girl?” Aeryn leaned forward. “Someone from catering?”
“No. My friend, Trina, works for Berkmore Global — I guess they’re hosting this thing, or something.”
Zach’s eyebrows disappeared into the fringe of hair that hung over his forehead. “I get it. You run with educated bitches.”
“Trina is not a bitch,” I said, affronted.
“But I bet she liked being the one holding the handout.”
“It’s not like that.” Trina and I weren’t close enough for me to feel especially moved to defend her, but I refused to let Zach have the satisfaction of thinking he knew anything about me. “We were roommates in college.
He surveyed me with a look that was too knowing, like he already had me all figured out. “Well, that explains it.”
I’d never been prone to violence but I really wanted to slap the satisfied smirk off of his face. “Explains what?”
“Why you’ve got I’m-too-good-for-this written all over your face.”
“I never actually graduated from college,” I said, rolling my eyes. What a jerk . “If that makes you feel any better.”
“It does actually.” His tone had turned from playful to pointed. “I guess that’s why you’re slumming it down here with us instead of sitting at one of those tables inside where you belong.”
Aeryn broke in with an uncomfortable laugh. “Whoa, guys. Play nice.”
“It’s fine, I’m heading back inside.” I gave Zach my haughtiest look as I stood up from the milk crate. “And just for the record, I’m not slumming it anywhere. I’m too good for you because you’re an asshole.”
Jason’s low whistle carried me through the propped open door. “Nice one.”
I couldn’t believe the nerve of that guy. Maybe insulting a girl within the first ten minutes of meeting her was a trick that worked on chicks with low self-esteem, but I was definitely not the one to put up with it.
Nerves frayed, I joined the group of waiters heading back into the ballroom to pick up the dinner plates. I was at the point of swearing off men completely — wanting them, talking to them, acknowledging that they existed.
As I picked up a plate from a man who hadn’t even bothered to look at me when he demanded that his water be refilled before I cleared anymore dishes, I heard the feedback of a microphone going live.
I looked up to see a beautiful woman on a raised stage at the back of the ballroom. She wore a floor-length red dress that shimmered underneath the twinkling lights of the chandelier. When she spoke her voice was deep and resonant like chamber music.
“Thank you all so much for coming tonight. My name is Adriana Hathaway, and I am the chairwoman of the Chicago Children’s Hospital Foundation. As you know, all of the proceeds from tonight’s dinner and silent auction are going to support the construction of the Berkmore Cancer Wing at the Chicago Children’s Hospital.”
The woman waited through the round of polite applause before continuing. “Now, I’d like to introduce the man who is responsible for putting together this wonderful evening. Since becoming CEO of Berkmore Global only two years ago, he has been a pioneer for corporate outreach in this city and is the recipient of this year’s Mayoral Prize for Excellence in Giving. I am very pleased to introduce the man who has done so much — Julian Berkmore-Hathaway.”
The plate in my hand dropped to the floor as my fingers went limp. The sound of it shattering was covered by the standing ovation as he took the stage. No one at the table I was clearing spared me a second glance as they rose from their seats.
But he must have heard. His gaze found me in the crowd, electric green eyes bright as headlights on a country road. A shock like electricity ran through me. I ducked down behind the standing crowd ostensibly to pick up the pieces of broken china.
My face flamed and I knew I looked like a ripe cherry tomato. I wasn’t ever supposed to see him again, that was the deal. It was
“No. My friend, Trina, works for Berkmore Global — I guess they’re hosting this thing, or something.”
Zach’s eyebrows disappeared into the fringe of hair that hung over his forehead. “I get it. You run with educated bitches.”
“Trina is not a bitch,” I said, affronted.
“But I bet she liked being the one holding the handout.”
“It’s not like that.” Trina and I weren’t close enough for me to feel especially moved to defend her, but I refused to let Zach have the satisfaction of thinking he knew anything about me. “We were roommates in college.
He surveyed me with a look that was too knowing, like he already had me all figured out. “Well, that explains it.”
I’d never been prone to violence but I really wanted to slap the satisfied smirk off of his face. “Explains what?”
“Why you’ve got I’m-too-good-for-this written all over your face.”
“I never actually graduated from college,” I said, rolling my eyes. What a jerk . “If that makes you feel any better.”
“It does actually.” His tone had turned from playful to pointed. “I guess that’s why you’re slumming it down here with us instead of sitting at one of those tables inside where you belong.”
Aeryn broke in with an uncomfortable laugh. “Whoa, guys. Play nice.”
“It’s fine, I’m heading back inside.” I gave Zach my haughtiest look as I stood up from the milk crate. “And just for the record, I’m not slumming it anywhere. I’m too good for you because you’re an asshole.”
Jason’s low whistle carried me through the propped open door. “Nice one.”
I couldn’t believe the nerve of that guy. Maybe insulting a girl within the first ten minutes of meeting her was a trick that worked on chicks with low self-esteem, but I was definitely not the one to put up with it.
Nerves frayed, I joined the group of waiters heading back into the ballroom to pick up the dinner plates. I was at the point of swearing off men completely — wanting them, talking to them, acknowledging that they existed.
As I picked up a plate from a man who hadn’t even bothered to look at me when he demanded that his water be refilled before I cleared anymore dishes, I heard the feedback of a microphone going live.
I looked up to see a beautiful woman on a raised stage at the back of the ballroom. She wore a floor-length red dress that shimmered underneath the twinkling lights of the chandelier. When she spoke her voice was deep and resonant like chamber music.
“Thank you all so much for coming tonight. My name is Adriana Hathaway, and I am the chairwoman of the Chicago Children’s Hospital Foundation. As you know, all of the proceeds from tonight’s dinner and silent auction are going to support the construction of the Berkmore Cancer Wing at the Chicago Children’s Hospital.”
The woman waited through the round of polite applause before continuing. “Now, I’d like to introduce the man who is responsible for putting together this wonderful evening. Since becoming CEO of Berkmore Global only two years ago, he has been a pioneer for corporate outreach in this city and is the recipient of this year’s Mayoral Prize for Excellence in Giving. I am very pleased to introduce the man who has done so much — Julian Berkmore-Hathaway.”
The plate in my hand dropped to the floor as my fingers went limp. The sound of it shattering was covered by the standing ovation as he took the stage. No one at the table I was clearing spared me a second glance as they rose from their seats.
But he must have heard. His gaze found me in the crowd, electric green eyes bright as headlights on a country road. A shock like electricity ran through me. I ducked down behind the standing crowd ostensibly to pick up the pieces of broken china.
My face flamed and I knew I looked like a ripe cherry tomato. I wasn’t ever supposed to see him again, that was the deal. It was
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