13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Carter
T onight is the masquerade ball, and Lina will be there. I can’t wait to see how awkward it will be with us—which is the expectation now. I don’t know what I’ll say when I see her or if she’ll still be upset by how I acted while we were in New York, but I’m not apologizing because I meant every word. It’s becoming more difficult to keep my feelings a secret.
“You look awesome,” Abby compliments while Ashley relaxes on my couch with a glass of wine in her hand, snuggling with Snickers. I’d love to have a dog one day, but he’s a little small for my taste. With my life the way it has been—traveling so much, I’ve never been able to have a pet.
“Thank you.” I swiftly clasp the button on my tux jacket and straighten my bow tie. I’m already running behind. “You know, you guys didn’t have to come over to help me with this.”
The event is only a short distance away, but I’m already getting anxious. Showing up after the doors open leaves enough time for Lina to arrive.
“Are you kidding?” Ashley scoffs. “And miss the chance to watch our older brother go off to prom—”
“—hoping he gets to dance with his crush,” Abby adds.
“Funny.” I cock my head. “And not at the same time.”
Abby rolls her eyes. “You’ve had a major thing for that flight attendant for a year. Of course, we’d see you off for the ball.”
“She’s right,” Ashley agrees, filling her glass with red wine. “When are you going to make a move?”
“First of all, she’s my friend’s daughter.” I bend down to slip on my black dress shoes. “And second, she’s a lot younger than I am.”
Abby put her hand on her hip. “How many years?”
“Thirteen, I think?”
“Give me a fucking break.” She chuckles. “That’s nothing.”
Straightening to a stand, I flex my broad shoulders to stretch the material. “Her dad is dating someone twenty years younger than him, and her mom, I’ve heard, dates men a lot older. Oddly enough, it’s a sensitive topic.”
“That’s actually pretty funny.” Ashley laughs. “And I don’t blame her. I’d also be a little weirded out by both things too.”
“And, yeah, the age difference isn’t that big of an issue for me, but mostly it’s because of Brian,” I admit.
Abby sticks her hand up, silencing her girlfriend. “Regardless of all of that. Carter, you’re hot and kind—and a good fucking catch.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” I deadpan.
“Maybe we should add cocky to that list,” she replies sarcastically.
“Did you both come over here to berate me or support me? Because right now, I’m a bit confused.” I slide my wallet and keys into my pocket.
“Both.” Abby grins.
Ashley lifts off the couch, and Snickers follows, hopping down and heading to the door. “We’re the sisters you never wanted. You’re welcome.”
“Lucky me.”
Abby wrinkles her nose in my direction. “Don’t pretend like you don’t love us!”
“I do. I really do,” I say, glancing in the mirror again to fix my tie.
“Wait.” Abby stops by the front door with her finger in the air as if she’s processed a thought. “Isn’t she your partner too?”
“Who?” I try to act like she isn’t on my mind every second of the day, but I already know that Abby is talking about Lina.
“The flight attendant, Lina.”
My only response is to rub my chin and nod.
“Wow, so you guys are participating in two different charities together,” she points out.
“Lina participates in quite a few charitable events throughout the year. Her mother works for an organization that promotes local causes, and the airline puts on the annual children’s hospital marathon. They happen to be around the same time,” I explain. My hands lightly sweat, anticipating seeing Lina more—or maybe there are too many layers to this costume.
“Interesting. She likes to donate her time to good causes?” Abby brings a palm to her chest. “I love her already.”
Ashley rests her shoulder against the side of the open door. “You have some stuff in common then?”
I shrug. “You could say that.”
“Well, have fun tonight. I hope the ball raises a lot of money for the deserving patients,” Abby says, walking out the door .
Ashley turns to me before following her girlfriend. “Look, everyone will be dressed up, the drinks will be flowing—you never know what could happen.”
I shoot her a side-eye. “Goodbye, Ashley.”
“I’m just saying …” she adds.
Only a short time later, I’m walking into the masquerade ball. The expansive ballroom boasts black-and-white colors and scarlet drapes that hang between each arched window. The room is lit only by the dull light of hundreds of candelabras and heavy wrought-iron chandeliers hanging from high ceilings.
It gives off a gothic phantom of the opera vibe. It’s unique and makes me feel like I’m entering another world. Maybe Ashley’s right—this would be the setting to let go and maybe indulge in a bit of fantasy. This fucking costume doesn’t help either.
