1
CARA
Staringat myself in the mirror, I chew my lip.Am I going to stand out like a sore thumb in this place?
It’s hard not to imagine I’ll, even standing here in this ridiculously fancy bathroom with marble countertops and hand soap that probably costs more than my entire outfit.
Outside, I can hear the chatter of the party already in full swing, the low strings of the band sending vibrations through my entire body. I mean, at a glance, I feel like I’ve as much of a place here as anyone; my dress might be second-hand, but the black velvet hugs my body in exactly the right way, and the heels I’ve on are glossy matching black, even if they make my feet hurt just to stand there.
My hair’s loose around my shoulders, my usual mousy brown fluffed up into a cascade of curls that tumbles over my shoulders. I’m wearing deep purple lipstick, a far cry from my normal balm-and-mascara make-up routine. I look as far from myself as I can get without resorting to surgery, and I guess that’s a good thing...
But, despite myself, I’ve to fight the creeping dread that someone is going to clock me at any moment.
I know that I shouldn’t be here, not really.
I only managed to get my hands on an invitation to this exclusive gala because I sweet-talked Marvin, the head of security, into letting me deliver the invitations myself. I snuck one into my bag, reasoning with myself that I needed some way to blow off steam.
Which is what I’ve been telling myself all night, though I’m not sure when the hell I’m going to start believing it.
I run a hand through my hair, tousling it again before I pull the mask down over my face. A masquerade ball sounded like the perfect place for me to shrug off everything that I’ve been dealing with recently, and, given that the memory of Michael’s affair is still burned into my brain like a brand I’ll never be able to shake, I know I still need it.
I wince as the memory makes itself known inside my head once more. God, if I could go back in time, I would handle all of it differently, everything that I did when I walked in to our shared apartment. There he had been, fucking another woman on the floor, right in front of the TV where I would unwind watching crappy reality cooking shows after work every night.
I had just stood there, too shocked to say a damn word, and it hadn’t been until he looked up at me that I reacted at all. My eyes wide, I stared down at the two of them, hardly able to take it in as he rose to his feet, holding his hands up as though to still the obvious fury that he was expecting from me.
And fuck, I should have laid his assoutfor pulling something like that on me.
But, as it was, I had just turned around and walked away, head still spinning from the abject shock of realizing how deeply he had betrayed me. It makes me want to scream, but it was probably for the best, given how badly bruised my ego was by the revelation. I did eventually kicked his ass out, even though I don’t have a clue how I’m going to be able to afford the rent in the coming months.
Working as a server, even in a fancy hotel, doesn’t exactly pay well, unless I’m willing to flirt my ass off with old men for the sake of getting a few more bucks. And now...
Now, all I can do is just hope for the best.
The door behind me opens, and an immaculately dressed woman steps into the bathroom. She locks eyes with me for a moment and smiles, and I try to return it, hoping that my nerves don’t show too obviously on my face. I brush past her and out into the grand hall of the hotel, where a couple hundred of the city’s wealthiest and most influential have gathered to hide behind masks and indulge the sides of themselves that they would never let show in any other scenario.
That is, at least, what Harriet told me about this evening; she’s worked the shift on it a few times, though I’ve never been called up to do the same.
I make my way straight to the bar, where glasses of champagne are being topped up. I grab one and lift it to my lips, letting the flood of bubbles rest on the tip of my tongue. At the back of my mind, I can feel something else fizzing, the possibilities that lay ahead tonight. I’ve no idea what to expect, but God, I’m looking forward to finding out.
I cast my gaze across the room, trying to locate someone who looks as though they might be willing to entertain a conversation with me. It looks like most of the people here have already paired off, leaning in close to lose themselves in conversation with their respective partners. I notice a few huddled off to the side of the room, masks tugged down over their faces, cut off from the rest of the world as though they have forgotten they are even part of it. That’s exactly what I’m hoping for tonight.
This evening, I’m not Cara, the awkward, inexperienced server who has to double her shifts to make ends’ meet. I’m a confident, established woman who knows exactly what she wants...
And, as my gaze traces around the room, it finally settles on someone who might just fit the bill—a man, leaning on one of the small tables on the other side of the hall, not far from the band.
His gaze is fixed on me, as though he has been waiting for me to notice. He’s wearing a crisp navy suit with a white shirt, a mask draping down over one side of his face. I can make out one side of his mouth, but that’s all that is visible, apart from his sharp eyes, which seem to pierce straight through me right from where he stands.
My heart flutters in my chest.Okay, if you’re going to do this, then you’re going to do it now.I insist to myself that I’m capable of this, and mustering every bit of my courage, I make my way across the floor, glass of champagne in one hand.
I make sure to sway my hips a little with every step. I’m not sure if it’s as alluring as I picture in my head, but right now, I’m willing to do anything in my power to try and sell myself as the woman I want to be.
I reach the man’s table, his eyes unmoving from me. He seems to have no problem making his interest in me known, his gaze sliding up and down my body. By the time they reach my face again, he smiles slightly, the one visible corner of his mouth curling up as he drinks in the sight of me.
“I’ven’t seen you at one of these before,” he remarks, leaning back slightly in his seat.
“It’s my first time,” I admit, and the smile curls up a little further. He pushes out the chair beside him.
“Join me.”
