Gifted Connections 4

I continued to flip through the book, hoping I had missed something. Eva was in there, and she was currently here. Her mystery date, however, was unnamed and absent.

“I know he agreed to accompany her,” I muttered as I placed my head on the podium.

Just then, another couple came through the door. I had to stop myself from gaping. I knew these people. They were both well-known actors.

“They’re expecting you,” I stated with a smile, quickly recovering from my awe. “If you can follow me.”

“What, no garish pink outfit for you?” Ralph James smirked as he followed me.

I barely contained my snort of laughter, instead tried to carefully school my features. Apparently, he knew Jen enough to know her taste. I had just passed by her servers a few moments ago, and they were all dressed in pink—outrageously short pink outfits for the females and pink sleeveless button-ups for the males.

“I’m part of the security detail, so our uniforms aren’t quite that…interesting,” I tried to say with a straight face.

Bianca White smiled at me with a conspiratorial look. “How very diplomatic of you,” she paused and looked at me. “Were you perchance the girl who saved Anna Black last night?”

I looked at her and inwardly sighed. I had been asked that question at least a dozen times. “I am,” I said concisely, bating my breath for the next inevitable question.

“A little badass, are you?” Ralph smirked at me. “Ever think about becoming a stunt double? I know plenty of directors that would love to give you a job. I don’t know many people that would take a bullet one day, then show up to work the next.”

I breathed a sigh of relief that he didn’t say what I expected him to.

I laughed in surprise at this. “I don’t think so. I enjoy the job I’m currently doing.”

“She’s too pretty to be behind the scenes, honestly,” Bianca stated as we got to the French doors. “She belongs in front of the camera. I bet the camera loves you. Do you have any acting experience?”

I smiled and shook my head. “Thanks, but I like the dreams that are more obtainable,” I said.

Bianca laughed once more. “It is the city where most dreams die,” she said ruefully.

Ralph gave me an authentic smile. “If you can say a little prayer for us, that would be appreciated,” he murmured as he pointedly looked at one of the servers that had just passed.

Bianca began to laugh. “Stop it, Ralph,” she halfheartedly reprimanded him.

“It was great meeting you,” he said before he turned back to Bianca. “Who even knew that shade of pink existed? It reminds me of Pepto Bismol. You know Jen has hideous taste,” Ralph muttered as he walked away.

“It was great meeting you, too,” I called at their retreating backs.

As the number of guests grew,. it amazed me to watch Jen’s transformation. She had a Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hide complex. She was nothing but smiles and pleasantries now. Little did her guests know, she had been an evil monster not thirty minutes ago. She completely ignored me and the others on the security detail, but the rest of the staff weren’t spared from her wrath. She became increasingly hideous as the party neared. It wasn’t until her first guest arrived that she became this sweet, outgoing woman.

I had to hide my own smile as I went back towards the podium in the inside foyer. I was thankful I was spared from her disgusting two-faced behavior as the party went on.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Lincoln Hudgens stood at the doors and scowled at me just as I got back to the podium.

Jace stood up behind me as if he were silently showing Lincoln his support for me.

“I would think it was obvious,” I scoffed, no

t caring about the façade I had been wearing earlier. “Working.”

I sat on my stool and started to flip through the guest list, pretending like I hadn’t seen his picture listed there. I looked over at Jace and saw his small smile.

“Is he on the guest list?” he asked, knowing full well that he was.

“He is,” I confirmed.

“Excellent, you can follow me,” Jace stated indicating the back of the house.

“Who the hell goes to work the day after they get shot?” Lincoln bit out.