I definitely could, especially as she was finally getting to the point.
“Of course. And what do you do with those extra funds?” I asked, lifting my glass of whiskey to my lips. I was growing more and more frustrated with Molly’s lack of contact, and I'd won the vote, so I could cut myself some slack. Plus Dom’s closeness was unnerving me in a good way.
“Well, obviously,” Bunny said, “I would totally donate them to more worthy causes like…”
I really wasn’t interested. She was aware that there were different departments for such matters.
Dom reached over and I stiffened as his fingers swept mine as he took my empty glass, his thumb languidly stroking the skin of my palm before he released me. I knew he was doing it deliberately, and I didn’t want him to stop.
I was looking up at him when his face changed. His bright smile disappeared, his jaw tightening, his lips thinning as he caught sight of something on the other side of the deck. I followed his gaze, but I couldn’t see what grabbed his attention past Bunny’s coiffed hair.
But she picked up on Dom’s change, a quick scowl snapping across her face before she called him out on it immediately.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Am I boring you?” she asked, one hand on her hip as she glared at him. With her heels, she just met his eyeline.
His expression quickly changed as he looked down at her. “Never, my dear. But I just realised I’ve forgotten something below deck. Please forgive my rudeness.” He bent forwards, dropping a kiss on her cheek before he leant back.
From her soft blush, all was forgiven. But he only nodded before he took off.
I watched him go, confusion and disappointment mixing inside me as I tracked his path towards the doors of the lower deck of the ship. I forgot Bunny could see the surprised look on my face, but she had more important things to think about.
“What do you think of the party?” she asked, seemingly randomly.
I blinked as I looked back at her, unsurprised by the change in conversation, and glad for it.
“Mother has done a fantastic job arranging everything,” I said, attempting to be vague, but she wouldn’t be deterred.
“It’s no better than last year.” She sniffed, meeting me head on. I should have expected it. I was trying to figure out what her angle was, and it was finally revealed.
“And what makes you say that?” I asked, waiting for her pitch, my attention still on Dom. I wanted so badly to know what was going on, and why he had changed so suddenly.
I needed a tactful way to extract myself from Bunny’s clutches. I couldn't stay invested in her when Dom was striding away.
“So, what do you think?” she asked, bobbing her head.
“Sorry, what was that?”
“Don’t you totally think I would be better? I could organise the gala next year for The Foundation, and modernise the whole thing?”
My attention drew back to her. She was completely sincere, and why wouldn’t she be? It didn’t matter to her that I had literally just been announced as the Director. Every conversation was an opportunity to elevate one’s status.
She didn’t know that I had already threatened Mum about bringing Bunny and her step-mum on to host the parties, but they were empty words now that I had won the vote.
I usually had patience for these kinds of games, but I was in no mood to entertain her when Dom pulled open the door and disappeared inside.
“Have you ever hosted a party like this?” I asked, though I’d already made my decision. There wasn’t a chance any of the Collins family was hosting a Foundation event, no matter how much I threatened Mum with it.
“Of course I have!” She beamed. “You saw the circus ball I threw last year? People went absolutely crazy over that. It was, like,thebest party of the season.”
They went crazy because two of the macaws escaped and it took days to capture them, as they decided they enjoyed Hampstead Heath far more than being with their handler.
It was a chaotic mess, but no worse than I was in my bedroom earlier, looking up at Dom, wondering what he would do if I’d just...
If I had to choose between following Dom or talking to Bunny Collins about her current social aspirations, there was no competition.
“Sorry, Bun,” I said, cutting her off before she could continue her pitch. “Can we pick this up later? I have to double-check something with my assistant.” Hopefully, Anita wouldn’t mind taking the fall should it ever come up.
“Oh, of course!” She laughed lightly. “But make sure you come and find me, okay? I feel like my plans would bring a whole new vibe to The Foundation.”
