some reason, I have a momentary lapse of judgment. Before he hands it over, I twirl around and place a hand on his chest. “Don’t go stripping away the old you completely.”
He smiles down at me, his hand covers mine and we stare into each other’s eyes for a moment. I want to look away. I need to look away.
“Chelsea!”
Thank God.
“I’ll be keeping that.” Dean keeps his jacket, sliding his arms back through the sleeves, leaving his cool persona intact.
“You look gorgeous.” Victoria approaches, Reed at her side. “Spin.”
“No.”
“Come on, spin.” Victoria’s eyes are expectant. Are they handing out crack at this party? What the hell is wrong with her?
“No.”
Dean steps up beside me and links his fingers through mine and holds our hands up in the air between us. For some reason that I can’t fathom, I don’t pull away.
“Oh, I’m not supposed to like you,” Victoria says with dreamy eyes.
“You’re Victoria?” Dean asks.
Reed steps closer, putting his arm around his woman and planting his hand on her hip. “And I’m Reed.”
“Down dog,” I joke. “This is Dean.”
“Dean?” Reed questions and then he removes his hand from Victoria and extends it out to Dean. “The ex-husband?”
“The one and only.” Dean shakes his hand while still holding my arm up with his free hand. I fight to lower my hand, but he’s stronger and wins out.
I spin quickly to get it over with. Victoria claps. “Just gorgeous. Love the dress.”
I swear she’s transformed into Mary Poppins since Reed came into her life.
“I couldn’t agree more, Victoria.” Dean’s hand extends to Victoria.
She stares at it and then glances to me, hesitantly letting Dean’s big hand swallow her petite one.
“You look beautiful. Spin,” I say back to her with a shit-eating grin.
She laughs, spinning without the assistance of Reed. Even does a curtsey.
“Reed, are you giving her drugs?” I ask.
He chuckles and kisses her temple. “If happiness is a drug, then she’s overdosed.”
I roll my eyes. “They’re newly together.” I point to the happy couple and look at Dean.
He nods. “Hopefully they’ll rub off on you.”
I roll my eyes and glance around the room, trying to spot Hannah’s German Shepard, Lucy. When I don’t spot her trying to climb up anyone’s leg, I turn to Victoria.
“Where’s Lucy?” I ask.
“Hannah said things did not go well when the caterers came to start setting up, so she begged Tad to take her for the evening.
I chuckle. “She’s going to owe him big time.”
“Who’s Lucy?” Dean asks.
Before I can respond, Reed spots someone behind me. “Raegan!” Reed raises his hand and Victoria slides to the side to see past Dean.
“Oh. My. God.” Victoria’s face pales.
“I told you, she doesn’t like me. See, she brought a date with her.” Reed argues against Victoria’s jealousy of a lawyer who did some intellectual property work for us pro bono. He introduced us to her and she helped us out of a jam.
Victoria’s hand smacks Reed in the stomach. “Give me some credit.” Her eyes find mine and her voice lowers. “It’s the silver fox.”
“What?” I spin around and sure as shit, the silver fox is helping Raegan with her coat and handing it to the lady who just took mine.
I spin back around to Victoria, my gaze scanning the immediate area for Hannah.
“Last we saw her, she was on her way to the kitchen to make sure everything was going smoothly.” Victoria bites her lip.
“What am I missing?” Reed asks. “Is that Hannah’s boyfriend?”
“NO!” we both screech.
“It’s her ex-husband’s attorney,” Victoria says.
“Divorce attorney,” I clarify.
“So, he might be more hated than me at this party?” Dean asks.
Reed and Victoria laugh.
“I don’t hate you,” Reed chimes in.
“I don’t…” I narrow my eyes at Victoria. “Let’s find Hannah,” she suggests.
Whose side is she on?
“I’ll be back.” I eye the silver fox and then Dean.
“I make friends easily.” He slips his hands into his pockets and shrugs.
“I’ll show you to the bar.” Reed nods in the direction of the other room.
Dean’s smile dims slightly for the first time tonight and my stomach flips. His smile returns after a moment and he leans forward so his lips are at my ear. “Relax. As I think you remember, I’m a big boy.”
I suck in a breath and he winks, nodding his head in the direction I need to head in.
Go Chels. Move your feet. Up and down. You’ve been doing it since you were eleven months old.
His hand lands on my back and he nudges me forward.
“Come on.” Victoria’s already ten steps ahead