Page 24

“No, I haven’t for years, but I still consider one of the guest rooms my own.”

“West said I had to be by his side all evening, for security reasons…”

Amber lifts her shoulders in a shrug. “But you became the convenient solution to avoid Mom’s matchmaking tonight.”

“It seems like it, yes. And so much for the whole ‘Nora, do not stray from my side’ talk he gave me earlier. He’s the one who just strayed!”

She laughs again. “God, you’re going to be so good for him.”

“I’m going to drive him insane. He already complains that I’m trouble, that he doesn’t have time for this.” I roll my eyes and take another long sip. The air is getting colder, and a shiver races across my skin. But I can’t imagine moving away from this ledge, right here, with her. It’s been a long time since I’ve spoken so freely to someone. “But I’m just trying to get by in what’s already a really weird situation.”

“Hey, you know what you need?” She turns to me more fully on the hedge, a smile playing across her lips. “A girls’ night out.”

“Oh, I’d like that. But no nightclubs.”

“No nightclubs.” She holds up her glass to mine. “We’ll bring the guards. We’ll be safe, but we’ll have fun. I’ve had years of practice sneaking out from my brother.”

“I’d really love that.” I touch my glass to hers, a true smile breaking out. Maybe this whole thing won’t be so terrible after all. Maybe there’s a way to still be my own person here.

Another shiver races across my skin, and I take a long sip of champagne. My head spins a tad more.

“I leave you alone for what, half an hour?” The voice is deep, male, and very clearly frustrated.

I look over to see West standing in front of us. He’s looking at the half-empty bottle of champagne between Amber and me.

“Careful, or your new girlfriend here will think you’re a total bore,” Amber says. She jumps down off the ledge. “We had a wonderful heart-to-heart. I’m happy for you.” She pats his arm. “I didn’t know how truly romantic you could be.”

His eyes narrow and slide to mine.

I hold up my hands.Not me.

Amber looks over at me with a wink. “We’ll talk later?”

“Absolutely.”

She heads off, and West doesn’t spare her another glance. He looks at me instead, his lips turning down in a faint frown. I’ve probably committed yet another grave offense. Maybe this particular stone was laid by a founding father and I’m desecrating it.

But I can’t find it in me to care right now.

“Don’t worry,” I tell him. “She figured out you and I aren’t really a… couple.”

“I suspected,” he mutters, and he shrugs out of his jacket. He steps closer and hangs it around my shoulders. It’s big and warm from his body. It hangs stiffly off my shoulders, and I grip one of the front pieces, pulling it closed around me.

“You’re cold again,” he says.

“Just a little,” I say. “Is this your move? Giving girls your jacket? This is the second time.”

West’s eyes narrow as he looks at me, his gaze flickering between my face and the champagne glass in my hand. “How much have you had to drink?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

“I think everything about you is my business right now.”

I shrug and look past him to the others on the terrace. “Have you been off mingling with eligible women?”

“Hardly. Everyone knows I brought you tonight.”

Oh. “And that’s apparently a big thing, is it? Your sister told me that you never bring dates to these events.”