The three of them ‘clink’ their glasses, laughing at something Jarred said, and when Quinn’s eyes fall on me, Drew spins around. His mouth lifts into a boyish grin. “Wow,” he breathes. “Cassey, you look incredible.” Again, I blush with the unexpected compliment. He’s kissing ass, but I won’t point it out. “Thank you. You look very handsome.” I reply. Any woman in my position would be salivating at the sight of him, maybe even falling over her own feet. But he’s a dick, and while looking at his face, his suit, and even his shoes, only one word comes to mind. Safe. He passes me a flute filled with champagne and when our fingers brush.
I wait for the spark, the electricity. Nothing. He solicits a whole lot of nothing from my body He’s everything I should be attracted to. But I’m just not. I smile weakly, swallowing the fizzy gold liquid, along with any reservations I may have had, in three gulps. Quinn’s eyes almost bug out but I ignore it. The only way I’m going to survive this evening is if I start topping up on liquid courage now.
“You girls ready?” Jarred asks. His eyebrows furrow slightly, noticing my odd behavior. Quinn nods, grabbing his hand and walking out the front door. I turn to follow and stiffen, if only infinitesimally, when Drew’s hand touches my lower back. I remind myself that it’s only one night, and having Drew’s hands on me won’t be that bad. I can tolerate it. I hope. I lock our apartment door behind me and we walk downstairs, piling into the town car that will drive us to the hotel.
After a short, yet awkwardly silent drive, I’m grateful when we come to a stop outside the Four Seasons. The door is opened and Drew climbs out first, reaching his hand down to help me. Camera’s flash and I’m caught a little off guard. Drew straightens next to me and wraps his arm around my waist, smiling widely at the paparazzi. I almost forgot that we were at an event that garners the attention of most of the city’s social Elite.
Of course there would be paparazzi. “Sorry about that,” Drew whispers, leading me up the stairs. “I didn’t know Press are allowed here tonight. It’s a private party.”
“It’s okay,” I reply. “I should’ve expected it.”
Quinn and Jarred follow behind us, stopping to greet some people they know. An older gentleman stops in front of us and shakes Drew’s hand. He doesn’t acknowledge me and Drew doesn’t think to make an introduction. I step out of his embrace and walk into the banquet room, in search of more liquid courage. I don’t need to stick around just so that I can be ignored. Thanks but no thanks. A waiter decides to walk past at that exact moment and I grab a glass of whatever is on his tray. I down the amber liquid quickly. “Hey, why’d you dash of like that?” Drew asks, reaching my side. I resist rolling my eyes. I may not be from a hoity toity family, but I still have manners. “I was thirsty,” I reply dryly.
He starts to speak but is soon cut off when Quinn and Jarred finally join us. “I didn’t think Mom and Dad were going to have so many people here,” Jarred remarks, obviously addressing Drew, who’s frowning at me. He looks back at Jarred and replies, “You know what they’re like. I bet you Mom bribed Dad to let her have this party.”
“Mom probably threatened to hide Dad’s Viagra for a month,” Jarred chuckles. Drew scrunches his nose in disgust. “Seriously dude, we do not need to be talking about Mom and Dad’s sex life right now. It’s gross.” “Agreed,” Quinn intercedes. “And speaking of parents, Cassey and I better go say hello to mine before they come find us.” She kisses Jarred on the cheek and starts walking in the direction of her parents. She waits for me to catch up and then threads her arm through mine.
Something about it is comforting and I feel a small bit of my insecurity diminish. “Are you okay, Cass?” she asks. I look into her eyes and see the concern swirling around her irises.
“I’m fine,” I lie.
We reach her parents before she can question me further and I’m somewhat thankful. I don’t want Quinn to know just how out of place I feel. She will feel guilty when it has nothing to do with her. She is the only person who doesn’t make me feel inadequate simply because I lack wealth or social standing. Well, her and Kyler too. He hasn’t made me feel inferior in any way. “Hello, darling!” Quinn’s mother, Bree, chimes. Quinn lets go of my arm and hugs her mother, who could easily pass for Quinn’s older sister. Bree Avery is a stunning woman, with her waist-length platinum blonde hair, green eyes and genuine smile. Her build is very much like Quinn’s, except she’s a few inches shorter. She smiles warmly at me, her eyes sparkling with genuine kindness and sincerity. For a brief second, I wish my own mother could’ve looked at me that way. But she never did.
“Cassey, sweetheart, how are you?” she asks, wrapping her slender arms around my shoulders.
“Very well, thank you Bree. It’s so lovely to see you,” I reply. Quinn hugs her father, kissing him on the cheek, and steps back. He hugs me hello, his big arms engulfing me in a fatherly embrace. David Avery is a burly man and those who don’t know him would be intimidated. But he’s a teddy bear, and a man who’s unafraid of showering both his wife and his daughter with affection. Their family dynamic is strange to me, unfamiliar.
I’ve only ever known a father who hits his wife and drinks alcohol to deal with the emptiness of his life. I don’t know what a fathers’ love feels like, because I’ve never had it.
But when David Avery looks at his wife and his daughter, I see it.
“I didn’t think we’d be seeing you here, Dad,” Quinn says.
Her father smiles warmly at both of us. “Clive Blake and I went to college together, we go way back,” he says.
Quinn’s manicured brows dip into a frown. “Jarred didn’t mention it,” she says.
“I didn’t mention what?”
We turn around and see Jarred and Drew step up to us. They greet Quinn’s parents and resume the conversation with ease. A sight in my peripheral catches my attention and the chatter around me falls away as I turn my gaze. Kyler strolls into the room and it feels like the air is sucked out of my lungs. I’m not prepared to see him. I don’t know how to handle what happened in his office yesterday and I was hoping some time away from him would help erase the image of him and Jessa from my mind. The traitorous butterflies in my belly take flight, flapping around wildly trying to find an escape. Where Drew looks handsome, Kyler looks very – I search for the right word – debonair. Sauvé. I watch the way his suit moves with each step he takes, clinging to his long, lean muscles. My heart drops when I see a certain redhead wrapped around his body and I can’t help but notice the way she looks up at him, adoringly, laughing at something he’s said. When he smiles down at her my jealousy claws its way up my throat and I swallow to stop it from boiling over. I have no reason to be jealous.
He’s my Boss, and I’m foolish to think he’d want more.
“Hello? Earth to Cassey?”
Drew’s voice breaks my trance and when I look at him, he’s frowning. Again. I can’t seem to please him tonight. Not that I want to anyway. I didn’t even want to attend this stupid thing.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?” I ask, not in the least sorry for not hearing him. Coming here with him was a mistake. Too bad I can’t just hail a cab and leave. My manners are getting the better of me, and convincing me to stay. “I said I’d like to introduce you to my parents,” he half snaps.