Page 17 of My Horrible Arranged Marriage (Bancroft Billionaire Brothers #20)

MINA

I stood in front of the full-length mirror in my bedroom, adjusting the straps of my lavender dress for the tenth time.

The fabric clung to my curves in all the right places.

It was perfect for a summer party. Given the color scheme of the event, I didn’t want to clash.

There would be enough of that as it was. Pastels seemed like a safer choice.

I put on basic diamond earrings and a matching tennis bracelet. I couldn’t help but feel a flutter of nerves in my stomach. It was silly. It was just another party.

But Isaac was going to be there. I had a partner in crime. Someone to hang out with me. We could laugh together. Actually enjoy a boring, stuffy party.

“You look stunning,” Tori said, emerging from the closet in one of my designer dresses—a sleek, off-the-shoulder navy blue number that hugged her figure beautifully. Her blonde hair was pinned up, and her makeup was flawless.

“Look who’s talking,” I replied, grinning. “You clean up nice.”

She laughed, twirling in front of the mirror. “Thanks for letting me borrow this. I never get to dress up like this.”

“Well, tonight’s the night. The infamous Duvall summer party,” I said, rolling my eyes.

Tori giggled. “I still can’t believe you and Isaac planned all that. It’s going to be a disaster.”

“That’s the point,” I said, smirking. “A memorable disaster.”

She sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Speaking of Isaac… you like him, don’t you?”

I felt my cheeks heat up. “Maybe.”

“Come on, Mina. Spill.”

I sighed, sitting next to her. “He’s so different. Charming, funny, and he doesn’t care about the Duvall name or the money. He sees me.”

Tori nodded thoughtfully. “He understands the pressure of growing up in a family like yours. And he’s hot.”

I laughed. “That too.”

She nudged me playfully. “I think you two might be good for each other. You both have wild spirits. Although that could be a disaster.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Two tornadoes in the same space,” Tori explained, miming an explosion with her hands. “Both of you are these powerful forces that just sweep through life doing whatever you want. What happens when those forces collide?”

I rolled my eyes. “We’re not that dramatic.”

“Oh please.” Tori laughed. “You crashed a wedding together after knowing each other for what, five minutes? Then you deliberately planned the ugliest party in Manhattan history just to spite your father. And don’t think I haven’t noticed how you check your phone every two seconds when he texts you. ”

I glanced away. “I do not.”

“You absolutely do,” she insisted, reaching for my makeup bag to touch up her lipstick. “It’s like watching two hurricanes decide to date. Either you cancel each other out or you create something catastrophic.”

“Or something amazing,” I countered.

Tori’s expression softened. “That’s what I’m hoping for. After everything with Sampson, you deserve someone who makes you smile that way.”

The mention of Sampson made my stomach clench. “He’s going to be here tonight.”

“I know,” Tori said quietly. “Are you ready for that?” Her expression turned serious.

I took a deep breath, smoothing down the front of my dress. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“At least you’ll have Isaac with you,” she pointed out. “And me, of course. If Sampson tries anything, I’ll spill blue meat jelly all over his expensive shoes.”

That made me laugh. “My hero.”

“Alright,” she said. “Are you ready to make your big debut?”

“No.”

She laughed. “Too bad. You’re the hostess. You have to be ready. Besides, you look good. Isaac is going to be trying to steal you away and have his way with you.”

I flashed a grin. “I’m counting on it.”

We left my suite and made our way down the long, wide hallway.

I had never lived anywhere else. The Duvall Estate had been my home since I was born.

My nursery was on the opposite wing near my father’s quarters.

When I turned thirteen, one of my birthday gifts was the remodeled suite I had now.

My father wanted me to feel like I had space to be a girl.

It was thoughtful and it made it so much easier to live at home despite closing in on thirty.

I could spend a week at home and never see my father.

Which happened quite often.

Tori and I descended the grand staircase. The ballroom had its own entrance. It was a privacy thing. We didn’t particularly want a hundred people streaming through the house. The ballroom entrance was very grand, and when we were hosting a black-tie event, we had the entrance decked out.

We stepped into the foyer. I could hear music coming from the ballroom. But it wasn’t exactly music. Tori looked at me. “What the hell is that noise?”

We exchanged a glance, and I couldn’t help but grin. What I could only describe as a drunken pirate’s anthem echoed through the grand foyer. Tori’s eyes widened in horror.

“Is that a sea shanty?” she asked, her voice barely audible over the cacophony.

“Yep,” I said, trying to stifle a laugh. “And it’s only going to get better.”

“Oh my God. Your dad is going to shit.”

“I don’t know,” I said with a small shrug. “The shanty thing is actually kind of popular right now. I think it will be fun.”

She gave me a look that said she didn’t believe that for a second.

We pushed open the double doors to the ballroom, and the scene that greeted us was nothing short of spectacular.

The coral and chartreuse tablecloths clashed violently with the lime green centerpieces, which were now adorned with glittering gold flamingos.

The bar was set up in the corner, manned by a bartender who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.

On the stage, the band was belting out a raucous rendition of What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor , complete with stomping feet, clapping, and an enthusiastic concertina player.

“Oh my God,” Tori whispered, clutching my arm. “This is… this is…”

“A party,” I finished for her.

I couldn’t help but laugh. The guests all looked a little confused like they couldn’t figure out if they were having a fever dream or had taken a left turn and ended up at a carnival.

But I did see smiles. They were enjoying the spectacle.

It was something different, novel. This party was the opposite of everything these people were used to.

