I’ve bartended and attended events at Lady Emporium, but there’s always something new to appreciate here. The high ceilings, crystal chandeliers dangling from them, and expensive marble beneath our feet. The ballroom is crowded with people, huddled in their little cliques, extending every age range.
No wonder Lola didn’t want to come solo.
“Lola.” A man stands in front of us, blocking our path, and eyes Lola with deep regret. He’s tall, slender, and dressed in a stiff suit.
Lola clears her throat and tightens her elbow hold on me. “Callum.”
Ah, so this is the lovely Callum.
Had she given it a few minutes before saying his name, I might’ve picked up on the familiarity of his voice.
His gaze cuts to me before snapping back to her—no doubt an attempt to act like I’m not a threat to him. Act being the key word. I know when a man is jealous of another. Even though I shouldn’t be, I’m the same with Lola. I can only imagine how territorial I’d turn if we slept together, dated, and then I lost her.
His lips tighten. “We need to talk.”
“Hard pass,” Lola replies.
“Come on.” He presses his hands into a pleading gesture. “You owe me that.”
I arch a brow and hold back the urge to tell him she doesn’t owe him shit. But I know Lola, and she has a spine as strong as a diamond. The revenge stories I’ve heard from her prove she won’t need any help with putting Callum in his place.
“I don’t owe you a goddamn thing.” Her voice is powerful and firm as if she were presenting a million-dollar deal. “You lost the right to talk to me when you cheated.”
“Please,” he begs. “Let me explain.”
“No,” is her only response.
His eyes widen at the realization she won’t fall into the trap of his ways, so he turns his attention my way. “I see you’ve already replaced me, huh? You didn’t seem like the type who’d automatically jump into another man’s bed.”
And as strong as Lola is, now’s my time to step in.
“Whoa,” I say, breaking our connection to pull Lola slightly behind me. “Don’t talk to her like that.”
He’s not helping me be the perfect fake boyfriend. If we end up fighting within five minutes of arriving, that’d be the ultimate fail.
Callum thrusts out his chest so hard that it’s almost comical. “Or what?”
Lola was smart for leaving this idiot. She’s just as smart when she cups my elbow and tugs me back from stepping toward Callum.
“He’s wasted,” Lola says, “if you can’t tell by the smell of his breath. Ignore him, and we’ll move on to speaking to someone who isn’t an asshole.”
“If you don’t want to talk here, can we do it another time?” Callum asks, shooting a woman a dirty look when she runs into his shoulder. “We can do coffee, dinner, whatever you want.” Desperation fills his voice and face, but I don’t feel sorry for him. He chose to cheat and end their relationship.
Lola peers away from him as if she’s lost all interest she ever had. “I’m good.”
“Why do you give my number to random guys then?” He scrubs his hand over his reddened face. “It’s further proof you miss me.”
“Or I’m just a spiteful bitch.” Lola raises a brow, not even caring that she just referred to herself as a bitch. She takes my hand. “I need to go find my father … you know, your boss. He could easily create an excuse to fire you if you kept talking like this to his daughter.”
“That’s some bullshit,” Callum grumbles.
“Don’t worry. I won’t say anything as long as you leave me alone.” Lola turns away, so she’s no longer facing him and he’s talking to her side. “We’re broken up. I’ll stop giving your number out. It’s over.”
“I’ll see you around, babe.” His voice wavers with the last word.
Lola cracks a smile. “Not if I can help it.”
I smirk, jerking my chin up at Callum as we pass him, and squeeze Lola’s hand. I ignore people as we make our way through the crowd. “I’m surprised he didn’t fire Callum when you broke up.”
“He never knew we were dating. I kept it a secret.” She comes to a halt. “And you’re about to meet the boss.”
“How did we meet?” I rush out, realizing we didn’t discuss the important details on the drive here.
“Make up something off the top of your head, and I’ll agree.” She shoots me a quick look. “Don’t make it something sexual.”
“In front of your father? Gross.”
We haven’t even reached the ten-minute mark, and I’ve already met the ex and now the father. I wasn’t prepared to be bombarded like this straight from the get-go. Hell, I didn’t even know that her father would be present until she told me when I picked her up, and I couldn’t bail then.
The man walks with wide steps and approaches us with ease. Lola stands tall, matching his posture, and I understand where she got her perfect one from.
“Lola,” he says, a gleam in his eyes when he reaches us.
She breaks away from me to hug him and kiss his cheek.
“You look nice, honey,” he says when they part, and then his gaze flashes to me. “And who is this?”
“This is …” Lola pauses, searching for the correct way to label us.
“Her date,” I answer for her, holding out my hand.
He shakes it, his grip strong. “Robert Delgado II.”
“Silas Malone. It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
Lola raises a brow at my saying sir.
He smiles. “This is the first time Lola has brought a date. You must be special to her.”
“Yes, sir. I think she’s falling in love.” I cringe when Lola’s heel meets my shin.
Robert chuckles at her response. “Come on. We have an incredible lineup of spirits tonight. We’ll have a drink and get to know each other.”
It takes all my strength not to tell them I have an emergency and need to leave. Since I don’t want to embarrass Lola, I push forward and follow them, maneuvering around people holding loud conversations while sipping on champagne and cocktails. Compliments and hellos are thrown to Robert every few minutes.
Robert stops at a four-person table, and just as I pull Lola’s chair out for her, a blond woman around Lola’s age joins us.
“Hey, honey.” Her tone is full of pep—the kind they always give the preppy girls in movies. She runs her hand along Robert’s shoulder and then down his arm before enveloping his hand. “I thought you ran off on me.”
Robert smacks a kiss to her cheek. “Of course not, baby.”
Lola’s eyes harden in their direction as she settles into her seat. I run my hand along her shoulder—like what Blondie did to Robert, only not as desperate.
“Hey, Lola,” Blondie says in almost a squeal. Her eyes widen when she sees me taking the chair next to Lola. “Who’s your friend?”
I wave. “I’m Silas.”
The woman presses her hand to her deep cleavage. “I’m Kelli, Robert’s girlfriend.”