Chapter 14
Cat
Here I sit in a taxi, outside one of the grandest hotels in the city, on Christmas night.
I don’t know why I feel so nervous. It’s not like I’ve never been to one of these before.
They’re all in there already, I’m late. I didn’t think there would be this much traffic on Christmas night.
I pull out my phone and look at the mirror app I downloaded for just this occasion, checking my makeup one last time.
My purse is tiny; all I could fit in it was my phone, keys, money, ID, and gum.
I couldn’t fit a mirror, so I downloaded this app.
It’s amazing what you can do with a phone.
I followed Ava’s instructions on exactly how to do my hair and makeup.
I was so nervous I had to call her to make sure I was doing it right—thank God for FaceTime.
She coached me through doing a subtle smoky-eyed seductress look with my makeup.
The first time I did it, she told me I looked like a weird hybrid raccoon.
She helped me do my entire makeup over. When I was finished, I had these amazing gold to black smoky eyes; even I was impressed at how great I looked.
When my dress was on, it all came together with my hair, a top knot it took me forty-five minutes to do. This is why Ava is always late.
My hair is good, so is my makeup, and my dress looks good.
I need to walk through those doors with the confidence and poise this dress and all this other stuff I did to myself should give me.
You know what they say, fake it till you make it.
I don’t think that applies in this situation, but whatever works.
Here I go. I step out of the cab and feel the cold blast of air on my face and legs.
It definitely feels like December. I push my hands in my coat pocket, walk over to the doors and look up.
I see tiny, white spots floating down. Looks like I’m going to get my white Christmas.
I’ll be getting one out of the two things I wanted today.
Happy birthday to me. I smile to myself and open the door.
I hand my coat to the gentleman inside, taking the stub he hands me.
I look down at myself again to make sure everything is in place.
I hold my head up high and walk inside an elegant ballroom with a Christmas tree in every corner.
Gold-and-red material is draped across the ceiling with twinkling chandeliers.
I look around the room to see if I see anyone I know.
At the far end of the room I see my parents, and there he is, tailor-made to perfection from head to toe.
No man should look this good. It’s dangerous.
Nick
She is the most beautiful woman in the room.
A golden ethereal goddess. She looks untouchable.
To everyone except me. Every inch and curve of her body is molded in glittering gold.
She makes her way toward me, and I can’t stop staring.
What am I going to do about her? There is no way I can stay away.
Everything about her draws me to her. We’re like two opposite ends of a magnet; when we’re apart, nothing.
But once we’re near each other, the magnetic pull is unstoppable.
I stand back and watch her say hello to people she knows.
I watch her with her family. They truly are an attractive family.
Somehow she stands out like a shining star, and it’s not the dress—it’s all her, from her hair, her eyes, and most of all, the smile that I will never get tired of seeing.
Her smile brightens my day. It makes me want to be the best man I can be, for her.
I take a flute from a server passing by with a tray. Taking a drink, I watch her from the rim of my glass. Images of me between her legs in that dress play in my mind. I want her, and I’m going to have her, whatever it takes.
Cat
I say hello to my mother, father, and Kate standing next to Nick.
Who would think they are a real couple? Their body language is totally at odds.
She’s partly facing him, and he’s looking straight ahead like she’s not even there.
I might as well not be here either, though—he barely acknowledged me when I said hello.
I better be satisfied with my Christmas snow.
“Baby girl, you are stunning.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“You look like a present on Christmas morning; did we forget to open you up?”
He hugs me to his chest, and I laugh. “With Tasmanian Sasha, I don’t think so.” I see Nick smirking over the rim of his champagne glass from the corner of my eyes.
“Nick, is it my imagination? Practically all the men in here are looking at my baby girl with the exception of me and you.”
He puts his glass down, one hand in his pocket. I watch his tongue move across his top lip. I have to avert my eyes from the things I see and feel him doing to me with that one action… I need a drink. Where are those damn trays when you need them?
“No, sir, it’s not your imagination.”
