do you say, Nadine?”
I looked at Reynolds.
His hair was a mess, one of his eyes was turning black, a scratch on his cheek was bleeding, his shirt was ripped, and his tie was jerked to one side. I thought he’d never looked more gorgeous.
I nodded.
“Speak up, girl,” an old man near me shouted.
“Yes! Yes, I’ll give you another chance.”
A huge smile spread across Reynolds’ face. He ran to the edge of the stage and jumped down. He almost fell, but a couple of guys in the audience righted him. He brushed himself off, readjusted his tuxedo jacket, and hurried over to me.
I started running to him, and we met in the middle. I threw my arms around his neck and his hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me to him. And then we kissed each other like we would die if anyone tried to separate us.
The band started playing a song while several people clapped around us. But I didn’t hear them. I was wrapped up in Reynolds.
Even after couples started dancing around us, Reynolds and I just kept kissing each other in the middle of the dance floor.
Carmen would tell me later that our kisses were totally inappropriate, but that it was the best ball she’d ever attended.
I went home with Reynolds to the Mayor’s Mansion that night.
And I never left.
THE END