to the side, where a set of beautifully handcrafted jewelry was on display for the silent auction. The rings in the set caught her eye especially. They were dragonflies with amethyst bodies on a dainty diamond flower. Their wings were tiny emeralds. She’d never have enough money to afford something so magical. She made a wistful sound.
Charly echoed it beside her. “It’s a Molinero original. Isn’t it lovely?”
Mollie wasn’t nearly as much a fan of expensive jewelry as Charlize, but she was entranced. “Stunning.”
“See Aaron’s personal assistant over there?” Charlize pointed at the elegant redhead going up against Elana for Mikey in the auction. “You’ll never believe what happened. Autumn Molinero originally made this jewelry for Aaron’s party, but Veronica hated it and made her start over.”
“Sounds like she was jealous,” Mollie said. For a moment she imagined the clever little dragonflies fitting on her finger, but one glance told her that the jewels were sold as a set. Just like Elana, she was no match against these socialites with their bags of money. “I’m sure Autumn will get a lot for it.”
Charly nodded. “Aaron was livid when he found out how Autumn had been treated. I think he’ll try to make a bid for it.”
The stakes were high tonight. Elana must have a life savings stashed away somewhere. The competition was getting heated at the front of the room, though Elana stopped a moment and glanced over at Mollie and Charly standing to the side. The older lady blew a friendly kiss their direction.
“What have you gotten me into?” a man asked behind them. His gritty, masculine accent belonged to an exotic country in the south. “Please say she doesn’t have a penny to her name.”
With rising irritation, Mollie realized the stranger was talking about her friend.
Aaron laughed pleasantly in response. “She almost lost to Veronica for Mikey if that tells you anything.”
“Did Mikey pay Veronica under the table to save him?” the man replied. “I’ll pay her double.”
Mollie let out a gasp. What did this guy have against her poor, spirited friend? She swiveled on her heel to glare, but the man she saw unhinged her jaw. If she hadn’t had enough sense to keep it firmly in place, she would’ve gaped like a fish. The guy talking to Aaron was, in a word. beautiful. Though she might’ve guessed someone who looked like a prince would be such a snob; he dressed like one too. He hadn’t bothered with the ’20s gangster look, opting for a black leather jacket, black dress shirt and black suit pants with a subtle stripe. Every crease screamed expensive. His tie was missing—fashionably—just like the mess he’d made of his hair. It made his hazel eyes pop. The fact he was drop dead gorgeous made her angrier. He definitely knew it, too, with that smirk. Yes, of course he was smirking. He was just her ex-boyfriend Scooby in expensive clothes.
He caught her gaze and raised a heavy brow. “No drinks for me. Wait, no, I’ll take a bottled water.”
Mollie’s hands curled into fists. He thought she was part of the staff? “Excuse me?”
Aaron quickly intervened. “Janson, this is Mollie. Charlize’s good friend. Mollie, this is Janson Styles.” Mollie knew that name, but couldn’t think where, especially through the fury clouding her brain. Aaron hugged Charlize around the waist in an attempt to smooth things over. “And this is Charly.”
“Charly?” Janson’s disinterested gaze swept past Mollie like she didn’t exist so he could study Charlize. “This can’t be the girl who caused such a storm on the internet last night?” His voice was low, his accent—Brazilian, she guessed—dripped with sarcasm. Mollie cringed on her friend’s behalf. She could only guess what people were saying when they discovered a “little nobody” dating such a notorious bachelor. “You look far less vicious than the major news outlets make you out to be,” he said.
Charlize smiled nervously. “Looks can be deceiving.”
Janson didn’t seem impressed. “I hope so. You think you’ve got it in you to keep up with Aaron Mills?”
That was it! Two could play the Mean Girls game. Mollie cut in. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
Charly shot her a nervous glance. “He’s teasing, Mollie. Of course he knows Aaron doesn’t feel that way.”
But Janson did. What an insufferable snob. He pinned Mollie with a disdainful look, his arrogant eyes missing nothing, even while Aaron hurriedly told Janson how lucky he was to have Charlize. Ignoring his friend, Janson stepped closer to Mollie. “What’s