"Carter Holbrook."
"I know," Vance said with a smile. "The big dog around here."
"That's not me. That's my cousin."
"Still. You like to party, right?" Vance said.
Carter gave him a quizzical look.
"I saw you in the news." Vance showed him the picture on his phone. There was Carter, leaving the club last night.
"Holbrook Heir Hits the Town," screamed the headline above the picture.
"We're all going out tonight."
"Oh, ok."
"You should come with us," Vance pressed. "You need wingmen."
"Yeah, I guess." Carter craned his neck to see over Vance's head, but he couldn't see Allie.
"So you'll come?" Vance asked.
"Sure, sure. If you'll excuse me, I need to talk to someone."
23
Allie
When Carter appeared behind her, Allie was shocked. What was he doing in an internship program? His family owned the company—surely they would just give him a job. What was he doing here?
She looked straight ahead for the duration of the presentation then hurried out after Liz when Monique dismissed them for a twenty-minute break.
"I need a glass of water," Liz said, heading to a table laden with coffee, tea, and fruit-infused ice water.
Allie wanted to go off by herself and just think. She was so tired and frazzled, and now here was Carter, appearing where she hadn't expected him. But she didn't want to make a bad first impression to Liz or any of the moneyed, well-educated people in the internship program, so she stood next to her new friend in the line, pretending to be calm.
"Hi there," Carter said, coming up behind them.
Liz squealed, jumped, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I'm so glad you're back," she said. "I’m sorry I missed your party. My brother went, though. Eric said you were a free man now. I didn’t think I’d see you here in the internship program."
"Are you and Allie friends?" Carter asked Liz.
She giggled and said, "Not yet, but we will be, right, Allie? How do you know each other?"
"Marines. How’s Margot? We share custody of a dog," he explained to Liz.
"A dog? Oh, that reminds me," Liz said. "Brandy's wedding…"
Carter looked as if he was listening intently. Allie grimaced then turned and walked away. She did not want to be near the two of them as they prattled on about their perfect lives.
She heard someone run up behind her.
"Allie, wait. I wanted to talk to you."
"About what?" she said, rubbing her eyes. She was so tired. She needed more coffee.
