Chapter 16 - There You Are #2
And annoyingly accurate.
"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to tell me," she continued. "I don't know what's going on. I don't know why neither of you is acting like yourselves anymore."
She leaned closer.
"But you cannot fool me."
I looked at her.
Maya studied my face.
"Angel, are you seriously going to deny that you have feelings for Adrian?"
"I'm not denying that."
Maya opened her mouth.
Closed it.
"You're not?"
"No."
"No?"
"I have feelings for Adrian."
Her hand flew over her mouth.
I stared at her.
"Please don't do that."
She slowly lowered her hand.
"You just admitted it."
"I'm aware. I was here."
"Oh."
"Yes."
"Oh."
"Maya."
"You like Adrian."
"Yes."
"Adrian Vale."
"I know his last name."
She covered her mouth again.
"Stop doing that."
She dropped her hand.
"How long have you known?"
"I don't know."
"Angel."
"I genuinely don't know. It wasn't like I woke up one morning and scheduled it."
She stared at me.
Then her eyes narrowed slightly.
"What about him?"
"What about him?"
"Don't do that. Does he know?"
"No."
"Do you think he-"
"I know he has feelings for me too."
Maya froze.
Completely.
"What?"
"I know he has feelings for me."
"How?"
I looked down at my desk.
"Because I know."
"Angel."
"Maya."
"What happened?"
"Nothing happened."
Her stare could've drilled through concrete.
"Then why have you both spent an entire week acting like divorced parents at a school function?"
I almost laughed.
Almost.
"Maya, I'm not keeping something from you because I don't trust you."
Her expression softened.
"You're my best friend. Why wouldn't I tell you?"
"Then tell me."
"There isn't anything to tell."
"Clearly there is."
I sighed.
"Something happened last week."
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
"Not something something."
"Angelica."
"Would you relax?"
"No."
I glanced around.
Nobody nearby seemed to be listening.
So I told her.
Briefly.
I told her about seeing Adrian smiling at his phone.
Trying to take it.
Getting too close.
His reaction.
What he'd said.
What I'd said.
I skipped several humiliating details.
Especially the amount of crying.
Maya's expression changed as I talked.
First curious.
Then annoyed.
Then genuinely angry on my behalf.
Then-
I reached the end.
Her mouth fell open.
"Adrian Vale hugged you?"
I closed my eyes.
"Apparently."
"The Adrian Vale?"
"Unless there's another one in the building."
"And you hugged him back?"
I looked at her.
"What was I supposed to do?"
Maya stared at me.
"And you didn't tell me?"
"There was nothing to tell."
"You cried in his arms."
"You are making it sound much more dramatic than it was."
"Angel, he wiped your tears."
I regretted everything.
"I regret telling you anything."
Her eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Oh my God."
"What?"
"Don't blush now."
"I am not blushing."
"You are!"
"I am not."
"You absolutely are."
"Shut up, Maya."
She grinned.
I turned back to my computer.
My face was definitely not warm.
Absolutely not.
Knowing Maya knew changed nothing.
Which was simultaneously reassuring and irritating.
She didn't tease me about Adrian again.
Well.
Not much.
She didn't try to push us together.
And Adrian, obviously, had no idea I'd told her.
Tuesday morning-
coffee.
Wednesday-
coffee.
Professional conversations.
No arguments.
No late nights.
No alone time.
No touching.
Nothing.
Then Thursday arrived.
And Vale Architecture had somewhere to be.
The event was an annual Miami architecture and design charity gala, the kind of night where architects, developers, designers and people with significantly more money than necessary gathered in one enormous waterfront hotel ballroom to give awards, raise money and pretend networking was enjoyable.
Vale Architecture had sponsored one of the evening's programs.
Which meant Adrian had to attend.
Which meant several of us had been invited too.
I spent considerably more time getting ready than I intended to admit.
My dress was lavender.
Soft, elegant, floor-length, fitted through the bodice before falling into a flowing skirt that moved around my legs when I walked. The fabric caught the light just enough to shimmer.
I pinned my hair into an updo.
Not severe.
Soft.
Most of my black hair was swept up in loose twists at the back, while a few curled pieces framed my face. The wine-red strands threaded through the updo like ribbons whenever the light caught them.
I added delicate earrings and a fine silver necklace, something simple with a small pendant that rested just below my collarbone.
My silver anklet disappeared beneath the dress.
Makeup slightly more polished than usual.
One last look in the mirror.
Not bad.
I grabbed my clutch and left.
The ballroom was beautiful.
Glass overlooking the water.
Warm lights suspended overhead.
