Page 92 of Tell Me I'm Enough

I grab my phone and FaceTime Mason because it’s getting close to the time we need to be leaving, and if he makes me walk into that ballroom alone, I will actually murder him.

The phone rings a couple of times before he finally answers.

“Ugh, Simone, my guardian angel. Thank you for saving me.”

“Saving you from what?” I ask, still sitting at the vanity in one of the girls’ rooms at the Gamma house.

I hear him rushing around the room before finally setting the phone up on his dresser.

“I was stuck on the phone with my dad’s assistant, who was trying to go over some upcoming changes to the firm my dad thought tonight—the night of the gala—was the perfect time to debrief me on.”

“What, you think he timed it just right to bother you?”

“Oh, I know he did. Good thing he’s still a dumb ass under all those degrees and dollar signs. We’re an hour behind Florida time, so he probably thought they’d catch me right as it was starting and try to keep me on the phone. Probably would have tried to give me the list of people I needed to connect with and impress at the gala again, like they haven’t told me a hundred times in the past week, and then lecture me on not drinking too much.”

“Won’t he see you in like…” I look up at the date on the calendar hanging on the wall, “a couple of days?”

“Don’t remind me,”he says, grabbing a flask from behind where his phone is propped up and taking a long sip.

“You’re…drinking already?” I ask, a little confused.

I mean, I guess it’s not that unusual to drink before events around here, but those are normally laid-back parties or campus events. This is one of the most formal events the Greeks put on each year. It’s only my first one, but I’ve heard they don’t like for any of us to get sloppy or embarrass any of the house’s names by getting drunk.

He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and sets the flask down.“Pre-game. I’ll save you some…unless you’re too good for a little whiskey, pretty girl.”

I lean over and laugh into the screen. “Ha, bring it.”

“That’s what I like to hear. Plus,” he says, turning to Chase, who just walked into frame, clapping his shoulder,“Chase got stuck being DD, and we are very appreciative of his sacrifices tonight.”

Chase flips him off and pulls on his tux jacket.

I finish up doing my makeup and watch as he tries to fix his tie before giving up and grabbing the flask again.

“Slow down, cowboy. Let me at least catch up to your level before we get to the gala. And stop messing with that poor tie. I’ll fix it in the car.”

He looks at me through the phone appreciatively, then tucks the flask in his jacket pocket.

“I’m coming over now with Chase to get you.”

* * *

My heels click against the marble, and I hold my dress up so I don’t trip over it. The entire walk from the valet to the foyer feels like stepping into another universe—one that smells like expensive fragrances and expensive food and way too much money poured into one night.

Chase and his date walk a little ahead of us, arm in arm. Mason slows when we reach the threshold, letting me step in first.

It’s a Greek-only gala, which is why no outside dates were allowed. You could only be paired up with someone from one of the other houses.

The gala is way fancier than anything I was expecting. The massive cathedral’s high ceilings and carved, molded walls are painted in a deep, beautiful crimson red light, perfect for Christmas without coming anywhere near tacky.

It’s breathtaking.

Chairs and tables are packed into one side of the room that could easily seat a thousand Greek students tonight, and the other side is an open floor plan for dancing and socializing.

I don’t even realize how long I’m standing there taking it all in until a low laugh warms my ear from beside me.

“Simone.”

Then I feel a tap to my chin.