Then she pulls me into a hug. “I’m so,so, freaking happy for you.”
I smile in her hair. “Right back at you.”
CHAPTER 30
GABBY
The ballroom’s practically buzzing as we step back inside, music swelling, champagne and laughter bubbling around us in equal measure.
Angie’s phone buzzes, and she reaches into her clutch to check it. She glances at the screen, then cranes her neck to look around the ballroom.
“Johan’s looking for me,” she says. She nods toward a cluster of suits near the bar, where Johan appears to be holding court, his expression all business.
“Duty calls,” she says. “Did I tell you Johan wants me to head up marketing for Dandelion?”
“Are you serious? Ange, that’shuge.”
She smiles and shrugs. “And it’s exciting. I’ll tell you all about it later. Right now, I need to make an appearance before these dudes start assuming I’m just a pretty plus-one.”
“More like the brains of the operation.”
She laughs. “I do have my moments. Anyway, let’s make the rounds and meet up later.”
“Definitely.”
I take a breath, letting the glow of the conversation with Angie wash over me before scanning the room for Sasha. It doesn’t take long for me to spot him. He’s magnetic, impossible to miss. He’s standing near one of the corner lounges, talking to Ruth O’Donnell.
My stomach sinks, but I push the sensation aside. Not a chance in hell I’m going to let her intimidate me.
She looks amazing, as always. Her dress looks custom-made for her, and her diamonds—earrings, bracelet, necklace—catch the light of the chandelier. Her boy toy’s at her side, tall and handsome, a slightly vacant smile on his face.
Sasha’s posture is polite but rigid. Careful civility, as if he’d rather be anywhere else.
I move closer, my heels clicking. Ruth turns her attention to me as I arrive, her eyes sweeping from my hair to my dress to my shoes with clinical precision.
“Gabriella,” she says, a pleased smile on her lips. “We were just discussing the merger. Heard you were apparently quite important in making it happen.
“Nothing apparent about it,” Sasha corrects. “She was instrumental.”
I smirk. “A lot of people worked hard as hell to make it happen.”
Her mouth twists like I’ve said something both adorable and a little stupid. “Well, I say give credit where credit is due.You’ve done wonders, dear. And that dress—” She pauses, giving me another once over, her fingertips tapping the stem of her glass, “it really flatters your figure. So few designers can do justice to plus-size formal wear.”
I don’t miss a beat. I’m not in the mood for her bullshit tonight. “I know, right? It’s hard finding designers who can handle real feminine curves. Not that you’d know anything about that.”
The boy toy nearly chokes on his drink. Ruth blinks, caught between offense and disbelief. She was not ready for that.
Sasha’s mouth curves into a faint—but proud—smirk. “Ruth, so lovely as always to see you, but if you’ll excuse us, I have yet to dance with my beautiful date.” He offers me his hand. “Shall we?”
“Let’s.”
I take his hand without hesitation. The band shifts into something slow and jazzy, the kind of music that absolutely demands you dance to it. On the dance floor, he pulls me close. It’s not a possessive kind of closeness, more one that’s sure of me, of us. His hand slides to the small of my back, warm and firm through the fabric. Tingles spread throughout my body, starting between my thighs and moving outward.
I’m still mad at him, but I’ll be damned if his touch doesn’t always manage to do something to me.
“You handled that beautifully,” he says. “Ruth has so few people in her life who can put her in her place.”
“Wasn’t exactly a challenge,” I say. “She’s less scary now.”
