"Just don't take a date," he said, and was rewarded with her laugh.
"Deal."
"And one more thing."
"Yeah?"
"Send me a picture from the party. I want to see you in your dress, especially if I don't get to see you out of it."
"Yeah," she said softly. "I will."
When they hung up, he was smiling. Which took the edge off the mile-high pile of paperwork he still had to go through. He'd managed to make a small dent when the phone rang again. He snatched it up, expecting Amanda, only find that the caller was Jared.
"Hey buddy, happy almost New Year."
"I'd say the same, but it's all a load of bullshit, isn't it?"
"Not exactly in the holiday spirit, are you?" Derek asked. "What's wrong?"
"Same bullshit as always. I'm on a damn hamster wheel. So are you, my friend. That job for Daddy? You're going nowhere fast. Unless you consider flying all over the United States going somewhere."
Derek leaned back in his chair. "How much have you had to drink?"
"Not enough."
"Got a date for New Year's Eve?"
"Did. Don't anymore."
Now was not the time for a lecture on either Jared's work ethic or his relationships. "So come to Chicago. I'm playing host, so you'll be on your own, but so what?" And unlike Amanda, Jared knew enough of the attendees that he would be fine without Derek.
"I don't know. Maybe. Shoot me a ticket, okay?"
"Will do."
Jared's heavy sigh filled the silence. "Why are we doing all of this?" Jared asked.
"All of what?"
"Exactly," Jared said. And then he hung up.
* * *
Amanda almost didn't go to the New Year's Eve gala at the Austin Winston Hotel. What was the point without Derek there, too?
In the end, though, she decided to go for four reasons. First, he'd told her to, and he'd taken the trouble to get her a VIP table. Second, he'd asked for pictures of her in the dress, and what was the point of putting it on to take a picture if you didn't actually go somewhere? Third, she actually wanted to wear the dress, and a gala was the perfect venue. It wasn't as if a full-skirted black and white ball gown would be appropriate for showing a three-bedroom, two-bath condo overlooking the river.
Mostly, though, she wanted to be close to Derek. Although that emotion scared her to death. She'd put so much into the relationship with Leo, and when it fell apart she'd been ruined for months. Emotionally and in her career.
Maybe she was being stupid to let herself get in deep with Derek, but she told herself it was safe because it was essentially a monthly thing. A moving hook-up. Friends with Ultra Benefits. And that was okay.
That's what she told herself.
But on nights like tonight, she just wanted him. And if she couldn't be with him, then being in the hotel that bore his name would have to do.
"What do you think?" she asked Reece, twirling for him in The Fix. Since the bar was hosting its own celebration tonight, it was overflowing with patrons, and Amanda appreciated Reece taking the time out to humor her.
"You look amazing," he said, and she curtsied.