"Hi," she gushed at him. "You look handsome." She rubbed her hand over his bicep. He could tell she had been drinking.
You could do worse than Liz,he thought. She was pretty, from a good family. He liked the Davenports and was friends with Eric, her brother. She also seemed excited to see him, unlike Allie.
"I'm going to grab another drink," he said, motioning to the bar.
When Liz's attention was diverted, Carter sped away. He just wanted to be alone.
With Allie.
He pretended to look at his phone as he waited in the short line at the bar.
"What shall I make for you this evening?" said a familiar voice.
"Allie?" Carter gasped.
She gave him a professional smile. "Beer, wine, spirits?"
"Uh, surprise me," he said. What was she doing here?
"Oh," Liz said, coming up behind Carter and looking between him and the dark-haired bartender. "Allie."
"How does an old-fashioned sound?" Allie asked him. Carter nodded.
"I'll be right with you, ma'am," Allie said to Liz.
After she handed him his drink, Carter hovered around the bar, but Allie seemed busy and not as if she wanted to talk.
As the evening's presentation started with his mother greeting the guests, Carter's thoughts and his gaze wandered to Allie. He was continually drawn back by Liz's hand that crept over his back and down to his waist.
Maybe he should just give up on his dreams with Allie. Maybe he was reading something into their relationship that wasn't there.
31
Allie
Allie looked out over the Holbrook Foundation charity ball. There was one person she followed around. Whenever she had a lull in drink orders, she watched Carter. He moved around the room as though he owned it.
She cursed under her breath as she accidentally poured vodka on her sleeve.
Pay attention.But how could she? She was watching this magical evening unfold from behind the glass. She handed an older man his drink, and over his shoulder, she saw Carter, dancing. He was graceful and a natural. She could tell people loved being around him.
She admitted that she enjoyed being around him too. He was fun, energetic, and charming.
He held out a hand to Liz, and the two waltzed around the room.
"They look like dolls, don't they?" one older woman said with a sigh. "Those Holbrook men are something else. Gin and tonic, if you please," she said, putting a dollar in the crystal bowl that served as a tip jar.
Allie felt so stupid, thinking that she could ever be a part of Carter's world. He never in a million years would have asked her to be his plus-one to an event like this. Even when she tried to bring up a simple date, he had laughed at her.
What was wrong with her? Carter treated her just as every other man did.
He's not as bad as Bryce, though.Suppressing a shudder, Allie packed up after the guests had left for the evening.
She was tired at work the next day. Neither Carter nor Liz mentioned the ball.
Carter cornered her outside of the bathroom at the end of the day, though.
"I have to go to my second job," she told him, looking down at the floor. He pulled her chin up and bent down to kiss her.
