Page 10 of Unapologetic Love Story

She was different. There was a vulnerability and an openness to her that no one else in the room had. Tom continued to frown as he watched her, wondering why he wanted her to cast a glance over to him.

‘Oh, yeah?’ Tori said quietly, nudging him. ‘Nothing snarky to say about that one? Want to know who she is?’

‘Who is she?’

‘Would it torture you if I didn’t tell?’

‘No, I’ll just find out for myself.’

‘All right, don’t play my game,’ she said with a pout. ‘That’s Raina Lewis. She has a popular podcast. The Disability Track? A few clips from it went viral earlier in the year and Vogue did a big spread about her. It’s getting pretty hot.’

Tom was hardly listening. He was watching Raina sit down to retie the straps of her high-heeled sandals. A flash of thigh and the long fall of her hair. She glanced up to smile at Pepper while she spoke.

Tom felt a twinge. A strange urge to go straight over to her and push her hair back from her face. To be on the receiving end of that smile and her unapologetic laugh.

‘Tom Branimir,’ Tori cried indignantly, smacking him on the chest with her clutch. ‘I am contractually entitled to at least fifteen per cent of your attention.’

The bag hit his sternum and shattered whatever spell he’d been falling under. He turned away from the woman and sat down at his table, pouring a generous glass of water for himself. This wasn’t him. He didn’t stare at people from the other side of a dancefloor. She was just another guest. Nothing more than that. She was probably the least interesting lead in the ballroom.

‘Doesn’t sound like a potential story.’ He let out an exhale, refocusing on Tori.

‘They say she’s neurodivergent.’

‘Which means what?’

‘Like, she’s autistic or something. I don’t know. I’m not a fan or down with the lingo; I’m just aware of her. In a professional sense. Lots of publishing people like her. You know what this industry is like when someone different pops up. People like her aren’t exactly the norm.’

Tom frowned. He would admit that he didn’t know any openly autistic people, but he’d always been told by society and the media that they were boys who liked trains and computers and isolation.

Then again, society had never been the best judge of character.

‘Actually,’ Tori said, leaning closer to Tom and speaking with a conspiratorial tone. ‘She might be perfect for you.’

Tom almost choked on his water. ‘Perfect for me?’

‘Your book is coming together. But it’s a cynical read. Lots of bad people doing bad things. You could do with something light. Something sweet.’

Tom stole another glance at the girl with pink in her hair. ‘Something like her?’

‘Yeah! A public figure who’s doing something good, instead of something Machiavellian! Actually, the more I think about it, the more I have to insist. Do it. Do some digging on her. Put her in, if you find anything. For a palate-cleanser.’

Tom hesitated. The idea of writing about this woman for a chapter of his book clashed with how fucking attractive he found her. Even if his final prose was glowing, it was still a weird setup. He couldn’t let himself get too close to someone he was writing about. His professional reputation had been built on his ability to put up a wall. All of his subjects in the current manuscript were so morally bankrupt, he’d been immune to any charm or influence.

This case would be different. That was already certain.

She’s probably just as vapid as the other rich people in this room, he told himself. Pretty but shallow. Just as predictable as all the other subjects in his book.

‘Don’t look now,’ Pepper said to Raina as they sat down at their table. ‘But a gorgeous man is looking over at you.’

‘He’ll be admiring you,’ Raina replied immediately, obeying her friend and refusing to turn around. That was always the way when they were out together, and Raina was fine with it. ‘You look great.’

‘That’s true.’

They grinned at each other. Then Raina pressed her cold glass of soda water against Pepper’s arm, making her giggle and shriek.

When the speeches were over and the food was brought out, Raina ate Pepper’s smoked salmon as well as her own. Pepper amused the entire table with a story Raina had heard at least eight times, but she was happy to listen again. Each retelling was richer in detail than the one that came before.

She allowed herself a glance over her shoulder, curious about who Pepper had caught staring earlier on. Her eyes landed on a man sitting just across the dancefloor. He was tall, broad-shouldered and had a head of dark curls. She knew it was him because he was turned around in his seat, looking right back at her.