“Oh my god.” I hide my face in my hands. “You aren’t helping.”
“Well, you also forgot about that event your mom and my parents are making us go to tonight … Didn’t you?” Ash asks.
“Shit. What am I going to wear? And what about James?”
Ash’s phone dings at the same time as mine. I pick it up, nervous energy coursing through me. I swipe it open and instantly deflate.
Mom: There’s an event tonight. You are expected to come. I’ve already told everyone you are attending. Don’t disappoint me. Your sister told me you quit your job, so I know you don’t have plans. It’s a formal event. Look nice.
“James will be at the event,” Ash says.
I peer over to her. “How do you know?”
She waves her phone at me. “Ryder just texted saying they are all busy tonight. I asked if he wanted to go to Club X earlier. He claims it’s a business thing, so they’re all going to be there. Especially since this is the elite’s biggest auction and ball of the year.”
I stare at her. Jaz continues to munch on her pizza.
“What?” Ash asks. “I follow all of the business dealings and events, even if I’m actively avoiding everything to do with my parents. As for the outfits, we broughteverything. It’s in the entryway. We figured you forgot since you didn’t bother to mention it in the messages.”
“You could just text James and ask him when he will be back, you know?” Jaz gives me a pointed look.
“Eh. That’s too easy. We both know Alex here loves a challenge. Plus, looking really hot at an event sounds like a great way to figure out what else is going on here besides hot sex,” Ash adds.
“Ash!” I throw a pillow at her, which bounces off her hand causing the pizza to splat onto the table.
She gapes at it in horror. “Rude.” She picks it up, looks it over, and takes another bite. I scrunch my nose at her as she looks at me. “What? It wasn’t dirty.”
“I can’t with you. But if we are going to go to the ball, then we’d better get ready. I’m going to need all the help I can get.”
They each stuff another couple more pieces of pizza in their mouths, then we carry our coffees towards the bedroom. Ash hands me her cup and takes off to grab the dresses.
“What is this ball even for?” Jaz asks.
“Uh, let me ask mom what it’s called. I think it’s basically a huge auction for charity. That’s why mom is a part of it, ever since Dad left she’s been involved in his old-money charities. And she was able to keep her place when they got the divorce. I think it was part of the agreement. I really don’t know. I try to stay out of it.”
My phone buzzes, so I look down.
Mom: The Fireside Ball. It’s a huge event with a lot of big names coming to present then mingle after. You better not back out, Alexandra. I told you I already told people you were coming.
“Something called the Fireside Ball.” I look up and see Ashlyn is grinning at me like the Cheshire cat. “Fuck me.”
She keeps grinning and nods. “Quite possibly, yes. That could be really hot though. You and James connecting in the coat closet of the event.”
Heat creeps up my neck to my cheeks, and I look away.Yeah, that would be hot,but I’m not sure it would actually happen.
“Hello, hello?” Ryder’s voice echoes through the main part of the apartment.
I whisper to Ash, “What the fuck?”
She just shrugs and walks back out of the bedroom. “What are you doing here?”
I follow behind her and see Ryder standing in the middle of the kitchen. “You texted, so I figured I would check on you.” He hikes a thumb over his shoulder. “I live downstairs, so I just took the elevator. What are you guys up to?”
He tries to peek into the bedroom, but Jaz shuts the door when she comes out. “Uh, just working on getting ready.”
His boyish smirk is contagious. “For what my dear?” He checks his watch, then says, “Isn’t it a little early in the day to get ready?”
“The ball, you nosey man,” Ash huffs, then flips her hair over her shoulder. “Beauty takes time, Ryder, and there’s a lot to do. Along with catching up on the latest gossip.”
