Forbidden Bride

“It’s new,” I say quietly. “I don’t want to say too much yet.”

“But you have to give me something. In the time I’ve known you you’ve never been interested in anyone, so what makes it different?”

I hesitate, not wanting to give it all away. “We’ve known each other for a long time, and we kind of…reconnected.”

Jill chuckles. “If you’re blushing that much just thinking about it, then I’m sure you did.”

“Let’s please talk about the gala and not about my love life?”

“You brought it up.”

I laugh. “Just so you wouldn’t rope some soul into being miserable at the gala with me.”

“You’re round the bend. Any guy would feel fucking lucky if he got to spend the evening with you, and I won’t accept another answer because that’s the only one that will ever be true.”

There’s nothing to say to that. “How are things coming for the party?”

“Good,” she says, while giving me a look that tells me that this discussion isn’t over and will probably continue when we’re not in a work situation. “I think I’ve gotten the decorations sorted. I’ll show you the sketches in a minute. But I was thinking about the charity element.”

“Oh?”

“I know that it’s usually just a donation thing, but since it’s Valentine’s day, I thought maybe we could do something fun. Like a bachelor auction. Maybe like dinner dates but for a good cause?”

I laugh. “That’s a fun idea, who would you get to do it?”

“Well, I have a list. There’s a few hotties on the production line, and I think some of the non-employee guests who are single might go for it. It is Valentine’s Day, after all. There’s one person that I really want to get, but I’m not sure how it will go over.”

“Who?”

“That new guy. Tristan Swallows. I have to say I’m jealous that you guys get to work so closely together cause he is yummy.”

My heart pounds in my chest and I try to not blush, and I’m entirely unsuccessful. But thankfully Jill is too pre-occupied to notice this time. “Why wouldn’t it go over well?”

She smirks. “I googled him cause I’ve got a little bit of a crush. I’m just not sure we should put someone up there when that kind of scandal is the first thing that comes up on google.”

I freeze in shock. “What?”

“It doesn’t seem like it would be a problem since it happened a long time ago, but I still have to think about it. But I know that he would raise a lot of money, if you know what I mean.”

“Yeah,” I say. “That’s for sure.”

It’s taking everything in my power for me not to pull out my phone and google this right now, because what the hell happened? Is this what he meant when he said he’d been through stuff that made him want to leave? I can already feel the questions brewing inside me, itching, grating under my skin. “Do what you think is best.”

“Do you think he’d say yes?”

I do think about it, and I think he would. Especially if I promised to buy him, or at least try. Having a date with him that everyone knows about would be amazing and fantastic, and could potentially be the gateway for us coming out as a couple. “Yeah, I think he’d be game.”

Jill smiles. “You know him that well already?”

“Oh, he’s my dad’s best friend,” I say. “They’ve known each other for years, and Tristan just moved back to town.”

My friend’s head snaps up so fast that it makes my head spin. Shit. “He’s your date, isn’t he?”

I could lie and deny it, but the words dry up on my tongue. God, I wish that I could ask Tristan before I do this, but she’s already made the connection. I just nod.

“Holy shit!” she squeals, shoving everything she’s working on to the side and leaning over her desk. “Girl, you have to tell me everything.”

“Before I do, I have to tell you that no one knows. My parents don’t know, and we’re keeping it that way. For now.”

“My lips are sealed.” She makes a locking motion with her fingers. “I promise. But what the fuck? You go from nothing to that hottie? That was fast.”

I allow myself to smile now, my chest easing. I’m glad she knows, because now I can talk about it. “Like I said, we’ve known each other for a long time. I always wanted him, and it was a little…I don’t know, scandalous? I told him that I wanted to be with him the day I turned eighteen. He’d never given any indication of wanting me before that, and I’d never have asked him. The next day he left town and didn’t come back till a couple of weeks ago.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” she says.

I look at her. “Why?”