“Yeah,” I say. “I sorta can. You two look really happy.”
“I am.…” Her gaze drifts over to him. “I think he’s making me a better person. Isn’t that gross?”
“No,” I say. “That’s amazing.”
She wrinkles her nose. “Who would have thought we’d both fall in love for thefirsttime at thesametime.”
Love.
“So,” Cassandra says. She squints at me. “You think Jordan will show tonight?”
I glance at Alexis. “No idea. You think Rainer would invite him?”
Cassandra shrugs. “You said they’re being civil again, right? Maybe as a gesture?”
I finally confessed to Cassandra that something had gone on with Jordan and me on Maui. I told her after the premiere. Well, actually, she guessed it. We were with my sister, but she had stepped out to call her fiancé, Bill, when Cassandra sprung the question on me. I told her the truth: that I had feelings for Jordan, but that I had made a choice, and I was happy with it.
“Yeah,” I say. “Maybe.”
“Have you spoken to him since you’ve been back?”
“Since this morning? No. He’s…” I let my voice trail off. I don’t know how to finish that sentence. WhatisJordan? Angry? Missing in action? Definitely over me.
I think about Jordan at the press conference. How he looked at me with so much understanding and compassion. Even love, maybe. But on tour all of that was gone. He treated me like a leper. Wherever I was, he definitely was not.
I drop my voice even lower. “He seemed pretty cozy with Alexis on tour.”
Cassandra raises an eyebrow at me. “No chance.”
“You’ve seen her, right?” I say, cocking my head in the direction of the table. “Plus, apparently he’s always had some thing for her.”
“Well, maybe that’s good,” she says. “You’re with Rainer, right?”
“Yeah,” I say. “Of course.”
Just then Jake and Rainer come over. “Sorry to interrupt,” Rainer says. “But youarethe guest of honor.”
“Who, me?” Cassandra says, blinking at him. I know she means to wink, but she’s never been able to do it. “Fine, I’ll go greet my adoring fans.”
The four of us head over to the table. Alexis immediately stands. “Happy birthday,” she says in her perfect British accent. “I’ve missed you, darling.”
I try to keep my eyes on her, to stop them from darting around the space, trying to see if he’s here.
“Alexis,” I say. “How are you?”
Alexis is dressed, as usual, effortlessly cool. Jeans, heels, a silk shirt, and a color-contrasting head scarf. Gold and turquoise jewelry hangs from her neck and ears. She’s tall, too—about five nine to my five feet. She used to be a model—the real kind. Fashion. She grew up all over the world—Paris, London, Portugal. I can’t hate her, though, because she’s genuinely trying to be my friend. I can’t even resent Jordan for wanting her—who wouldn’t?
I suddenly feel really, really short in my black dress. I normally like being short, but it may not have killed me to wear heels tonight instead of these low wedges.
“Wonderful. How are you? Not jet-lagged, I hope?”
“Not too bad,” I say, accepting champagne from a passing waiter. “We slept a lot on the plane.”
I wave at Jessica, and she cranes over the table to give me a hug before I feel Alexis grabbing at me. “Let me see this!” she says.
She snatches my hand and gapes at the ring Rainer just gave me.
I snuggle closer into him. “It goes with my necklace.” I pluck it off my chest.
