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Though I had been here countless times before, it was that much more special seeing it through Monica’s eyes.
“Wow is right,” I whispered back, but I wasn’t looking at the surrounding ballroom.
Even in the dim light, I could see her cheeks turn a shade darker.
Everyone seemed to agree as their eyes, both men and women, followed her through the party. She was the belle of the ball. A new, beautiful face for people to fawn over and ask questions. She seemed blissfully unaware of the nods in her direction, as if she had no idea how beautiful she was.
“Well, well, well,” said a familiar voice behind us.
My stomach sank before I turned around and saw Veronica on the arm of some sap she must have roped into coming with her. She had a glass of almost empty champagne in her hand and a mischievous smile on her face as she looked from me to Monica. I knew those eyes. They had one mission: To destroy.
“Veronica,” I nodded curtly. “You remember Monica.”
“Do I?” she asked, her eyes blinked as she faked not knowing. “Oh, right. You’re the one I had mistaken for thebathroom attendant.” She laughed and looked at her date to share in her amusement. He let out a nervous laugh.
“Now, look at you. A modern-day Cinderella. It’s too bad all of this will be gone at midnight, or whenever Troy here gets bored of you. You might have him and these people fooled, but I see the dirty rags underneath all of that.” Veronica looked her up and down.
She had said it loud enough for people to hear, and now they had stopped and wanted to see more of the show. Monica stood next to me quietly, at a loss for words.
Satisfied, Veronica turned on her heel and began walking away. I wasn’t about to let her get away with that. I stormed after her, leaving Monica behind so she didn’t have to hear any more of Veronica’s awful jabs. I grabbed Veronica’s arm gently and she spun around to face me.
“What the hell, Troy?” she asked, her voice shrill.
“You will not speak to her that way just because you’re a jealous bitch. I have already told you that you and I are done. More than done. We are nothing.”
Veronica’s date looked from me to her, and decided it was safer for him at the bar.
“Now, look what you’ve done,” said Veronica. “Looks like you’ll have to take his place.”
She reached out and wrapped her hand around my arm, pulling me close. Knowing we had eyes on us, I didn’t want to cause more of a scene, even though being this close to her repulsed me. I had to get out of this. Now.
Chapter 27
Monica
Iwatched in a horror of hurt as the man I had given a second chance to walked after his ex-wife who had just belittled me in front of everyone. I felt like I couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. The words I couldn’t even form in my head escaped as a quiet croak from my lips as I watched her hand wrap around his arm.
I suddenly felt everyone’s eyes on me as their hushed whispers became the only noise I could hear in this exquisitely large ballroom. A ballroom that I didn’t belong in. In a dress I didn’t belong in. I heard muffled laughter as I wrapped my arms around myself, as if trying to shield myself from those who stared.
Veronica was right, Iwasplaying dress up. Playing pretend. I could see that clearly now as I stood in the center of this beautiful room with everyone who had probably found the magic of this place to have worn off from the mere task of being invited to yet another gala in their wealthy, busy world. Up until now, before their faces were masking smiles as I had been exposed as not one of them, their faces were adorned with forced, bored smiles.
To me, the night had been pure magic. As stubborn as I had tried to be in letting Troy back into my life, I got whisked away in his attention. In the velvet ribbon wrapped around the boxes he left each day at my desk. It wasn’t what was inside that got me, it was simply the fact that he saw me again. That he wasn’t shutting me out, when all week I had been silently begging for just one glance my way.
And then he showed up at my apartment in a limo that felt like a carriage to take me to the ball, in a black tux that hugged every perfect inch of him. I could hardly breathe as I took him in, and when he looked at me, it was all over. It wasn’t a look of lust. A look I was used to and craved. No, this was different. Something else was in his eyes, but I didn’t dare let myself venture to guess what it was.
When he apologized, I could hear the wobbly desperation in his voice. The quiet pain he never let anyone hear when it came to his father. He gave me a little glimpse into his life and I instinctively wanted to fix it for him. Patch him up. Instead, I listened and I accepted. I forgave. Even though he had a bad day and shut me out, I missed him too much to fault him for what went deeper than letting an argument with his father come between us.
But now, I missed him even more as he stood withher.His ex-wife who was obviously flirting with him. And it seems he enjoys. Pain jolted me as I looked at them touching and their heads close. I realized now that between this and his father, he hadn’t let me all the way in. I was always kept at an arm’s length from the mess of his life. Letting someone see your mess meant you wanted them to be with you as you figured out how to clean it up. It meant you trusted them. It meant you loved them.
I couldn’t fault him for it. I hadn’t let him in on my mess. My failed book. My fear of writing. The fear for my safety with a stalker out in the city. Maybe it was because I was scared he would run from it. Or maybe I was scared to let him fully in because it meant risking heartbreak. A heartbreak I knew in my bones would ruin me.
Should I risk it? I took a deep breath as I walked toward Troy, his back turned to me. I swore Veronica’s eyes flickered toward me for a second before she went on to ignore my approach.
“What exactly is going on between you two?” she asked.
“It’s nothing,” Troy answered firmly.
I stopped in my tracks.