I see a tray passing by and quickly take a glass before it floats away. Taking a drink to calm my nerves and the butterflies in my stomach, I face my dad.
“Daddy, no one’s looking at me.”
“I beg to differ; I can point out at least five men whose heads have not turned away since you came over here.”
“The only reason they’re probably looking over here is because Nick is over here. His mother is on the board for this charity and Alexander and Alexander are household names.”
“Yes, Daddy, I’m sure that’s it. Cat is right; no one is looking over here at her. I’m sure it’s Nick they’re impressed with.”
I look at Kate and try to suppress the urge to roll my eyes. Nick doesn’t say a word to her. He takes a sip of his champagne.
“Nonsense, Kate. Look around. Nick, it looks like we’re going to spend the rest of the night being her bodyguards. What do you say, are you up to protecting my girl from these guys with one thing on their minds?”
This is beyond awkward and embarrassing. “Dad, stop it!”
Nick turns his head to me. He gives me a devilish grin that makes my pulse race, and I feel the heat rising up in my cheeks. He tips his head to my father to answer his question, obviously amused.
“Yes, sir. I am up for the challenge.”
Kate and my mother stare at me like I did something offensive. She puts a hand on my father’s chest and fixes a smile on her face.
“William, stop, you’re embarrassing her.” She looks at my dress again. “Darling, you look lovely.”
I wait for the “but” I know is not far behind the compliment. She points to my dress and here it comes.
“Though this dress might be a bit much in a not much at all way for this particular gala.”
And there it is. “No, Mother, I don’t think so.”
“Of course you wouldn’t,” Kate says.
“No, Kate, I wouldn’t.” I swirl the little champagne left in my glass. She’s not going to get to me. “Silver and gold ‘tis the color of the season, along with everything else that sparkles,” I tell her.
“I have to agree with your daughter and husband, Mrs. Reed.”
“About what, Nicholas?” My mother looks at him then at me.
“She is stunningly beautiful tonight.”
Tipping his glass to me our eyes meet, I look away quickly. His eyes are my weakness, as usual. If I stare too long my father, anyone, and everyone will see exactly what I feel for him. I can’t let that happen, not tonight.
“Thank you,” I say, suddenly feeling shy.
“If you will excuse me, I see a business associate of mine I need to have a word with.” He takes two steps past me and turns around.
“Mr. Reed, let me know when you need my services. One look at the back of this dress and I can see you’re right.
She’s going to need a bodyguard.” With a lopsided grin he spins back around.
I look at my dad, who is a step behind me now, looking at the back of my dress.
He doesn’t look too happy. I think it’s time for me to break away from this little group before I get an earful.
I turn around to face my father. I hear an intake of breath from Kate when she sees the back of my dress.
I better move before they decide to tag team me again and roll me out of here like the trash they think I’ve turned into.
“I’ll be back, I see an old friend over there.
I haven’t seen him since high school.” I make my fast getaway with their eyes laser beamed to my back.
I’m glad Jay and Vanessa couldn’t make it because Sasha wasn’t feeling well.
I hope the little munchkin feels better soon.
I think she has a case of too much: too much excitement and too much to eat, including an overdose of birthday cake, gingerbread cookies, and peppermint candy canes.
I’ll call to check on her tomorrow, she should feel better by then.
I spend the rest of the night trying to stay as far away from Nick as possible, which doesn’t work because we are all seated at the same table.
Luckily he has to speak to a lot of the guests, taking over his mother’s duties since she couldn’t make it because she wasn’t feeling well.
Kate took every chance she could when Nick and my father weren’t at the table to insult me and remind me of her pregnancy. How could I forget?
By the end, I was ready to leave. I’d had enough of Kate, and my mother’s disapproving looks.
I was feeling a little self-conscious; it felt like most of the men were looking at me and the women they were with were giving me dirty looks.
I had to turn down a couple of guys who asked me for my number—they were clearly married, but I’m not surprised, their wives remind me of Kate and my mother.
“Well, guys, it was a fun night, but I’m going to call a cab and head home.”