Lina and I haven’t spoken or seen each other since that argument we got into about her New York fuck buddy. God, that boils my blood . To think of another man having her, seeing her, and experiencing her in that way pisses me the fuck off.
I told her not to see him that night, and I know she didn’t. The look in her eyes and the way her body came alive under my touch told me everything I needed to know. And I’m pretty confident that she hasn’t seen him or anyone since then. Even that little fuckface Max.
Dragging my eyes across the large ballroom, I see a wooden dance floor in the middle. The perimeter is lined with tables covered in heavy black clothes. I a bar on the far side.
I could use a drink right now.
Making my way over, I look for Lina or her friends but don’t see them right away. Approaching the black marble bartop, I have to squeeze myself between groups of people standing at the counter.
“Hello, we have a few themed drinks tonight. Would you like to see our specialty menu?” the bartender, who is strangely dressed very similar to me, asks as he places a black, square napkin in front of me.
“A Jack and Coke, please.”
“You got it.”
I twist my body around and stare out into the sea of people. Most of the guys here are dressed alike—except for an elaborate cape or slight changes in the types of masks. I wonder if Lina would even recognize me. I know I’d recognize her without question.
“Here you go,” I hear from behind me.
The bartender hands me one of the two drinks. The guy to my left reaches out and grabs the other. “Good choice, man,” he comments, glancing at me. Those weak- themed drinks are watered-down sugar.”
“For sure,” I agree.
A blood martini is also in front of him. “My girlfriend.” He laughs.
Then, another identical, bottomless, decadent red martini follows. “His girlfriend— wife .”
“Piper is my wife, Mason,” the other man corrects proudly.
Piper? Not a super common name.
“I’m Mason, and this is my friend, Jack,” the man standing closest to me says.
That is Jack! And Bailey’s boyfriend, Mason. They’re here, which means that Lina is already here too—if not, they’ll know when she will be. The obvious thing to do is to text her and ask when she’ll be here, but I’m too much of a chickenshit to do that.
“Good to meet you guys. I’m Carter. I work with both Piper and Bailey.” Then I remembered that Piper was no longer flying with us. “Well, not Piper anymore.”
Jack smiles. “What a small world to run into you!”
“Are you a flight attendant?” Mason takes a quick drink from his glass.
“I’m a pilot for their airline.”
“That’s cool.”
I sip my drink. “You guys?”
“Oh, Jack has a winery in Northern California, and I own a restaurant here in Scottsdale,” Mason says.
“Oh yeah, The Poppy.”
“Stop by anytime. I’ll take care of you,” Mason tells me, joking up his glass to cheers.
“And Jack, I heard about the whole Vegas thing.” I raise my glass to him next.
He dips his head down briefly before looking back up at us. “Best damn night of my life.”
“I bet it was.”
“Are you connected to the organization?” Mason asks me, gesturing in a circle, indicating the event.
I lean back against the countertop and cross my legs together. “My grandma is a resident at one of the memory care centers.”
Jack purses his lips together. “Glad to hear her facility is benefiting from the event, but that sucks she’s suffering from that type of illness.”
“Thanks, man. She’s doing okay right now. The doctors there are solid, and I know the proceeds will be put to necessary use,” I tell them, shifting to the side and letting someone else slip into part of my spot at the bar to order a drink. The same thing happens to Mason and Jack, interrupting our conversation.
“Hey, you’re Lina’s partner for the 5k, right?” Mason asks before sipping his drink. His lip curves up on the side with a smirk.
My eyebrows knit, and I was a little thrown off that he knew that. Many of us know who our coworkers’ partners are, but the expression on Mason’s face says more.
I suck in the air between my teeth. “I am.”
“Well, I’m sure you guys will have fun. Bailey and I will be there too,” Mason replies, then gestures to a group of women not too far from us, chatting around a standing table. “Do you want to join us? I’m sure the girls would love to say hello.”
I don’t recognize them in their costumes except one— Lina . Damn, she looks sexy tonight. She has on a black dress that’s tight on top, pushing up her tits that look like they’re about to spill out. What I would give to bury my face between them. Or my cock as it strains against the back of my pants.
“Sure.” Staring at Lina, imagining all the dirty fucking things I’d love to do to her. “I should probably grab a drink for Lina. It doesn’t look like she has one.”
“Cool,” Jack replies.
“I’m sure she’d love it if you got her one,” Mason says. The three of us wait for Lina’s martini before joining the rest of the group.