“He is. He’s the CEO of a tech company.”
She nods, eyes bulging. “Okay, then you can see why I expected a far different audience here tonight?”
I sigh. “Yes. I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say. I didn’t really have anything to do with the guest list, I didn’t know who was coming, I just told Calvin I wanted to invite you, and the rest of the guests were going to be his friends. It was only supposed to be a small get together so we could tell close friends and… celebrate.”
Charity takes a deep breath, then audibly lets it out. Trying to be calmer, she looks back at me. “How the hell did you get mixed up with this guy? I’m supposed to be the one that does crazy shit. You’re supposed to be the boring one who stays home with her cat.”
I rear back, a little wounded by the offhand comment.
Charity sighs and grabs her forehead, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, that was really bitchy. I didn’t mean that, I just… I’m really worried, Hallie. And I really can’t stay. I can’t be around people like that. You’re on first name basis with Nicolò Severino’s guard dog, and I just… who are you?”
I stand there and look at her, completely at a loss for what to say.
I’m still me, I think, but I understand what she means.
To be honest, if I would have passed a guy like Arson on the street a few months ago, I probably would have crossed to the other side of the road. Now I’m yelling at him for eating my pastry puffs.
I understand where her concern is coming from, though. What she’s really asking.
I swallow and try to think how to word it. “Calvin is… different, and he does things a different way, but I actually… I actually think he’s good for me. He stands up for me in ways I would never think to stand up for myself. I think in a weird way, he makes me more confident, more comfortable in my own skin. I always wanted someone who would really love me, you know? Like in a crazy, ‘I can’t be without you’ kind of way, and… I think he does.”
She stares at me like I’ve lost my mind, but she looks more helpless than anything. “I’m worried this isn’t healthy, Hallie. I’m worried he isn’t healthy.”
I look down at my glittery shoes, then back up at her. “I’m okay. Whether he’s entirely above board or not… I’m good, and I’m happy, and…” I chuckle at the absurdity, but my smile is real when I tell her, “I’m gonna marry him.”
“It’s a mistake.”
“Maybe.”
Charity shakes her head. “I can’t just sit by and watch you do this. If he’s hanging out with people like that, this man is dangerous, Hallie. It’s not cute, it’s not fun, it’s dangerous, and I…” She shakes her head, looking toward the hall. “Honestly, I can’t be party to it.”
I don’t want her to leave, but I can’t ask Calvin’s friends to leave, either.
“Maybe we could get drinks and appetizers at that Italian place we liked in Chelsea one night and celebrate just the two of us.”
“I don’t want to celebrate,” she tells me. “I think you’re making a horrible mistake and I want to stop you.”
I look down.
I don’t know what to say. What I can say.
Charity doesn’t have the same problem. She picks up momentum from my silence, nodding her head as she moves toward the elevator. “I’m going to. I’ll show you.”
“Charity…”
“No.” She pushes the elevator button. It opens immediately, and she backs inside. “I’ll show you who he really is, Hallie.”
“Charity, please don’t…”
But, before I can finish my sentence, the doors slide closed.
Sighing helplessly, I mutter, “…do anything crazy.”
It’s too late.
She’s gone.
Chapter Forty Four
Calvin
I tried with Charity, I really did.
I wanted to play nice. She’s Hallie’s best friend, and I know Hallie loves her.
I also didn’t want to waste all of my goddamn time watching her. She’s not nearly as interesting as my Hallie, and my time would be better spent observing her than her faithless cohort.
In a perfect world, that’s what I would be doing between meetings. Watching Hallie use her free time to bring her little fly named Eli to life with little pops of color. Admiring the absent way she brushes her hair out of her face when she’s trying to concentrate.
God, I love her.
But no, I don’t get to spend my work breaks enjoying my beautiful fiancée, because I have to keep my eye on her goddamned nosy friend.
I suppose I should have known better than to have Nick and Arson at a party with one of the “good guys.” It would’ve been more convenient for me—and more lucrative for her—if Charity had gone the route of becoming a criminal defense attorney instead. Hell, maybe I could have gotten her some work.