I glanced down at her. "We barely know each other. How can you possibly know that?"
Eve shrugged. "Because you want it, and you'll do anything to get it. You're here with me, aren't you? I'm sure the last thing you wanted to do was bring a date who wasn't your daughter to the party."
"You got that right," I said without thinking.
Eve flinched but recovered before I could soften my statement. "By the end of the night, Frank will know that you're the right man for the job."
I let out a breath, the tension easing slightly. "I hope you're right."
"Oh, my God, is that my sister? What's she doing here?"
I followed her gaze to the edge of the dance floor where Natasha stood next to one of the Sterling brothers.
Eve dropped her hands and headed toward them. "Natasha, what are you doing here?"
"Ford wanted to see what the ball was all about." Natasha's gaze moved from Eve to me. "What are you doing here?"
"When I went to the firehouse to ask them to be in the parade, the chief said Maddox was in line for his position and needed a date to the party."
"In order for the fire department to drive their trucks in the parade, we needed to host their holiday party, and you had to bring a firefighter as your date?"
"Not just any firefighter," I interjected, shaking Natasha's hand, and then Ford's.
"Ford Sterling. Nice to meet you."
"Maddox Knight." I glanced over at the bar where Frank was talking to some of the other guys in my department. "Chief thought it would look better if I was dating someone. Make me look more stable or something like that."
"Huh," Ford said.
Eve rolled her eyes. "I'm being fixed up with firefighters now. But we have firetrucks in the parade."
It was a good reminder that Eve was doing this for another reason, to get what she wanted. She wasn't interested in a real date with me. This was part of the deal we'd made.
"Do you have a Santa for the firetruck?" Natasha asked me.
I cringed because I didn't want that role.
"We're still working on that. I think because I brought him as my date, he should be Santa."
"I'm supposed to be the next fire chief. I'll look ridiculous in a Santa suit."
"It will endear you to the community and the children," Eve said.
"I get along just fine."
Eve placed her hands on her hips. "Your boss doesn't seem to think so. He said you needed to revamp your image with the public."
I waved a hand. "I'm nice."
Eve gave me a look.
"I think I need another drink," Natasha said.
"I want to know what's going on with you two," Eve said to her sister. "But I'm hosting this shindig."
I offered Eve a hand. "I think we're supposed to be dancing and looking happy."
"I can't be expected to work miracles," Eve mumbled but placed her hand in mine.
