She’s looking at me now. I swallow my mouthful of Champagne and nod. “Yes. He is pretty fabulous.”
You can tell by their expressions that they are trying to figure out who I am. They’ve probably seen Ashleigh at these events in the past and there is no mistaking I am not her. Besides the fact that Ashleigh is blond and taller than I am, she would also never wear this dress. I’m in a black, one-shouldered micro-mini dress with a layer of gauzy black chiffon that also goes over the shoulder and hangs off one arm, creating a sort of wide sleeve effect. It’s Zac Posen and it cost me an entire paycheck, but I love it. It’s a total Callie dress. An Ashleigh dress would be high-necked and to the floor.
“Where is your wife tonight?” Mr. Kensington finally asks.
“She wasn’t able to make it,” Devin says without a moment’s awkward hesitation. “This is Callie Caplan. She’s a family friend.”
They both shake my hand but I can see skepticism in their eyes. I pull out the secret weapon that has been quelling everyone’s doubt all night.
“I grew up with the Garrisons in Silver Bay.” I smile softly with wide, honest eyes. “And my sister is marrying Devin’s brother Jordan this summer.”
“Oh! How delightful!” Mrs. Kensington says and I’m not sure if she’s delighted by the fact Jessie is marrying Jordan or by the fact that I’m clearly not the husband-stealing whore she thought I was a second ago. Either way I honestly don’t care. We chat with them for a few minutes more and then politely slip away when Mitchell and Tara Lupo start chatting with them.
“This is tiring,” I whisper to him as I grab two more Champagne flutes off a waiter’s tray and pass him one. He takes a big gulp and crinkles his nose as the bubbles overpower him. I smile because he looks freaking adorable.
He notices my grin and gives me a quick, soft smile that makes him look like a kid, not a man who has just gone through some of the roughest stuff anyone could go through. “You’re making it manageable, though, Callie. Thank you.”
“Anytime you need me to throw on a hot dress and drink and eat for free, I’ll be there for you,” I joke, and he chuckles. “It’s actually kind of fun. I had a fun conversation in the bathroom with two women about which NHL players wear the best suits. And earlier, when this other guy found out who I was, he gave me a long list of things Jordan has to do in order to improve his game.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yeah. I typed it all into my phone so I could recite it to Jordy later and annoy the crap out of him.” I grin evilly and Devin bursts out laughing.
“Ashleigh never had a minute of fun at these things.”
“I can find fun in anything,” I remind him and wink.
“You need to teach me how to do that,” he murmurs.
“I tried once…” I whisper back.
His eyes lock on mine and I know we’ve both got memories of the tractor and the barn in our heads. He smiles a small, incredibly sexy smirk.
“Devin!” a Barons management guy whose name I can’t remember calls for him. “Time to announce the silent auction winners.”
He leaves my side and heads to the front of the room. I admire the way his expensive suit hugs that strong, athletic ass of his. Wow. I should probably stop with the Champagne. It’s making me dangerous.
Chapter 28
Devin
She’s giggling beside me, her head tipped back and her hand in front of her mouth like she’s embarrassed. Her shoes are on the seat between us and her fancy, sexy little black dress is hitched up, exposing more of her beautiful, toned legs, which are curled up onto the seat as well. Her feet are kind of pressed into the side of my thigh. I could probably sit farther over on the seat and give her room, but I like the contact too much.
“Cole?!” I say again. We were reminiscing about Silver Bay and she just told me she had kissed my youngest brother. I had no idea.
“It was a total dare and I honestly didn’t think he would do it,” she says, still giggling at my initial reaction, which was to let my jaw hit the floor of the cab we’re in.
“Why wouldn’t he do it? Did you think he was gay or something?”
“No. But you know Cole—he’s such a goof. I figured he’d just make a joke and blow me off,” she responds. “But, man, oh man, he can be serious, because it was a seriously good kiss.”
“I had no idea you used to have a crush on him,” I say, trying not to think about my brother kissing her. It makes me feel bad and I’m sick of feeling that way.
“Cole is an adorable-looking ginger, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve never been even remotely attracted to him,” she says breezily. “I just wanted to see if he would do it.”
I stare at her and she stares back. We’re both walking the line between tipsy and drunk thanks to copious amounts of Champagne. It’s a good feeling. I have been drunk a lot in the last few months but it never felt good like this. I decide I should drink Champagne more.
“Like what you did with me in the barn,” my tipsy brain deduces. “You wanted to see what you could make me do.”
