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Glass shattering somewhere in the distance brought me back to the present, and I jerked away. Miles pulled back a little more slowly, touching his lips to my forehead as he straightened. The kiss was over, but not our connection. He wrapped his arms around me and brought me straight into his chest for a hug.
“I don’t think that worked,” he murmured.
“What?” My thoughts were still in soft focus. “What didn’t work?”
“The kiss. Your ex is now glaring at me from the bar like he’s going to stab me with one of those cocktail swords.”
I gripped the back of his shirt, dread replacing the pool of warmth in my belly. “Bea wouldn’t let him. She’d stab him first.”
He nudged my chin with his knuckle to tilt my face back. “We need to make a decision right now. Go, or stay and face the douche?”
I puffed my cheeks and blew out a heavy breath. We were here for a reason—and it had nothing to do with Andy. Besides, we were bound to run into each other again, and I couldn’t run away every time.
“I’m not going to let Andy mess anything up for me. I was here first, so I’m staying.”
Something rumbled in Miles’ chest. “That’s a brave, good girl. Proud of you.” He kissed the top of my head, and my toes curled in pleasure again. “Come on. Let’s look at some art. Maybe Bea will poison him, and this will all be moot.”
An hour later, we still hadn’t run across Andy. He must’ve been sticking to the other side of the gallery. I excused myself to use the restroom while Miles chatted with a few men his father knew from their country club.
When I stepped out of the bathroom into the short hallway, I realized my mistake in letting my guard down. Andy was leaning against the opposite wall, clearly waiting for me.
I nodded, intent on breezing past him. I did not wait to listen to anything he had to say. Of course, he couldn’t let things lie and caught me by the bicep.
I yanked my arm away, but stopped to face him, not uttering a word until he did.
“You cut your hair.”
“I did.”
His eyes scraped over me. “It’ll grow back. I’m surprised you would succumb to a breakup haircut.”
I touched the bottom of it, which was still inches above my shoulders. “I like it short.”
He looked like he was biting his tongue, which pleased me. He wasn’t allowed to have an opinion on anything I did anymore.
“You never said.”
I shrugged. “I mentioned cutting it once. You told me my long hair was one of your favorite parts of me.”
He had the decency to wince. “Now, it doesn’t matter.”
“No. What you think doesn’t matter anymore. Have a good night.”
I started past him again, but he touched my elbow, slowing me. “You’re seeing someone.”
A scream was lodged in my throat. We should have been looking forward to our engagement, but we were little more than strangers making uncomfortable small talk.
“Yes.”
He nodded quickly. “Good. That’s good. I am too.”
“Good luck to you, Andy. If we see each other at another one of these things, we don’t have to do this, all right? It’s better if we don’t.”
Right then, I was happy to be wearing boots instead of heels to hasten my exit.
I found Miles alone, looking for me with a pinched brow. Worried. He’d been worried for me. When he spotted me, it was like a cloud lifted from his expression, brightening all at once. I walked straight up to him and leaned into his chest.
“Would it be all right if we left?”
