Of course they did. I don’t know why I expected anything else.
The next few minutes were excruciating. Holding hands, smiling, laughing for the cameras, when all I really wanted to do was drag Jessy to some dark corner and trace my hands up her thighs.
This was going to be a long night.
‘Smile! Smile, Patrick!’
Was I not smiling?
Finally, Erika gave us the go-ahead and I dropped my arm from around Jessy’s shoulder. The lack of the physical connection was a wrench, an absence I couldn’t stand. Without looking, I grabbed her hand. If she asked, I would say it was in case any paps were still watching.
But she didn’t.
The hotel lobby was busy, but one look at us – look at me – and a member of staff led us to the rooftop. The sky gardens were beautiful, all flowers and strings of lights. Servers wandered around offering champagne, and some sort of light jazz was playing through speakers I couldn’t see. There were people here I recognized – some I had worked with, others I’d schmoozed with, and the rest were from the upper echelons of celebrity.
Beside me, I felt Jessy press closer. I looked down and, seeing her deer-in-headlights expression, I led her over to a friendly face.
And not solely for her benefit.
‘Vince – thank God there’s real people here.’ I grinned, shaking the hand of a man wearing large dark-rimmed glasses. ‘Dogs still misbehaving?’
‘I swore I wouldn’t get another puppy.’ Vince chuckled. ‘So I’ve got two!’
I shook my head with a grin and turned back to Jessy.‘Jessy, this is Vince. He’s done the cover artwork for most of our albums and some of our posters too.’ I moved my hand to the centre of her back, keeping my touch light. ‘Vince, this is … my girlfriend, Jessy.’
‘It’s lovely to meet you.’ Her voice fluttered softly in the air, and I couldn’t help but lean in.
Whocouldhelp it?My girlfriend Jessy.Was that the first time I’d introduced her that way?
‘You too, Jessy. And let me just say, you look gorgeous tonight. Practically showing up pretty boy here, and that’s not easy.’
Jealousy shot through me as Vince fired compliments her way. As the two branched into more conversation, that ugly little green-eyed monster continued to rear its head. It was so … easy for him. Did he notice the way her head tilted back as she laughed? Could he hear the soft lilt in her voice? Or was I the only one who paid that kind of attention?
It was almost an hour later when Vince finally made his excuses and went off to sweet-talk some exec. The tension pinching the back of my neck loosened with every step he took away from us.
I was being ridiculous. Vince was a friend. He would never look twice at a girl I was dating. But memories of Celine, and her betrayal, haunted me.
I would not go through that humiliation again.
As I watched him disappear into the crowd, Jessy stepped away, hailing a waiter.
She turned back to me, champagne flute in hand, and paused at my expression. ‘What?’
‘He was right, by the way.’
She tilted her head, flute still dangling delicately between her fingers. God, she was just so cute.
My throat was dry. ‘You do look beautiful. I should have told you sooner.’But I was too blown away to string a sentence together.
Jessy’s smile was back, but it was far too wise. ‘You know, for a Grammy-nominated songwriter, you’re not the smoothest of guys.’
She had me there.
‘Look, Patrick. I know this is just another contractually obligated date. But this is one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me. So let’s just try and enjoy the night, yeah?’
I nodded. It was the least she deserved. ‘Jessy Donovan, I promise to give you the time of your life tonight.’ I winked. My smile grew wider when the laugh I’d been angling for burst free from her.
‘Charmer. So, what the hell are we doing here?’ She hooked her arm through mine.
