“Daniel.”
He was about to step through the door when he heard Rachel speak his name. He turned around slowly and saw the anxiety in her eyes. Oh crap, this was bad. “Yeah?”
Rachel hesitated and blew air into her cheeks. “Nothing. Ignore me.”
Daniel growled his frustration and threw up his hands. “For God’s sake, Rachel! What?”
Rachel’s hands were white against her clipboard. “Tonight, later, when you run into her, just be gentle, okay?”
And what, in the name of all that was holy, did that mean?
Three
Daniel loved his grandmother—he did—but right now, he didn’t like her. Not even one little bit. It was her fault that he was dressed in this stupid suit with a noose around his neck. She’d nagged him until he agreed to take part in this auction, and he’d finally relented, thinking that it was easier to say yes than listen to her harangue him. It was because of her that he’d have to go and stand on that stupid stage while his old ex-girlfriend and his recent ex-lover auctioned him off like a piece of meat.
And his grandmother’s latest little surprise? Well, as one of the most eligible bachelors in the area, and one of the wealthiest, she’d informed him about meeting with a lifestyle reporter who was covering the auction. She and the journalist had discussed the possibility of Daniel giving an interview on whether his hopes and expectations of this evening lived up to the reality...
He had only one hope—that he managed to keep control of his seldom-seen-but-explosive temper—and exactly zero expectations.
And his grandmother was doomed to be disappointed. He had no intention of doing any damn interviews.
“Hi, Daniel.”
Daniel whipped his head up and saw Tessa Noble standing by the refreshment table, her hand holding a quiche. Judging by the comments his grandmother had recently sent his way, he knew that she hoped that he and Tessa would finally connect, but unfortunately he only had eyes for an annoying blue-eyed blonde. But...hot damn. Tessa had always been attractive but tonight she was smokin’ hot.
“Tessa? God, you look...incredible.” Daniel shoved a hand in the pocket of his pants. “What are you doing here?” As soon as he asked the question, he had his answer. “Wait... Are you the surprise?”
Of course she was. It was classic Alex, when the crowd was expecting one thing, to do the exact opposite. And Tessa, looking like five million dollars, was a hell of a surprise.
“Guilty.” Tessa blushed.
“Everyone will definitely be surprised,” Daniel said. Oh, smooth, Clayton. Just tell the woman that her normal look is subpar. Which it so wasn’t. “Not that you don’t look good normally.”
“It’s okay, Daniel. I get it,” she mumbled around a mouth full of quiche. “It was quite a surprise to me, too.”
Distracted, Daniel leaned his shoulder into the wall, darting a quick look toward the door, hoping to see Alex. He’d sent her a couple of text messages, asking if she was okay, but she’d yet to respond. He needed to know whether, at the very least, she’d stopped crying. If she hadn’t, she’d not only go onstage with red eyes, but he might be compelled to kick someone’s ass. If she ever deigned to tell him whose ass needed kicking.
Daniel turned his attention back to Tessa. “You must be tired of people telling you how different you look. How did Tripp and Ryan react?”
There was something between her and Ryan, something more than the best friends they professed to be. Any idiot could see it and maybe that was why he’d never asked Tessa out on a date. Subconsciously, he supposed he always felt that if he asked Tessa out, he would be violating the bro code. And since Ryan was a good friend, that wasn’t happening.
“Neither of them has seen me yet. I’m a little nervous about their reaction.”
She had a right to be. Ryan would take one look at her and, if he was as smart as Daniel knew him to be, would take her to bed and keep her there.
“Don’t be. I can’t imagine a man alive could find fault with the way you look tonight.” Oh crap, that had come out wrong. “Or any night...of course.”
Tessa laughed and Daniel smiled at her, feeling at ease in her company.