“See you, Gracie,” Leon called out, that ornery look still on his face.
Oh, he was a pest too.
But it made me smile when I spotted Alex’s scowl as I got away. I took my time walking through the doors, meeting some people’s eyes. Everyone was dressed in clothes like people inThe Great Gatsby. Long dresses with heavy beading and expensive materials. Jewelry with gems the size of my pinkie nail. Tuxedos that were just as nice as the one Alex had on.
When I’d first seen him standing in the foyer, my knee had almost given out. Sure I’d said his other brother Odi had taken over the top spot of being the most attractive man I’d ever seen, but Alex in that suit? It was why I’d forced myself not to look at him more than I had to. It was too much.
I didn’t want my body to do something embarrassing either, which meant, I needed to focus on something else.
A woman beside me let out a fake, high laugh.
I felt so out of place.
And I was hungry.
I turned right out of the doors and took in the empty hallway, counting the doorways until I found the one with literally a bathroom sign for women on it.
I pushed open the door, half expecting a half-bath, but it was a full-on bathroom with stalls. Was that marble on the floor and the sinks? Ducking into one of the stalls, I did what I needed to with my clothes; I clutched my brand-new multi-tool so it wouldn’t fall into the toilet and squatted. I’d just started peeing when I suddenly stopped.
Because peeking at me from the gaps in the slats that made up the door was a little face.
I covered my midsection with my hands.
“Hi,” the little girl said.
Watching me pee.
I kept holding it and said, “Hi.”
“Whatcha doing?” the little blonde girl asked.
I kept holding it, not sure whether to pull my dress back down or not… but I wasn’t done. “Peeing.” I paused. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing. Looking for my grandma.”
Grandma? She had to be… little? I hadn’t been around all that many kids, but she looked like she might be freaking cute.
“Do you… need help finding her?” I hadn’t seen any other kids in the ballroom now that I thought about it.
“Uh-huh.”
“If you let me finish peeing, I’ll help you look for her after.”
I saw her bob her head through the slats. “Okay,” she answered in a sweet, squeaky voice.
But she didn’t move.
Was she…?
“You don’t have to keep watching me if you don’t want to….” I trailed off. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Maybe watching people while they peed was no big deal. I wasn’t going to be the one to shame her. Her parents could have this conversation with her.
“I want to,” she said, totally seriously.
I tugged the front of my dress down, knowing all she could see were thighs anyway, and kept going. As much as I could at least, because apparently, I could go in front of Alex but not in front of a Peeping Tom of a little girl. I finished and wiped carefully before flushing and opening the door just as she backed up.
Shewasadorable.
Her hair was down, straight to her shoulders, bangs were cut straight across her forehead, and in a mint green dress that looked like it had been made by some fashion designer, she blinked bright blue eyes at me.
