bags and wraps immediately surrounded them.
“Do you want to check your bag?”
Scout looked at her petite clutch and shook her head. She was territorial when it came to her stuff,
and she didn’t want to hinder a fast escape.
Nick took her arm and guided them away from the congested area. She scanned the crowd, and her
stomach bottomed out when her gaze settled on Lucian’s tall form. He looked impeccable in his
tuxedo.
His dark hair was slicked back naturally like a model lifting out of a swimming pool during a cover
shoot. The romantic lighting showed his distinguished, if premature, salt-and-pepper temples, and he
had just the right amount of shadow lining his jaw to give him that dangerous tycoon look. He grinned
as someone spoke to him.
His tall body was easy to separate from the rest. Broad shoulders filled his jacket and, as her gaze
traveled over him, the blond woman beside him distracted her. Nicole Nottingham wore a sequined
red gown that displayed her lithe body with an air of class Scout couldn’t muster.
A waiter walked by with a tray of champagne flutes and she snatched one, guzzling down the bubbly
liquid fast. Her mouth was incredibly dry. She stashed the empty flute on a mantel to their left and
stared as Lucian dismissed the person he was speaking with. He nonchalantly pressed his palm to
Nottingham’s bare back—which felt like a punch to Scout’s stomach—and ushered her into the
ballroom. Something about the casualness of his touch made it all the more painful to witness.
Scout sucked in a breath as they disappeared. “Do you have the tickets?” Nick asked.
She withdrew them from her bag, self-conscious of the way she’d folded them. Pressing them flat,
she handed them over and he gave them to a woman at the desk. Another waiter passed and she
grabbed another glass of champagne. This one went down just as fast, but seemed to settle her a bit.
“Ready?” Nick asked.
She took his arm and they followed the guests into the main room. Soft music played as invitees
mingled with acquaintances. The chairs were all trimmed in soft shades of rose, and topiaries spilled
like waterfalls from the center of each round table.
There were so many flowers, the room smelled like a garden. Crystals hung and candles flickered.
The volume of the soft chatter collided with the easy music, creating a low roar that made it difficult to hear.
“I think our table’s this way,” Nick said, guiding them to the back right of the ballroom.
Most of the women wore gowns. Some had short dresses on, but nothing like the dress she’d
selected. A cool dew of sweat formed between her breasts, as she grew more uncomfortable about her
choice of attire. What was she thinking, wearing a dress like this? She looked like trash.
Men uniformly looked the same. The only telltale differences were in their build and age. It was
disorienting, being surrounded by so many men in black. Her steps depended on Nick’s lead as her
legs went into autopilot so her eyes could search for Lucian.
They reached their table and Scout took a seat so she was facing the crowd. She wanted to be able to
observe from the corner. At their place settings, Nick found a menu and commented on the formality
of the courses as she continued her fruitless game of I Spy.
“Champagne?”
Scout turned as a waitress held out a tray. “Thank you,” she said, replacing her empty glass with a
full one.
“You may want to slow down. We haven’t eaten yet,” Nick whispered. “I’m going to go up to the
bar and see about getting a beer.”
She nodded, ignoring his warning, and sipped from the flute. The room grew louder as more people
arrived. Where was he? Her gaze snagged on a flicker of red and she spotted Nottingham. And there
was Lucian, right beside her.
Her molars locked. He wasn’t touching her, but the woman stood stoically by his side, clearly
staking her claim to him. Someone must have said something funny. Nottingham laughed and her tiny,
scarlet-painted nails caressed the sleeve of his jacket.
Scout finished her champagne and guzzled the water at her place. She was incredibly thirsty for
some reason. Magically, a white-gloved hand swept her empty glass away and replaced it with a new
one.
Nick reappeared with a glass of dark amber beer. Its heady scent mingled awkwardly with the pure
fragrance of roses. “So what happens now? Is it like a wedding? Do we dance after we eat? I’ve never
been to anything like this.”
“I’m not sure.”
They each silently sipped their drinks and surveyed the room. “Hey, there’s your guy. You gonna
say hello?”
Scout’s gaze didn’t leave them. The more she watched Lucian and Nicole, the more she admitted
how beautiful they were together. She didn’t know if she should be happy for him or cry. The
champagne was going to her head. She hadn’t eaten much that day and now her bladder was painfully
full.
Her mind searched for courage she didn’t have so that she could make it to the ladies’ room. “I need