Elegant was replaced with chaos, and it was glorious.

Understated decor was nowhere to be found.

It was all in your face and loud. The room buzzed with a kind of energy I’d never seen at one of my father’s events.

People were laughing, some were even dancing—rather attempting to dance—to the sea shanties, and the bar was doing a brisk business.

Then I saw him.

Isaac stood near the entrance, wearing a dark purple suit with a lime green pocket square and matching tie. He even had on lime green socks peeking out from his polished shoes. He looked ridiculous and sexy at the same time. That was not something many could pull off.

Tori giggled beside me. “You two are something else.”

“This is going to be so fun,” I said.

“I’m getting a drink. Try not to burn the place down. Remember what I said about two tornadoes in the same place. Save some oxygen for the rest of us.”

She walked away and I made my way to Isaac.

I burst out laughing. “Oh my God, you actually did it.”

He grinned, spreading his arms. “Custom-made for the occasion.”

I couldn’t stop laughing. I wasn’t sure if I was the one having the fever dream. “I can’t believe this is actually happening.”

“Oh, it’s happening, baby.” He grinned. “Love the music. I am feeling the strong desire to tap my foot.”

“It is catchy.”

“You look beautiful by the way,” he said with his voice dropping low and getting very serious. “Stunning.”

I felt my cheeks flush. He said it like he meant it. I had been complimented a million times, but this time, it felt real. And it felt good. “Thank you,” I said, hoping the music hid how breathless my voice was.

Just then, my father approached, his eyes scanning the room. He looked at Isaac’s outfit, then at the decor, his expression unreadable. The old man had a heck of a poker face. But I was a Duvall too, and I kept my expression just as neutral.

“You’ve outdone yourself, Mina,” he said hesitantly.

“Thanks, Dad,” I replied, feigning pride.

He nodded slowly, clearly trying not to hurt my feelings. It was the one reaction I hadn’t expected: confused support. I felt a pang of guilt at playing a trick on my father, but at least people seemed to be enjoying themselves.

I shook it off. This was our party, and we were going to enjoy it too.

“Mr. Duvall,” Isaac said and extended his hand.

My dad looked at him like he was just seeing him for the first time. “Oh yes, Isaac. Good to see you with clothes on.”

My mouth dropped open. I looked from Isaac to my father. “ Excuse me? Were you naked together? Why? Oh God, I’m going to be sick.” I turned my horrified expression to my father. “Why were you anywhere Isaac was naked?”

“I was at the pool and no one was naked,” Isaac said, chuckling. “I was in board shorts. Lots of people were around. Relax. Breathe.”

My dad smirked. “You’ll do,” he said and walked away.

“What the hell was that about?” I asked. “I swear, you two better not be keeping secrets from me. You know I have trust issues.”

Isaac laughed. “I promise it wasn’t anything. Besides, it’s your dad. You tell me why he’s weird.”

“Where do I start?”

We laughed.

“Let’s get a drink,” he said. “And get your mind out of the gutter, Duvall.”

I eyed him but finally nodded. “Alright. I’ll trust you.”

We got one of the specialty drinks. A purple concoction that was actually pretty good.

I sipped the purple drink, the sweet tang of it making me smile.

The band had moved on to a slightly more upbeat shanty, and a few brave souls were attempting to dance.

Isaac watched them with an amused smirk, his hand still holding mine.

“You know,” he said, leaning in so I could hear him over the music, “I think we might’ve started a trend.”

I laughed, glancing around the room. “A trend of what? Awkwardly swaying to pirate songs?”

“Exactly,” he said, grinning. “It’s the next big thing. Mark my words.”

I shook my head, but I couldn’t stop smiling. The chaos of the party was infectious, and for once, I wasn’t dreading every second of it. I felt light, like I could actually enjoy myself instead of worrying about what everyone else thought.

Isaac tugged on my hand. “Come on. Let’s show them how it’s done.”

“What?” I asked, laughing as he pulled me onto the dance floor. “You can’t be serious.”

“Dead serious,” he said and spun me around so I was facing him. “You’re the hostess. You’ve got to set the tone.”

“The tone is already set,” I said, laughing as he pulled me into a ridiculous dance.

We swayed and spun, completely out of sync with the music but having the time of our lives.

The other guests watched us, some laughing, others shaking their heads in disbelief.

But I didn’t care. For the first time in a long time, I felt free.

As the song ended, Isaac dipped me dramatically, earning a round of applause from people nearby. He pulled me back up, his eyes sparkling with mischief, and took a bow. “See? We’re naturals.”

“Naturals at making fools of ourselves,” I teased, but I couldn’t stop smiling.

He leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear. “You know, you’re kind of amazing.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Kind of?”

“Okay, definitely amazing,” he corrected with a grin.

After dancing to another song, Isaac and I stepped out onto the stone patio, where clusters of seating surrounded the pool. The glass doors were propped open, letting the warm evening air into the ballroom.

We grabbed drinks from the outdoor bar and settled into a cozy corner.

“So, what do you think of our masterpiece?” I asked, sipping my cocktail.

He chuckled. “It’s gloriously awful. I love it. And I’m not the only one.”

We watched as guests mingled and actually seemed to be enjoying themselves once they let themselves loosen up.

“See that guy over there?” Isaac nodded toward a man in a bright yellow suit. “He looks like a banana. Did you tell him to dress that way?”

I laughed. “That’s Mr. Thompson. He’s always been eccentric. This is just the first time he hasn’t stuck out in the crowd.”