I laughed. "The party only started ten minutes ago."
"Centuries," she insisted, pulling out of the hug to look me over. "Aren't you a pretty sight? And look at your tits! Holding up like a dream, despite you being ancient as fuck in showgirl years! Did you pay a visit to my Indian fellow over on Cimarron Road, then?"
"I love that you think I could afford a breast lift on a Benton Girl salary," I answered with a laugh. "Nope, it's just genetics."
"Aw, do you understand why I was always so jealous of your nan, then? Glo hadrhythmanda gorgeous pair of knockers. Wasn't fair, I tell ya!"
I couldn't help but laugh at Nora's antics. "Speaking of my grandmother, I have some good news," I told her.
Nora's face lit up. "You broke it off with that orangutan you call a boyfriend, then!"
I winced. "Yes, Tony and I did break up, but it was very amicable, and please don't call him?—"
I was cut off by Nora's sudden rendition of "Happy Days Are Here Again." Belted so loudly, the DJ decided just to mute his set and let the matriarch of Benton Worldwide do her thing.
"That's not my good news, though," I tried to tell her.
But Nora was singing too loudly to hear me. And Nora, being Nora, of course, she somehow managed to belt out her delighted song and wrangle Pru and several other Benton Girls into an old-fashioned kick routine. It didn't matter that we weren't Rockettes or supposed to be celebrating the demise of my "relationship" with Tony.
"But..." I tried to say again.
"C'mon, don't be a stick in the mud!" Despite me only being five eight in my flats, Nora pulled me into the line between her and Pru. Soon everyone, including me, was laughing and singing along with the world's most famous Benton Girl.
At least we were all laughing and having a good time until the rest of the line went quiet without any warning. Leaving just Nora and me.
"C'mon, sing it with me!" Nora called out again. "Happy days are?—"
But then, she, too, cut off. And the "here again" died in my throat when I looked up and discovered why the room had suddenly gone silent. And cold.
Nora's grandson, the current CEO of Benton Worldwide, stood directly in front of us. An imposing Ice King in a tailored suit, watching his grandma and me make a fool of ourselves with a hard gaze of disdain.
"Cole!" his grandmother called out with a gasp of surprise. She dropped her arm from my shoulders. "What are you doing here?"
"The meeting." The two words cracked across the space between him and his grandmother.
"Oh,that." Nora pushed a perfectly dyed lock of her long red hair behind her ear with an annoyed huff.
"Yes,thatmeeting." If her grandson was at all concerned about her obvious reluctance to leave, it didn't show. His cold gaze didn't so much as flicker as he added, "Which you are required to attend."
"Could I have just five more minutes, darling?" Nora asked, her voice uncharacteristically flustered. "Sunny was just about to tell me something?—"
"You're aware the meeting is in less than twenty minutes?" Cole asked before she could finish her request. "The car is waiting for us outside."
"Fine!" Nora gave in with a loud sigh.
I didn't realize I'd been openly staring at her Ice King son until his grandmother stepped in front of me, blocking him from my view.
"So much like his grandfather, this one," she told me with a roll of her eyes, which were a much darker green than her grandson's. "And it's useless to argue with him when he gets like this. Text me, and we'll arrange to have lunch, and you can tell me this good news of yours then, yes?"
"Yes, I'll text you, for sure." I didn't know back then that I wouldn't be emotionally able to follow through on that promise. I was just happy to have somewhere warm and familiar to direct my gaze."Bye, Nora."
Warm farewells from the other dancers rose in the air as Nora turned to leave with her grandson.
"Bye, Nora!"
"Thanks for the party!"
"Happy New Year!"
