“You look horrified,” Julia pointed out. “Is it so bad if she wants to make you happy? Isn’t that what happens in relationships. You make each other happy, become a team. You against the world.”
“You’ve been watching too many Hallmark Movies,” Daniel said playfully.
“And you’re still a cynic.”
“Can you blame me?”
Julia sighed, putting her glass on the table. “No, but maybe this time it will be different.”
“As I said, Hallmark.” He smirked.
The band started up again, drowning out her response. Chairs scraped against the floor as guests stood and made their way to the dance floor, more than one of them stumbling on their heels thanks to the copious amounts of wine they’d consumed.
Daniel stood, unable to sit and wait for Becca any longer. “Excuse me,” he murmured, leaning down to give Julia a kiss on her cheek. “I’m going to find my date.
“Make sure you save me a dance,” Julia said. “If you can spare one.”
“For you, anything.”
Chapter Twenty
“Becca.” The soft voice came from the hallway as she walked out of the bathroom. Becca looked over to see Melissa, her dark hair pulled back from her delicate face and wound into a plaited bun, a polite smile painted on her lips. She was wearing a navy dress that suited her peach complexion. Right now, she was glowing.
“Hello.” Becca forced a smile onto her lips. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine.” Melissa slid her arm through Becca’s. “I just wanted to thank you for coming tonight. I know it must be hard trying to fit in, and Daniel isn’t exactly the most h
elpful guy I’ve ever met. If you’re feeling lonely or ignored, come find me. I know a lot of interesting people.” She took a step forward, leading Becca through a door. The room behind it was cool, the walls lined with old paintings and antique mirrors, the floor filled with furniture that looked like it could have been purchased hundreds of years ago.
“I’m not bored.” Becca’s cheeks were starting to ache from holding the smile. “How could I be?”
Melissa’s eyes crinkled. “The offer stands. I don’t know if Daniel’s told you, but we used to be a couple. I know what he’s like. He promises to be somewhere and never turns up. He takes you out for a date and spends all evening on his phone trying to sort out a production problem. And then there’s his moods. The black ones. They can last for days.” Melissa squeezed Becca’s arms. “We girls have to stick together. So if you need to talk, let me know.”
“Thank you,” Becca murmured. She had no intention of ever confiding in Melissa. It would be like a fly confiding to a spider that it needed a rest. “But Daniel isn’t like that with me. He’s kind and funny and has a lot of time. Sometimes I have to remind him he still has a job.”
The smile on Melissa’s face wavered for a moment, before she remembered to tense her cheek muscles. “I guess these are still the early days. How long have you two been seeing each other?”
Becca couldn’t remember what they’d said at the restaurant. Had they even said anything at all about that? “A while.”
“Well it can’t be too long, since he’s only been back home for a few weeks. Seriously, call me in a few months. Unlike him, I always pick up my phone.”
The door opened, light spilling in from the hallway. Daniel stepped inside, his eyes darker than dark. “Am I interrupting something?”
Becca let out a lungful of air. Just being close to him made her body tense. It was strange how contradictory her reactions to him were. A little bolt of fear rushed through her, because he held an air of menace, and then warmth because somehow his mere presence made her feel safe.
It was like a python winding itself around her neck and making her happy because it was warming her up. Before it squeezed.
“I was just telling Becca how pleased I am that you both came,” Melissa said smoothly. “I wasn’t sure you would.”
Daniel was still staring at Becca. She stared back, her skin tingling.
“Great. Now that’s done, I’m stealing Becca. I want to dance.”
He held out a hand, and Becca stepped toward him, slipping her own against his palm. He folded his hands around hers and gave a little tug, enough for her to step forward again. “Goodbye, Melissa,” he said, his voice firm.
He was silent as they walked back to the ballroom. She could feel the tension in his body wafting through the air. “Was she unkind to you?” he murmured, as the sound of the band heightened.
“No. She was worried you’d ignore me.”