And that felt likea very dangerous invitation to take.
But Nora...
For my grandmother's dearest friend, I took a deep breath...and his hand.
CHAPTER15
Sunny
"That's a brilliant business move,Benton. Your grandfather would be proud."
I told myself to just keep smiling as I stood listening to Cole's conversation with a fellow hotel magnate who wanted to know more about Cole’s plans to work exclusively with AudioNation for concert residencies.
Their discussion was actually pretty interesting. I hadn’t known Cole had such big plans. No wonder he worked all the time—even on Saturdays. But I felt a little weird just standing there while Cole did all the talking. It made me feel like a trophy. In fact, I wondered if this was how trophy girlfriends often felt, like they were on display, just there to be stared at by all the other men at the party.
I wasn’t sure if the stares were because I was Cole’s date or because I stood out among the typical trophy wives and girlfriends—mostly blondes of all ages and ethnicities, exuding old-Vegas elegance in their sparkling evening gowns and perfectly styled hair. The men were nice enough to me, but I could read the other women's thoughts clear as words on a page:What are you doing here?
The whole situation made me want to retreat outside and wait in the car until Cole was finished. But Cole hadn’t released my hand since we stepped out of the Jag. Throughout the cocktail hour, he kept me close, even when other businessmen approached to offer congratulations and shake his hand. For what? A business deal? I still wasn’t entirely sure.
Cole hadn't invited much conversation with any of his well-wishers.
“Occupied,” he’d said to anyone who tried to offer me a shake, holding up our clasped hands before introducing me as “My date, Sunny Johnson.”
It made me feel like his possession. But it also made me feel weirdly safe. I didn't know anyone here except for him and Nora.
But instead of abandoning me, he’d chosen to keep me by his side all night. And that made me feel...special. That probably had something to do with my chaotic upbringing. I made the thousandth mental note to myself to actively seek out therapy as soon as I was done replenishing the charity fund.
But still...a strangely happy warmth radiated in my chest as I smiled through one of the few conversations I could understand.
Then the famous comedian MC announced it was time to sit down for dinner and the handoff of the CEO of the Year Award.
Yet, Cole still didn't let me go.
I found out that Cole was actually left-handed at dinner when he proceeded to eat his entire meal with one hand while talking to the General Manager of The Benton about “ways to further streamline the checkout system integration.” Whatever that meant. Luckily, I was right-handed and had Nora to talk to on my other side.
Since Nora’s other grandson, Max, had yet to show up to fill the empty seat beside her, Nora spent most of the dinner chatting with me. And by chatting, I mean congratulating herself over and over again.
“I knew you two would be the perfect match. I just knew it! Cole is so incredibly lucky to have me as a nan,” she crowed for the umpteenth time that night. "The sex is probably unbelievable, too. Tell me the sex is unbelievable."
"Nora," I said, my cheeks heating. Mostly because this wasn't fancy dinner table conversation. But also a little because I'd spent much of the last twenty-four hours trying to ignore the sexual tension between me and myfakefiancé.
"Leave her alone, Nora," Cole said on the other side of me, his voice bored. Like he'd fully been expecting Nora to ask about our hypothetical sex life. "This isn't an appropriate topic of conversation. Or any of your business."
"Oh, putting my old Irish nose in your business has become a particularly fun pastime for me, grandson of mine," Nora answered with an unrepentant smirk that reminded me of the one Cole had given me in the car.
But then her face fell when she saw an older version of the copy-and-paste blonde trophies approaching. "Oh, shit, Lacey Hollander's coming this way!"
Nora stood up with an aggrieved sigh. "Excuse me while I pretend to like this bitch. Lacey, how are you?"
“Not nearly as lovely as you, Nora!" The frosted blonde took her by the hand like they were the best of friends. “You must be so proud of Cole. And is it true what they're saying about his engagement news?”
“It is!” Nora proudly waved a hand toward me. "He's madly in love with the granddaughter of the very best friend I have ever known, and I could not be happier."
"Congratulations!" Lacey said brightly to Nora—while glancing daggers at me out the side of her eye.
"Thank you. I'll make sure to send you an invitation to the engagement party I'm throwing for them next month.
"Please do!"
