to get ugly. When they were almost there, Victoria turned to Barry, her eyes pleading. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but…this is a very important night for me. I was hoping you could hold off on drinking, at least until a little later in the evening. I have to socialize a little with my team but once that’s done, we can mingle and have a little more space. Would you do that for me tonight?”
She could tell from the way his lips thinned that he had definitely taken her comment the wrong way. His sarcastic tone confirmed her suspicions. “Ah, so you think I’m going to get drunk tonight, huh?”
“Barry, please don’t do this,” she begged, hearing the antagonistic tone bubbling up in him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, doll. I’m always on my best behavior.”
Victoria wasn’t convinced. “So you’ll hold off on drinking for a little while?”
“Li sten, Vicky. I can hold my alc ohol. Don’t worry about it.” He chucked her on the chin in what he probably thought was a playful gesture but it was hard enough to push Victoria ’s face away. She bit her tongue about the movement, not wanting to start a fight only moments before they entered the party.
They pulled into the parking lot at that moment so there wasn’t any more time to discuss the issue of his drinking or his temper . Victoria just had to put her trust in him and hope for the best.
The hotel where the party was being held was beautifully decorated and everyone was in their most glamorous dresses. Some of the women were dressed in all out ball gowns. Others, like Victoria were in formal gowns. Almost every man wore a tuxedo and it seemed that everyone already had a glass of champagne in their hands . The laughter from the crowd was bubbling up from every corner and Victoria tried to lose her nervousness. This was a party, not a test, she reminded herself. She was supposed to have a good time.
She knew it was going to be a tough night when Barry immediately took her to one of several open bars in the ballroom and ordered scotch. Victoria requested champagne and was sipping the bubbly liquid when Bob, Mike and Thomas found her.
“You made it!” Bob said and his eyes showed his appreciation for her appearance.
“And how!” Mike added, whistling as he took her hand and spun her around so he could check out her dress. “Nice rags, lovely lady,” he said and released her hand, but his eyes still admired her in the rose colored dress.
Victoria laughed, grateful for their praise. She didn’t want to analyze why their comments made her feel good whereas Barry’s initial reaction engendered only marginal emotions . She kept her eyes away from the man that she wanted to see the most. Thomas was standing out of the corner of her eye and for some reason, he looked angry although she couldn’t imagine why.
“What do you think, Thomas?” Mike asked, turning to their boss who was standing a little bit back from the group. “A little different from her normal business suits, huh?”
Thomas slowly looked her up and down, the appreciation evident in his look. “Definitely lovely,” he said quietly.
Victoria couldn’t help the flush of happiness that overcame her with his comment. And she realized that she had been anticipating his reaction ever since Laci pulled the beautifully feminine dress out of the bag. “Thank you,” she said softly, looking away quickly so he wouldn’t see how much his comment meant to her.
“I’m Barry Rogers,” Barry said, putting one arm around Victoria ’s waist and sticking the other hand out to shake Thomas’s. Although the gestures were correct, there seemed to be an underlying threat communicated between the two men. Victoria was initially amazed that Barry had picked out the one man who might be a threat to Victoria ’s
She could tell from the way his lips thinned that he had definitely taken her comment the wrong way. His sarcastic tone confirmed her suspicions. “Ah, so you think I’m going to get drunk tonight, huh?”
“Barry, please don’t do this,” she begged, hearing the antagonistic tone bubbling up in him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, doll. I’m always on my best behavior.”
Victoria wasn’t convinced. “So you’ll hold off on drinking for a little while?”
“Li sten, Vicky. I can hold my alc ohol. Don’t worry about it.” He chucked her on the chin in what he probably thought was a playful gesture but it was hard enough to push Victoria ’s face away. She bit her tongue about the movement, not wanting to start a fight only moments before they entered the party.
They pulled into the parking lot at that moment so there wasn’t any more time to discuss the issue of his drinking or his temper . Victoria just had to put her trust in him and hope for the best.
The hotel where the party was being held was beautifully decorated and everyone was in their most glamorous dresses. Some of the women were dressed in all out ball gowns. Others, like Victoria were in formal gowns. Almost every man wore a tuxedo and it seemed that everyone already had a glass of champagne in their hands . The laughter from the crowd was bubbling up from every corner and Victoria tried to lose her nervousness. This was a party, not a test, she reminded herself. She was supposed to have a good time.
She knew it was going to be a tough night when Barry immediately took her to one of several open bars in the ballroom and ordered scotch. Victoria requested champagne and was sipping the bubbly liquid when Bob, Mike and Thomas found her.
“You made it!” Bob said and his eyes showed his appreciation for her appearance.
“And how!” Mike added, whistling as he took her hand and spun her around so he could check out her dress. “Nice rags, lovely lady,” he said and released her hand, but his eyes still admired her in the rose colored dress.
Victoria laughed, grateful for their praise. She didn’t want to analyze why their comments made her feel good whereas Barry’s initial reaction engendered only marginal emotions . She kept her eyes away from the man that she wanted to see the most. Thomas was standing out of the corner of her eye and for some reason, he looked angry although she couldn’t imagine why.
“What do you think, Thomas?” Mike asked, turning to their boss who was standing a little bit back from the group. “A little different from her normal business suits, huh?”
Thomas slowly looked her up and down, the appreciation evident in his look. “Definitely lovely,” he said quietly.
Victoria couldn’t help the flush of happiness that overcame her with his comment. And she realized that she had been anticipating his reaction ever since Laci pulled the beautifully feminine dress out of the bag. “Thank you,” she said softly, looking away quickly so he wouldn’t see how much his comment meant to her.
“I’m Barry Rogers,” Barry said, putting one arm around Victoria ’s waist and sticking the other hand out to shake Thomas’s. Although the gestures were correct, there seemed to be an underlying threat communicated between the two men. Victoria was initially amazed that Barry had picked out the one man who might be a threat to Victoria ’s
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