“And she gets to live vicariously through you as you do,” Ashley teased.“Just watch out, she’ll have you watching Lord of the Rings next.”
“I haven’t seen those movies either, though I did readThe Hobbitfor school,” Audrey admitted.
“You poor deprived baby,” Claudia put her arm around Audrey’s shoulders, making her laugh.“Don’t worry.I’m making a mental list in my head of all the fun things we’re going to do.”
“Fun, nerdy things.”Ashley snickered.
“You enjoyed them, don’t lie.”
“I did say they’re fun.I don’t mind being a nerd.”
Naomi leaned over the balcony railing again, looking down at the activities below before glancing back at them.
“Do you want to go downstairs?”she asked, directing the question at Audrey.“We could get a closer look at everything.”
“Um…” No.She didn’t.Not really.Because downstairs was where Mason and Yasmine were.Doing… something.Maybe breaking up.But maybe trying to make the chemistry work between them.
Which was something she really didn’t want to think about, much less face head-on.How would she feel if they walked out of the room, disheveled and smiling?
Jealous.
Envious.
Like crying.
Definitely not anything she wanted any of the people here to witness her feeling because she had no right to it.So, she had a crush on Mason.He wastaken.Even if he and Yasmine broke things off tonight, she couldn’t justify acting on her crush right after they broke up, if ever.
She liked Yasmine.They were becoming friends.And she was becoming friends with all of Yasmine’s friends.
Ruining that by dating Yasmine’s ex wasn’t something she was willing to do.No matter how attracted she was to him.
“We don’t have to,” Naomi reassured her.“That can wait ‘til next time, if you’re interested.I just wanted you to know it’s an option.”
“I think I’m more comfortable up here for right now, if that’s okay.”Audrey smiled weakly.It would be easier to hide her reaction up here if Yasmine and Mason appeared any time soon.
Though her goal was to stay long enough not to arouse suspicion, then leave before they came out.Either way.Because she didn’t want to look devastated if they were happy or happy if they had broken up.
“It’s absolutely okay,” Claudia reassured her, while Naomi and Ashley nodded in encouragement.“This is a lot to take in, even if you’re interested.If you decide you want to go down, we can go down.If you want to stay up here tonight, we can stay up here.And if you see someone you want to talk to, we can introduce you.Whatever you want.”
“Thanks.”She wished Claudia’s reassurance made her feel better, but unfortunately, the thing she wanted was the one thing none of them could offer her.
Because he was one level down in a private room with the woman he was going to marry.
ChapterFourteen
Mason
Making his way over to the bed where Yasmine was sitting, Mason settled next to her.Whatever she wanted to talk about, he got the feeling it wasn’t the scene he had planned.
“Okay,” he said slowly.“Let’s talk then.”
“Are you attracted to me?”she asked bluntly, lifting her chin to meet his gaze, more than a touch of defiance in her demeanor.Her dark eyes weren’t accusatory, but they were filled with some kind of emotion he couldn’t read.
Fuck.
He didn’t want to hurt her.
“I think you’re an incredibly attractive woman,” he replied with complete honesty.
