Page 24 of Babydaddy To Go
The men ogle my date. If I was better at this, I’d put a possessive arm around her. Instead, I take a step away. It’s better for both of us if the patrons know she’s available. The only people we needed to fool were the ones with the cameras outside.
“I’m Carlos,” a producer says, shaking her hand. He turns to me. “It’s good to see you again, Nathaniel. How is the restaurant business?”
“Still doing well, thanks. Are you excited for the premiere?”
His smile widens. I remember from the wrap party that this is Carlos’ first movie as an executive producer. If the movie does well, it could be the beginning of a long career for him. “I can’t wait. Three more months! We have a New York red carpet a few weeks before. You’ll be on the list for sure.”
“Sounds great, I’ll be there.”
My agent will be thrilled at the publicity opportunity.
“This party is awesome,” Carlos continues. “I just love coming out to charity events. The fans will come out in droves if they think we support whatever cause we’re here for.”
I’m too annoyed to respond. The conversation turns to movies and production, so we take that as our cue to leave.
Jasmine and I continue to wander the party. Everyone here smiles and acts like they’re here for the charity and not because of the red carpet they walked to get inside. Two of the people we talked to went on about how happy they are to be helping cancer research. I decided not to point out that the charity we’re here to support has nothing to do with cancer.
Everything about this is fake. No one cares about the cause, they care about the payout. Am I better than they are? I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my celebrity status. My donation was public because my agent said it would be good publicity.
I guess I’m fake, too.
“I need some air,” I tell Jasmine. She doesn’t say anything, just walks away to find someone more interesting. At least she took my silence proposition seriously.
There’s a balcony off the second level of the ballroom. It looks out at one of Central Park’s biggest bodies of water.
It’s a little cold out here, but my suit jacket keeps out the wind.
Seeing the Park immediately makes me think of Alyssa again. What is she doing with the rest of her night? I’m glad she got out of her apartment and explored a bit. Did she stay out after she saw me, or did she go back home? Was she meeting someone? When we were together, she mentioned she was single. It’s possible that changed over the course of twenty-four hours. I noticed some of the guys in class were eyeing her thick hips.
When we kissed, my fingers dug into the soft skin on her sides. It was the best kiss of my life. That little moan she gave when I dipped my tongue between hers nearly killed me.
Then there’s her chest. Jasmine has fake breasts, but Alyssa’s were clearly real. She’s well endowed on top and on the bottom, with a perfectly slim stomach in between. It’s a miracle she’s single. I can’t believe I had her within reach and convinced myself we needed space.
As her teacher, I should not be thinking about her this way. As a man, it’s nearly impossible to stop.
Alyssa is the kind of girl I could share a home with. She would be an incredible wife and mother to any future children. We share the same passion for cooking. We could open a restaurant together, turn it into a family business.
Was I too hard on her today? I don’t even know if Alyssa will show up to class tomorrow. I might have crushed her lifelong dream of being a chef just by being a harsh judge. In my head, I knew why I was being mean. I wanted to give her a thick skin so she can survive in this industry.
Thinking back on it, I realize she wouldn’t have known my motives. She probably thought I was just being an ass.
I sigh. I’ve been standing on this balcony for over an hour. My agent said I only had to stay at the party for two hours. With the time spent schmoozing with Jasmine, I think I’ve fulfilled my quota.
Jasmine is easy to find. She’s flirting with a businessman I don’t recognize.
“Hey,” I tell her. “I’m going to head out.”
She sips her drink and eyes the older man. I don’t want to know what thoughts are running through her mind.
“I have a ride home. Thanks for tonight, Nathan. It was fun.”
Correcting her would be pointless. I squeeze her shoulder and head out. The hotel has a low-key exit in the back for people who don’t want to be seen. My driver is waiting for me out there when I get out.
“How was the party, sir?” he asks.
“The same as the others. Next time I ask you to take me to a party like this, tell me no.”
“You don’t pay me to say no,” my driver jokes. “That bad?”