White flowers.
Candles.
Miami glittering beyond the windows.
Maya saw me first.
Her mouth opened.
"Oh, Angel."
"What?"
"Look at you."
I laughed. "I'm standing right here."
"You look like a princess."
"Please don't start."
"I'm serious."
"That makes it worse."
Ethan appeared behind her.
He took one look at me-
and stopped.
"Wow."
I smiled. "Hi to you too."
"No, wait."
His eyes moved over me before returning to my face.
"You look incredible."
"Thank you."
"Seriously, Angel. You look..." He shook his head slightly. "Wow."
I laughed. "You've already used that one."
"I'm aware. I couldn't think of anything better."
Maya nodded solemnly. "He's struggling."
"Apparently."
Ethan smiled.
"Beautiful. You look really beautiful."
That one was softer.
"Thank you, Ethan."
"Like an actual princess," Maya added.
I pointed at her.
"Enough with the princess."
"No."
Then her eyes moved over my shoulder.
And something about her expression made me turn.
Adrian had arrived.
Black suit.
Of course.
Perfectly tailored.
Crisp white shirt.
Black silk tie.
Dark hair neatly styled.
Understated watch.
Nothing flashy.
Nothing unusual.
Just black and white.
And somehow-
Oh, come on.
He was speaking to one of the event organizers when he looked across the room.
His eyes found me.
And stopped.
So did he.
Not completely.
Just enough that I noticed.
The man beside him was still talking.
Adrian wasn't listening anymore.
He stared at me.
Actually stared.
For once, there was no quick glance followed by that perfectly controlled Adrian Vale expression.
His face changed.
His lips parted slightly.
Something in his eyes shifted so visibly that my breath caught.
I had no idea what it meant.
But I knew what Adrian looked like when he was unaffected.
This wasn't it.
The man beside him said something.
Adrian didn't respond.
A second passed.
Then another.
Finally, he seemed to realize he'd been staring.
His jaw tightened.
His attention returned to the conversation.
Or tried to.
Because a moment later, his eyes came back to me.
My stomach flipped.
Oh.
I looked away.
Maya was watching me.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Don't."
She picked up her champagne with an expression of absolute innocence.
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
Beside her, Ethan had gone noticeably quieter.
Dinner passed.
Speeches happened.
Awards were given.
Adrian accepted congratulations from approximately a thousand people while looking like he'd rather be reviewing construction documents.
I talked.
Laughed.
Networked.
Ate.
Avoided Adrian.
He avoided me.
We were excellent at it now.
Then the formal program ended.
The lights softened.
Music started.
People gradually moved toward the dance floor.
Maya immediately became a problem.
"Come on."
"No."
"Yes."
"Maya."
"We've been sitting for three hours."
"I have legs. They still work."
"Prove it."
Ben joined her.
"She's right."
"You're both exhausting."
Eventually Maya succeeded in dragging half our group toward the dance floor.
The music was upbeat at first.
Nobody really had partners.
Maya danced with everyone.
Ben danced terribly on purpose.
Daniel was somehow worse while trying sincerely.
Ethan was actually decent.
I laughed more than I had all week.
Adrian remained near the table.
Of course he did.
Adrian doesn't dance because... obviously, Adrian Vale doesn't fucking dance!
At some point, Maya apparently decided this was a personal challenge.
"Adrian."
He looked at her.
"Maya."
"You're dancing."
"No."
Immediate.
I covered my mouth to hide a smile.
Maya pointed toward the dance floor.
"Everybody's dancing."
"I'm aware."
"So?"
"No."
Ben looked delighted.
Maya was undeterred.
"You have to dance with somebody."
"I absolutely do not."
Her eyes moved to me.
Oh no.
"Angel's available."
My stomach dropped.
Adrian's expression changed.
Barely.
Then-
"No."
It came too quickly.
My smile disappeared.
Stupid.
It shouldn't have hurt.
He didn't dance.
He'd already said no.
This had nothing to do with me.
Still.
Something hot and embarrassing crawled up my neck.
I looked at Maya.
"Relax. I wasn't volunteering."
Adrian's eyes came to mine.
I smiled.
Professional.
Easy.
"Don't worry, Mr. Vale. Your evening is safe."
Something tightened in his face.
I turned away before I could examine it.
Maya looked between us.
For once, she was smart enough to stop talking.
Later, the music shifted again.
Slower this time.
The opening notes of Se?orita slipped through the ballroom.
Ethan glanced toward the dance floor.
Then at me.
"Do you dance?"
"Depends."
"On?"
"How attached you are to your feet."
He laughed.