The crowd echoed him, and with the clink of glass on glass everyone said their cheers and drank.
James stepped forward next, looking around the room. "Thanks everyone. But my dad is too modest. If it wasn’t for the seed money he trusted his sixteen year old stepson with all those years ago we wouldn’t be standing here today. And of course, my mother, Nancy—that beautiful lady hiding back there—Mom, please take a bow. No a real bow, like this-" He demonstrated his best courtesy to general laughter. "Seriously, you are the most incredible woman I have ever know, and if it wasn’t for your strength and love I would never have found the courage to trust my instincts and build my business when everyone else was going off to college. I love you, Mom."
The men said cheers and the women cooed at his sweetness, glasses clinking.
"And where’s Allie?" he said, eyes hunting.
I blushed. What was he possibly going to say about me? I couldn’t imagine it could be anything good. I tried to slide into the kitchen, but some fat man who had drank too much of my dad’s whiskey stopped me and jubilantly pushed me back into the room with a red-faced grin.
"There she is," James said, pointing at me with his glass as I stumbled into the middle of the room. I smiled nervously as every face turned to look at me. "And Allie," he said, his eyes taking in my black dress for the first time. "And Allie," he repeated. He stared in silence for what felt like an eternity. I watched as his eyes dilated, his mouth opened slightly, and I swear I saw his tongue dart out of his mouth to his lips for the briefest of moments.
Did I just make Mr. Cool and Steady lose his train of thought?
But he regained his poise and finished. "Well, without her I wouldn’t be where I am today either. So thanks, family. I guess what I’m saying is that this party should be for you, not me. Cheers."
"Cheers!"
As James drank from his whiskey his eyes found mine again. I looked away, unable to hold his gaze. I left the room.
I needed a drink.
***
I grabbed a glass of champagne from the bar and downed it, then had the barman pour me another. My dad had really gone all out for the cocktail party. There were two servers wandering around with trays of drinks, a third with hors d'ouvres, and a fourth pouring in my dad’s study which he had converted into a bar for the evening.
I was watching the foamy champagne fill the fluted glass when I spotted James heading straight towards me. There was no running off this time. I smiled sarcastically. "I always knew you were a mama’s boy."
He grinned. Everything really was just a game for him. One he had every expectation of winning. "Have I ever denied it?" His eyes gazed on my cleavage before finding their way back up to my face. "I see my mom wasn’t exaggerating about you and your New York change."
I feigned disinterest in his opinion. "I didn’t change because of New York. I just found a way to finally be myself out there. Certain people made that impossible for me here. You know?"
"Don’t be bitter," he chided. "Bitter isn’t sexy, and you don’t want to ruin this whole little black dress thing you have going on, do you?"
Was he complimenting me, or making fun of me? God, I hated him. "Whatever," I said. "Did you want something or did you just come over here to gloat about another magazine cover?"
He laughed. "I almost forgot you were such an angry person. Now that I’m standing in front of you, though, I can’t imagine how I could have."
"And here I was thinking a billion dollars might have made you a little bit less of an asshole. Foolish, foolish me."
He grinned, obviously enjoying himself. "You’ve got to be the only person I know who thinks money can make someone less of an ass."
"Certain cases are hopeless."
"Absolutely hopeless." He sipped his whiskey, and his eyes roamed over me again. "Maybe I need to get to New York more often, if the girls all look like you do."
He caught me off guard with that. I grabbed my champagne and took a sip, searching for something to say back to him. Thankfully, my phone rang and I didn’t have to. I didn’t bother excusing myself, I just answered it.
"Hey, are you ready?" It was Tessa.
I stared up at James. "Yeah, I’m ready. Just let me grab a coat. Are you out front?"
"You know it, girl."
"Okay. Kisses." I hung up the phone.
"Let me guess, Tessa?" James said, as if her name had a sour taste or something. He had never cared much for her, but I wasn’t sure why. Tessa said she had never even spoken to him, so she was as clueless as I was. "Where are you two off to tonight?"
"I’m sorry, did I give you the impression that it was any of your business?" I downed my champagne and with another sarcastic smile said goodbye. "Enjoy your little party, James."