“You gonna steal some of her decorating ideas?” Vail asked as I looked around.
“Maybe.”
“I’m so glad you’re here,” a voice said, and I turned to find James and Delaney behind me. They both got hugs from me and nods from Vail. Progress!
We stood around and chatted for a little while until more people started arriving and filling the apartment.
“Is that Eloise Roth, the author?” Vail said in my ear, making me freeze and sending a bolt of heat down my spine. Having her close to me affected me more than the alcohol. I’d have to be careful or else everyone at this party was going to see how I felt about her written all over my face.
Right. Eloise Roth. The famous author.
“Yeah, she’s friends with Stace and Hunter, I think.” There. That was a normal response, even if my voice shook a little.
Eloise was over near the food with Cade, her girlfriend.
“You never expect that people like her are just walking around and living normal lives, you know?” Vail said in that low voice that made me almost choke on my own inhales. That voice was a weapon against me.
“You want to go over and talk to her?” I asked. I’d had a few conversations with her before, but I’d always kept them brief so I didn’t embarrass myself.
Cade stole something from Eloise’s plate, causing Eloise to glare at Cade, who ate whatever it was, laughed, and then kissed Eloise on the cheek.
“I can introduce you,” Delaney said. She’d been watching me and Vail with a critical eye that I was pretending to ignore. She definitely saw too much.
“Maybe later,” I said. “She looks busy.”
Eloise tucked some of Cade’s reddish hair behind her ear and gazed at her in a way that made me stop staring at them.
“They’re ridiculous, aren’t they?” Delaney said with a little sigh. “But they’re totally perfect for each other.”
There was one thing I knew about Delaney, and it was that she loved love. I’d never met a more romantic person in my life, which was funny, because James was so chill about a lot of things. But she was serious about Delaney.
“Are you in love with Eloise Roth now?” James asked, twisting her fingers with Delaney’s. So far, Vail and I were the only non-couple at this party and everywhere I looked people were touching or kissing or leaning together or laughing. I hoped Vail wasn’t uncomfortable with all the love in the air.
Delaney spun around to gaze up at James. “I only have eyes for you, my love.”
They kissed and I could feel Vail tensing beside me.
I faced her. “Want to get some food?”
She hadn’t thrown out the safe word or the safe gesture, but I could see that she was panicking a little.
“Yeah,” she said, and we went over to the food table. I handed her a plate and she started loading it up. There was twice as much food as everyone at the party could possibly eat, but I wasn’t complaining.
“Better than what we’re used to, isn’t it? No silver trays of cold canapés.”
Vail shuddered. “Don’t even say that word. It sets off my gag reflex.”
I laughed and filled my plate, making sure I grabbed a napkin too. A few people occupied the couch and the chairs, so we had to make do with the spare chairs that had been pulled away from the dining table, which was pushed up against the wall.
Vail sat next to me, her plate on her lap.
Cade and Eloise were on the couch to my left.
“I know I’ve met you before, please remind me of your name,” Cade said after looking at me for a few moments. I had to stop myself from trying to count all the freckles on her face. There were so many.
“I’m Lea. And this is Vail.”
Vail nodded at Cade.
