Been There Done That (Leffersbee #1) - Hope Ellis Page 0,100

at his pained expression. “This is it for us. Tavia and Walker will be at the formal dinner tomorrow night so they can do the networking. I hate this shit. I’m just here to say a few polite words and hand over the check for the photo. We can get real food after this.”

His face fell in mock disappointment. “You hear that,” he said in a friendly aside to the server, lightly elbowing her free arm. She blushed under his teasing regard. “This is how she treats her dates. Drags ‘em to fancy venues where they only have . . .” He peered at the tray’s contents. “What is that, exactly?”

She grinned up at him, her gaze moving over his face and tuxedoed chest. “Canapés.”

“What kind of canapés?”

“Mascarpone, sprouts with pickled onion, smoked sesame seeds, and wine salt.”

His brows pulled low as he turned to me. “What the hell is wine salt?”

I rolled my eyes. “Either you want one or not, Jackson. Stop torturing her.”

I blinked at the blinding smile she gifted him. “It’s alright. He’s okay. I don’t mind.”

Of course she didn’t.

I ignored them both as I turned to survey the room, mentally calculating how to avoid as much social interaction as possible. There was what’s-her-name with the insurance agency in town. She loved to pull my father aside for endless jawing whenever she saw him around town. I’d need to avoid her like the plague. Ditto for tonight’s speaker, a colleague of mine who loved to wax on for at least an hour after every departmental meeting while his gaze intermittently melted down to my chest.

My head filled with what looked like football plays as I scanned the room, mentally charting blocks, evasions, and a route of escape. I had to get the hell out of here. There were too many people, period, and I knew way too many. Too many potential conversations. That I would say something inappropriate or embarrassing was an inevitability. I needed a hiding place until we got closer to the time to present the stupid check.

Jackson’s voice sounded near my head again. “Just what I thought. Tastes like my ma pulled some of the weeds from her garden and put it on a Ritz cracker. Who puts sesame seeds on a cracker and thinks they’re doing something? And what are ‘smoked’ sesame seeds anyway? How would you even taste the difference? If this isn’t the emperor’s new clothes—”

“Jackson.”

“What?”

I took a moment to fully appreciate him in his formal wear. His freshly cut blond hair fell in neat layers and his beard was freshly trimmed. “I’m beginning to wish I came to this thing alone.”

“Don’t think you’re just gonna use me as arm candy. You owe me a good time. I have standards.” He flicked another glance in my direction. “So this is what you’ve hiding been under your clothes all this time? I mean, it was impossible to miss, but I’ve just . . . never seen the full extent of it. Damn.”

“Jackson James.” I punched him in the arm.

“You’re just in a pissy mood because you hate these things. Let’s see if we can scare off someone at one of these standing tables. I want you across from me so I can enjoy this view, and I’m gonna need somewhere to put my beer. Once I figure out where the beer is.”

“How are we friends?”

“I’m trying not to get offended, knowing you didn’t get all fancy for me.”

I reared back. “And who, exactly, do you think I got ‘all fancy’ for? If not to make the best possible impression for my family’s business?”

His face grew impassive. “I think I see one of the officers I know from Knoxville. I’ll go over and say hi.”

I shook my head as I watched him disappear into the crowd, clutching a handful of the offensive canapés.

I pulled my phone from my dainty clutch, groaning when I noted the time. Great. According to the itinerary, I had another ninety minutes before I could hand over the check and disappear. More than an hour of awkward small talk with strangers, pretending interest in inane chatter.

Kill me now. I craned my neck, scanning for an unoccupied corner or hiding spot.

My gaze fell on the recessed handle on the opposite partition wall.

Bingo.

Nick

Despite listening attentively to a researcher drone on about telomeres and cancer cells, I was hyper-aware of Zora’s arrival.

More than a few heads turned to take in the sight of her in that gold dress. She’d been oblivious, of