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seventeen

Chase

The ballroom of the Opryland Grand Hotel is awash in golden light with icy blue hues, and the shimmer of crystal chandeliers reflects off marble floors.

Elegantly dressed guests mingle with glasses of champagne in hand, their voices a hum beneath the soft strains of live music.

The atmosphere is a perfect blend of wealth and purpose, with banners showcasing the non-profit’s mission of “Empowering lives and Building Futures,” draping tastefully along the walls.

I adjust the cuffs of my tailored suit and plaster on the smile that I reserve for public appearances.

This isn’t my usual crowd. I feel more at home on the field, with a bat in my hand, than in a room full of philanthropists and socialites dressed in a stuffy suit.

But wait, aren’t I now one of those? I gave a substantial amount of money to this agency, and I have a name tag that reads Donor . And this suit fits me like a glove.

“Why didn’t you tell me you donated funds to Sky’s agency?” Ethan asks, attaching his Guest nametag to his jacket lapel.

I didn’t ask him to come as my guest, but he saw my calendar and invited himself, having a suit delivered to my place an hour later.

“It happened pretty quickly. When I was over at her place the night of the blackout, she mentioned something about some of her programs losing her funding. She seemed to be pretty bummed about it. I had made no major contributions to the community as of late, so I just figured to pull the trigger, and look, now I have a nametag that says Donor . So much better than Guest.” I tease with an elbow to his ribs.

He looks at me with an odd expression, but I’m distracted by the woman standing in the center of the room with her back straight, her laughter echoes as she speaks with a small group of men and women, confidence radiating off of her as she woos the group.

She is wearing a sleek, floor-length emerald green gown that hugs her figure perfectly, the color making her skin glow and her green eyes sparkle.

Her long, black-brown hair is swept back in an elegant updo, with a few strands framing her face. She looks like a breath of fresh air.

I freeze.

She takes my breath away as I admire her. She always looks classy, but this look on her is quite something and takes my breath away.

An elbow juts into my side. “Dude, you’re staring. Don’t be creepy. That’s my sister.”

“Sorry, man.” I lie. “But look at her. She is in her element. And every man in here is thinking the same thing that I am.”

“Oh? And what’s that?”

“That she looks amazing in that dress.”

I’m not sorry for staring. If only he knew of all the moments that I’ve thought of her recently. That I’ve already stolen with her, he would kill me.

“I’m going to go grab some drinks, you good?” he asks.

“I’m good,” I parrot, absently nodding.

As if she felt my gaze, Skylar turns her head and smiles as our eyes connect across the room.

She places her hand on the gentleman in front of her and walks in my direction.

She’s breathtaking. This was a woman who owns the room, who moves with grace and purpose, a woman who makes it impossible to look away.

“Chase!” Her warm voice breaks through my thoughts, smiling as she approaches.

“Hey, Sky,” I say, offering her a smile. “This is — incredible. The event looks amazing.”

“Thank you. I only had to show up. Thankfully, our events department has a keen eye for making sure these events go off without a hitch. Thank you for coming. I know it was last minute and probably something that you needed to squeeze into your busy schedule.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I reply.

Before she could respond, the emcee’s voice boomed through the microphone, announcing the start of the evening’s main program. She gives me an apologetic look. “I have to go up and give a speech about my programs. Come find me later?”

I nod, watching as she turns and glides across the floor to the side of the stage with confidence.

I take my seat beside Ethan at our table and watch as Skylar takes the stage.

She speaks about the non-profit’s achievements and upcoming projects, briefly mentions my contribution without naming me, and what she hopes to bring to the city in the coming months.

I am captivated, not just by her words, but by her passion.

She isn’t just beautiful; she is brilliant, driven, and genuine. The perfect combination.

Once the main program ended, I excused myself from the table and made my way to find her.

Even if I can get a slight moment with her, without Ethan with us, another small moment is all I ask for.

Probably all that I should risk. The lights have dimmed slightly as the band plays a slow song.

People took to the dancefloor, and while I hesitate for a moment, debating whether to approach her, Skylar steps beside me and holds out her hand for me to take.

“Dance with me?” she asks, her voice light, but her gaze steady.

I look around the room, hoping that Ethan is occupied. Hesitating just a split second before I take her hand, leading her onto the dance floor. The room shrinks as we move together, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder while my arms circle her waist.

“You’re full of surprises,” I say, keeping my voice low as we sway to the music.

“Oh?” She raises an eyebrow in amusement. “How so?”

“When we were younger, you stayed under the radar, but I remember your mom talking about you receiving an award here and there. Ethan never talked about it, because, well, we were dudes who didn’t talk about shit like that.

So, I never really saw you in your element until now.

You’ve always been smart and determined, but seeing you tonight, you’re unstoppable. ”

She laughs, the sound sending joy through me. “Careful, Chase. You’re starting to sound like a fan.”

“Maybe I am,” I say, my tone more serious than I intend. “So, your friend Monica the other night was pretty funny.”

“Monica? Yeah, she’s pretty talkative when she’s drinking, I guess.”

“She mentioned there was some guy, some guy you liked?”

She blushes. “I don’t know what you are talking about. Monica was drunk last night.”

“You can’t hide from me, you know that, right?”

“Fine. You know, we’ve been tiptoeing around one another. You and I. And I may have talked to her a little about it. And she had a real good question. What is stopping us?”

“Stopping us?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. Crossing the line, playing with fire — remember?”

“I remember, kind of hard to forget,” I reply honestly. “But you know what’s stopping us, or rather, who? He’s actually in this room.”

Her eyes flicker to mine, and for a moment, the world around us fades. But the moment was shattered when a hand clamped down on my shoulder.

“Alright, there needs to be more space between the two of you.” Ethan’s voice cuts in, tight and disapproving. He looks between us, his expression stern. “Sky. I heard someone at the auction table asking where you were.”

Skylar looks at me with reluctance in her gaze, with a flicker of annoyance. “Of course they are.” She turns to me, her smile apologetic, but warm. “Thanks for the dance.”

“Skylar is off-limits,” Ethan says, his voice dropping as he steps closer to me.

My jaw clenches, but I don’t respond. Instead, I watch as Skylar disappears into the crowd. Finally, I turn to my friend, my expression calm but defiant.

“I hear you, man. But maybe it’s time that you realize that she’s not a little girl anymore. She can make her own decisions. Besides, we’re just dancing. It’s what people do at these things.”

“You won’t be a decision that she will need to make. She’s off-limits. You know that. Don’t test me, Chase. I mean it. Skylar is too good for you.”

I hold my best friend’s gaze for a moment longer before turning away, leaving Ethan standing alone.

The warning was clear, but so was the fact that I wouldn’t follow it.

He knows it, just as I do.