Not that his tale is bad or that I don’t care. I do want to know how his story ends. And Peter is very pleasant to look at. Not to mention that he is interested in me, which flatters my ego. What’s more, we agree on everything, and that he’s an all-around great guy.
But… I’m a little bored by his conversation.
He may have sensed it, because he offers to show me a skit that always cracks his friends up. As he performs it for me, I laugh at his punch lines. Except, I don’t find them funny.
It must be me.Not me as such, but my mood tonight.
My gaze wanders off. I look at the rows of artfully arranged bottles, mixers, and ice buckets on display against the mirrored wall. Then I spend some time watching how the wine glasses that hang upside down above the bar sparkle in the light of the chandeliers. And then I slide my focus down and right, to Jonas. He’s currently talking with a group that includes Sandra, Liam, Melody, Larry who plays Mr. Collins, and Julia, our choreographer.
Without the slightest warning, Jonas’s dark gaze swings my way. Our eyes meet. The naked desire I see in his sets off a completely inappropriate chemical reaction in my body. Ashamed of myself, I redirect my gaze to Peter.
“Hey, Jonas, do you have any dance music?” Melody asks.
Behind me Julia laughs. “I’m always happy to dance! Especially when I don’t have to correct you.”
In my line of sight, Hyacinth claps. “Yes, let’s dance! Let’s dance!”
“As you wish, ladies,” Jonas says.
I sneak a peek at him while he searches his playlists. But I avert my eyes at once, reminded of why I’d turned away in the first place.
“Have fun, children,” Sandra says. “I have some agony-aunting to do for my husband, who’s alone with three teenagers, and then I’m off to bed. Don’t stay up too late! I need you fresh in the morning.”
“I’ll kick everyone out as soon as Anand is in the zone,” Liam reassures her.
Having gone out for drinks with them once, I think I know what he’s talking about. But I’ll await confirmation.
When Jonas finds the right music and the dancing starts, I dig my heels in and ramp up my efforts to enjoy Peter’s skit.
I won’t dance. I won’t go anywhere near Jonas tonight. Margot Nolan can control her primitive urges. She doesn’t do casual sex, she’s never had a one-night stand, and she’d like to keep it that way.
Peter suggests we move to the sofa by the wall, out of the dancers’ way.What a great idea!I rush ahead and plonk myself down, my back to the dancers.Out of sight, out of mind.In theory, anyway.
The party goes on. The dancers dance, the talkers talk, and everyone drinks. After listening to Peter for over an hour and interjecting a nod here and there, I feel drained. The dancing has ceased, and the mass in the center of the room has broken into clusters again.
I need to stretch my legs and mingle with others, including Liam. If there’s any mistrust he harbors for me, then the best way to do away with it is for us to get better acquainted. Pretexting an empty glass, I head to the bar for a second cocktail. And then—to my horror—instead of taking me to Liam, my legs carry me to the group around Jonas.
The instant he catches sight of me, he looks away.
Weird.
He surveys his fans. “Have you ever heard of the beauty-brains paradox, otherwise known as Beckhap’s law?”
They haven’t. And they claim they’d love to.
He’s happy to oblige. “If you multiply beauty by intelligence, you’ll always get the same number.”
Anand, the portly fifty-something who plays Mr. Bennet, claims he still doesn’t get it.
“Let me put it differently,” Jonas says. “According to this law, intelligence is inversely proportional to beauty.”
Anand waves to the bartender. “Over here! One more, please.” Turning to Jonas, he adds, “I need another drink to understand what you just said.”
Jonas grins. “How about I try again?”
“Good idea,” Melody nods.
Hyacinth chimes in, “Go for it!”
