say so we can just get over this and move on. I don’t need to hear about her. She’s not a threat, and despite how secure I finally am in us, I really don’t want to hear about all the women he had before me.
“I don’t care about Rachel, Zack.”
He sighs in relief and I watch his angered expression soften to the relaxed Zack I prefer. He eyes me hesitantly. “She may be at this after party tonight. We can skip it if you want, I don’t want her causing problems for you.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m a big girl. And if she starts anything, I’m pretty sure Mia can take her.”
The entrance to the Four Seasons hotel for the after party is almost as blinding from the flashing lights as the red carpet. Zack ushers us through the screaming fans and lights with an arm around my waist and his eyes on me the whole time. His piercing gaze sends shivers down my spine. I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to.
I freeze at the entrance to the ballroom and clasp Mia’s hand. It is the most spectacular and overwhelmingly beautiful sight I have ever seen. Crystal chandeliers hang throughout the room, exotic flowers I’ve never seen sit on the bar height tables all throughout the room. A bar is along the right wall complete with an ice sculpture and chocolate fountain. Yum. A live band plays quiet music as we enter.
“Crap, Zack. You live in a fairytale.”
He laughs but squeezes my waist tighter. “Wait until you see the Grammy’s, this is nothing.”
I look up at him with terrified eyes.
“You’ll get used to it; I promise.”
I highly doubt it, but I smile anyway.
I feel completely out of place amongst the obscene glamour. A part of me feels like I’ve stepped into a fairytale book and at any moment the fairy godmother is going to arrive, wave her magic wand, and send me back to the squalor of middle class.
The other part wants to hold tight to the man who taught me I could love again and never let go.
“Come on Cinderella, let’s go enjoy our fairytale before we turn back into pumpkins.” Mia grabs my hand and whisks me towards the bar. I turn to Zack to see if it’s okay that I’m leaving. He nods his head in approval; not like he has much of a choice with Mia around anyway.
“So,” Mia says once we settle near the bar waiting to get a drink. Or twelve. And shots. I’m wound so tight from the nerves and excitement and encounter with Rachel, it’s just going to be that kind of night. “What did that witch say to you?”
“Ugh, I don’t want to talk about this right now. Suffice it to say, she wants Zack. And I’m leaving it at that.”
“What did he have to say?”
I move my eyes from her to the band and shrug my shoulders.
“Oh stop it,” she says and hands me my first shot of Patron. “It’s not like I couldn’t tell what you two were whispering about on the way here. What did he say?”
“Fine. He got pissed and told me they were basically friends with benefits for a while.” I rub my forehead nervously and wave my shot glass in the air signaling the bartender for another round. “I’ll get over it, I just hate seeing that look in her eyes.”
We take our shots and I wince again as the flavor gently burns my throat. Tequila. Awesome. It fills me with bravery immediately. Or I’m just starting to get a bit drunk from the shots and little food in my stomach. Either way, I feel better; calmer. And that’s what is important.
We laugh as we walk away from the bar stopping at the waiters walking around with champagne and appetizers and look for Zack while gawking shamelessly at the celebrities who surround us. For the most part, they ignore the lowly unknowns, but a few times we catch whispers of other girls pointing our way. I finally spot Zack in a corner with Jake and Chase, and a few other girls.
Mia and I make our way towards them when I recognize the girls.
Rachel McAllister.
Zack’s posture is stiff. He’s standing up straight with his arms crossed in front of him, clearly giving off the nonverbal cue for her to walk away. I walk closer and see her hand reach out towards Zack’s arms. He scowls more deeply, says something and moves out of her