Chapter 25
NEW YEARS EVE
Corina Rose was starting to wonder why she’d let Sadie talk her into attending the party at the Townsend property. It wasn’t that she didn’t like the Townsends. She did. They were a lovely bunch of people. And they sure knew how to put on a bash.
It was all quite charming. The only problem was that literally every other single person at their party was already paired up with someone else.
Corina had dressed up in her red velvet party dress. The one that laced up in the back. She’d shaved everything. Had her hair blown out. And had even bought the prettiest spiked-heel boots for the occasion. And not one eligible bachelor had seen her in her New Year’s best.
It was more than a little depressing.
“Hey!” Sadie Lewis slid into a seat beside her. She was a little flushed from dancing. “Having a good time?”
Corina didn’t have the heart to tell her no, so she smiled and said, “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Lie. Lie. Lie. If she’d had her way, she’d be at home in her sweats with her favorite flavor of H?agen-Dazs.
“Oh good.” Sadie leaned in close. “Now don’t freak out. I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise. Great.” Her heart sank. Was Sadie going to make her sing?
She’d said something about that before, but Corina had shut her down.
She didn’t want to have to entertain on New Year’s Eve.
She’d been touring for months. She’d done Harlow a favor by singing at her barbecue a few months ago, but that was a one-time thing.
She turned to see if she could spot her longtime friend.
They’d known each other since grade school.
Harlow was the main reason that Corina had agreed to move to Keating Hollow.
That and because she wanted to work with Austin Steele’s record label.
Harlow caught her gaze and looked a little sheepish as she quickly glanced away. What the heck was that about? Did her friend feel bad because Corina had been holding down the same chair for most of the night? Probably.
“Oops. Time to go. Enjoy!” Sadie jumped up and practically ran back to King, who was waiting for her with his arms wide open.
Corina would be jealous if the two weren’t the perfect match.
Someone cleared their throat beside her.
Certain that her friends were trying to set her up, Corina ignored the noise just to be contrary.
Then came the soft, seductive chuckle.
Corina froze, unable to move. But then her curiosity got the better of her, and she turned to look right into the face of Joshua Hayes, the man she’d left at the altar when she was twenty-two years old.
Her heart stopped.
“Can I have this dance?” he asked with that devastating smile on his too handsome face.
Corina’s mouth went dry. And then she found herself nodding and let the love of her life, the one she’d reluctantly let go, lead her out to the dance floor.
***