AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brent is wearing a sideways snapback with the Celtics logo on it and a big puffy coat that wouldn’t look out of place in a music video, which I suppose is why he chose to wear it. He’d always leaned toward preppy styles — sweaters and polos — so seeing him look like a wannabe rapper is ridiculous.
“It’s fashion, bro,” Brent says. “Why are you dressed like my grandfather?”
Nick isn’t the only one here wearing a suit, but he’s definitely the only one wearing a tie and dress shoes.
“He looks professional,” I say sharply. “It’s better than dressing like you’re nineteen and not almost thirty.”
“At least I look like I belong here. I mean, seriously, who the fuck would wear a full sweatsuit to Paris? You look like you’re about to pass out on your couch after a six-pack of beer.”
There’s a sharp clearing of a throat to our right and we all turn as one to see Kara Kon and Dalton standing just inside the velvet ropes. Neither of them look amused. Dalton because he’s guessing correctly that we’re on the verge of tanking a massive deal for his star. And Kara?
Well Kara is raising one unamused eyebrow at Brent because she’s standing there in a fuchsia pink sweatsuit.
Granted, she’s paring it with what looks like about fifty grand worth of diamonds, and it’s definitely made by some high-end designer, but my outfit automatically leaps up at least two points in cool just by standing next to her. It almost looks like we agreed to match.
That thought definitely crosses everyone’s mind. And not just those involved in our confrontation. Unfortunately, this interruption has made me take a step back and now I’m realizing that all of Kara’s inner circle has heard every single word of the drama and is hanging on each development with baited breath.
I guess we were never going to blend in well anyway.
Everyone waits for what Kara is going to say, even Brent, who’s gone an ashen shade of white.
Kara glances around at all of our faces, takes a moment, and then decides to ignore whatever is happening here. She gives Nick a polite nod and goes to sit in the center of the couch with the best view down the length of her plane.
Brent and Cheryl throw dirty looks our way but take the opportunity to dip out as well, fleeing to a safe couch while an unamused-looking Dax goes to sit beside Kara.
Dalton ushers us to the other side of the VIP section. He looks strained, sweat beading on his forehead.
“Okay, what the fuck is going on?” he demands.
“Long story,” I mutter. Now that the immediate threat has receded all of my previous exhaustion has returned. It doesn’t help that with Kara on board the party has officially kicked into high gear. The music only gets louder as the MC comes on to hype up the crowd.
“ARE YOU FUCKERS READY TO GO CRAZY?” he screams into the mic.
Not at all. I’m ready to lie down and sleep.
“Well I can’t help you two if I don’t know what’s going on,” Dalton says, exasperated.
“Isn’t there somewhere quieter we can speak?” Nick asks. He can read my exhaustion plainly. His own is still etched with concern for me.
Dalton nods and escorts us behind the curtain, where there is a hall with several closed doorways. Nick heads toward the one furthest in the back, but Dalton shakes his head.
“Here,” he says, opening a door to a side room that’s small and stuffed with luggage. “They’re shooting in the bedroom. Guys will be setting up in there in a minute.”
The noise is somewhat quieter back here with the door closed but not by much. Dalton turns on us expectantly, hands on his hips.
“Okay, what gives?” he asks.
“That guy in the puffy coat?” I say wearily. “That’s my ex-fiancé. The girl with him is my ex-best friend. That’s about all there is to it.”
Dalton stares at us for a beat as if expecting an “April Fools”. It doesn’t come. He wipes his face with a large hand and looks up at the ceiling. Then he says, less to us than to himself, “Maybe something out there just doesn’t want this shit to happen.”
“It’ll be fine,” Nick says forcefully. But then his eyes flick to me. “Right?”
I don’t know. The shock is starting to set in. My nerves, so frayed already over the past day, are starting to catch up to me. I just shake my head helplessly in response.
“Okay,” Nick says. “How do we get him kicked out of here?”
Dalton shakes his head. “Doesn’t work like that, bud. Dax is dating Kara, and anyone Dax wants here is golden.”
