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“She doesn’t want to hear about it, Gil,” her mom said.

Her father grunted. “Fine.” He patted her hand softly. “Be a good girl, Hannah Banana.”

“Always, Dad.”

As Hannah left, her thoughts returned to her last night with Blake, and she wondered what the hell it all meant. The hand holding, the coffee, the kiss on the cheek.

Her hands gripped the steering wheel angrily. It wasn’t fair. He’d told her he wasn’t ready, just wanted to be friends, but everything Tuesday night had been very un-friend-like. Whatever game he was playing, she didn’t like it, and it was going to stop.

She’d tell him that, too, as soon as she saw him at the ball tonight.

Chapter Nineteen

BLAKE STOOD BY the bar, watching as the ball attendees trickled in, telling himself he wasn’t looking for Hannah in the crowd of women. Although they’d exchanged texts and phone calls after their date, he hadn’t had a chance to text or call today with all the hoops Eve had them jumping through, and he just hoped she hadn’t assumed the worst. He was also hoping they wouldn’t need to have a talk, but if they did, he had a speech prepared.

How fucking romantic.

“And here they come,” Martinez said beside him. The crowd of women in the ballroom was growing thicker by the second, like a cluster of colorful butterflies.

“I’m surprised your girlfriend made you come tonight.”

Martinez shrugged. “She trusts me, and besides, she knew that Sparks and Best would bitch and moan if I didn’t come. She put the three of us on drink duty.”

“Drink duty?” Eve had told him to pick a woman and make her feel special, and he already had her picked out.

“We’re walking around with trays of specialty drinks. Didn’t she give you a job?”

“Yeah, to cater to one of the guests’ every whim.” Blake downed his Jack and Coke. “I guess only the guys with girlfriends got the cool gig.”

“Or she thought we’d try to escape if we didn’t have something to do.”

Blake didn’t believe that for a second. Eve, Dani, and Violet, Sparks’s girlfriend, had probably come up with the drink work detail so they wouldn’t have to watch their boyfriends dancing with other women. They were all here tonight—Violet helping with serving food, and Dani taking tickets at the door. Devious.

“What’s up, playas?” Bryce asked, popping up beside them.

Blake’s eyes bugged out of his head in surprise. He hadn’t even known Bryce owned a dress, let alone something so . . . so . . .

“What the hell are you wearing?” Martinez asked, reading Blake’s mind.

The blue dress was tight, and Blake found himself staring up at the ceiling so she wouldn’t think he was checking her out.

“I’m wearing a sombrero. What the fuck does it look like, asswipe?”

Blake grinned, relaxing. “There’s the Bryce we know.”

“Whatever, you both are dicks. Have you seen Slater?” she asked, craning her neck.

“Bryce, if something’s going on between you and Slater, Sparks isn’t going to like it,” Martinez said, frowning.

“Sparks doesn’t need to know.” A satisfied smile spread across her glossy lips. “There he is. Later, boys.”

Martinez shook his head. “Should we say something? They work together, and shit can get awkward fast.”

“I’ve experienced annoying Bryce and friend Bryce . . . I don’t think I want to meet pissed-off Bryce.”

“You’re right.” Martinez picked up a tray of glasses with raspberries and mint leaves inside. “Duty calls.”

“Have fun.” Blake ordered another Jack and Coke from the bartender and continued watching the door. The ballroom was starting to fill up, and the DJ was playing a Madonna song. Women had begun making their way toward the four bar stations around the room, and he moved as a herd crowded around him.