Page 87 of Miss Trust

“You’re crying?” Chance asked from the doorframe.

I looked over to see him standing there in a black and white tuxedo. As if my boss wasn’t devastating enough in a suit, he had to go and upstage himself with a tuxedo.

“I’m not crying. Just got a little something in my eye. Give me a hug, ladybug. I’ll be back later and give you a kiss before I go to sleep. Okay?”

She smiled. “Okay. Mona has both Frozen movies to watch tonight. It’s gonna be so good.”

I gave her one last kiss before standing up and straightening my dress.

Mona came up, giving us both a smile. “You two look lovely. Now, don’t you worry about a thing. Malik and I have room service coming up with dinner in an hour. Movie marathon queued up. And I have both your cell phone numbers if I need them.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, trying to pull myself together. Unless I wanted Chance to see me completely vulnerable, I needed to quickly rebuild some form of defense. Maybe a curtain would do for now. At least until I could figure out something stronger.

* * *

“You all right?”Chance asked, probably noting how quiet I was in the back of the limo.

I forced a smile. I might be overwhelmed by the whirlwind day with a limo to top it off, but I refused to spoil this evening for him. “I’m good.”

“If you’re upset about the necklace I gave Penny, then I apologize for not asking you first.”

“No. It was thoughtful. Thank you for including her. This entire day has been thoughtful, and I’ve never seen her so happy.”

“Is that why you were emotional earlier?”

Of course he’d noticed. “Yeah.” I didn’t intend to say anything more on the subject since I was still too raw and vulnerable in this new territory of gift accepting. “So what is this gala tonight about?”

“I wish I could say it’s for a charity or something remotely redeemable, but unfortunately it’s only for a new casino opening. We don’t have to stay long, but it’s good for business when I show my face and network.”

“When will I get to see your club?”

Surprise etched his expression. “We can go after if you’re up for it.”

There was something I was coming to realize about Chance. He was a hands-on owner who was proud of what he’d built. And I found myself wanting to be a part of it. “I’m sure I will be. In fact, I look forward to it.”

My nerves had started to settle until we pulled up to the grand entrance of a casino. That’s where I caught sight of an army of photographers and a red freaking carpet, the type typically seen at awards shows. What the hell? “Please tell me we don’t have to walk the carpet.”

He lifted my hand up to his lips. “We do, but we won’t stop to talk to anyone.”

The car had stopped, and the door was opening. “But—but if they find out who I am and what I did, it could damage your reputation.” I was a crack addict’s daughter, former stripper, and now what? A live-in employee who was sleeping with the boss. I put a fist to my chest, trying to calm what I assumed was the beginning of a panic attack. “You should go on. Leave me here.”

Chance directed his attention to the driver who’d come to hold open the door. “Give us a few minutes. If you need to drive around again, then do it.”

“Yes, sir.” Nodding, he closed the door and left us some privacy.

“I mean it,” I said. “You go.”

“I’m not going without you. You are stunning, and I’m proud to be walking in with you on my arm.”

“But if they find out my past—”

“Your past has nothing on my present. And even if it did, I don’t give a fuck. You are one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. A fierce mom who takes no prisoners. Why would you be intimidated now?”

“Because I’m pretending. This isn’t who I am.” Ironically, I’d felt more at ease when I’d been up on stage in my stripper outfit than I did now, all dressed up as a fake.

“If you’re pretending, then so am I. So is everyone in there. That’s all this is. Events like this are full of fake smiles, phony greetings, and bogus compliments. I hate every second of it, but it’s necessary for networking. And I brought you because you’re real, and while I’m in a sea full of fake people, having you by my side doesn’t make it seem so bad.”

My lips parted. I hadn’t once considered how much he might hate these types of affairs.