Charity Case - The Complete Series - Piper Rayne Page 0,282

legs. Jade is wearing a soft pink dress with a beaded belt around the waist while Reed is in a typical black tuxedo. They look like the perfect American family.

I hold my hands out to the room. “Amazing, right?”

Victoria slides out from Reed’s hold, her hand over her heart as she approaches me. “It’s beautiful and more than I even imagined. What a great start to RISE.” She embraces me and the warmth of her arms brings the hopeful feeling that this will not be our only gala. That RISE will succeed and there will be many more to come.

“Looks great,” Reed says behind her.

Victoria draws back from me, giving me the look like ‘he’s a guy, don’t blame him for his lack of enthusiasm.’

“Can I write on the board?” Jade asks.

“Definitely. Start it off, girl,” I say.

She runs to the room and disappears. “You guys talk, I’ll keep an eye on her.” Reed leans forward kissing me on the cheek. “Congratulations, Hannah.”

“Thank you, Reed.”

With one last look at Victoria, he heads to the room Jade disappeared into.

“Anything I need to do?” Victoria inspects every surface.

“Nope. Just enjoy tonight. I’m going to introduce you and Chelsea at the beginning of the evening and other than that, you guys just have fun.” I lean in close. “There’s going to be fireworks near the end so maybe Jade can stay later?”

“Reed won that round. Said a late bedtime isn’t going to kill her.” She rolls her eyes and I wonder how much say he gets these days. Victoria usually holds all control when her ex isn’t around and I imagine having Reed interject his opinion must be hard to get used to.

“Holy shit, it’s awesome!” Chelsea’s voice screeches into the nearly empty room. When we turn, we see her mouth hanging open as she looks around. “Sonya is pure magic. I say we hire her to do all of our events.”

“I think you’re missing someone?” Victoria says, noting that Dean is not with her.

“Hey, if he thinks I need a jacket in case it gets cold then he can wait at coat check.” She thumbs behind her.

Dean walks in handsome as ever in his tuxedo, looking a tad on the exhausted side.

“I’m trying to make sure you don’t get a cold.” His long strides bring him to us in no time at all.

If I’m not mistaken, there is the smallest hint of baby bump. Anyone who didn’t know how flat her stomach was before the pregnancy wouldn’t even notice. But in her tight gold dress, I can see the beginnings of her baby bump.

“Ladies. Gorgeous as ever.” Dean kisses both our cheeks.

“Hey!” She smacks him in the stomach.

“You know where you stand.” He kisses her cheek, then his lips travel to her ear and he whispers something.

Once Chelsea stops giggling, he asks, “Where’s Reed?”

I’m sure he’s anxious to get out of our girl squad.

“In the black room with Jade.” I motion with my hand behind him.

He claps his hands rubbing them together. “A black room. I feel like I’m in college again.” He ventures off and Chelsea rolls her eyes.

Why do I miss having a man around to roll my eyes at?

“My hands are itching without anything to do,” Victoria says.

The two of us laugh. “Let’s get a drink then,” Chelsea suggests, even though she’ll be sipping on water all night.

“Perfect,” I say, thinking I could use a little cocktail comedown at the moment.

The three of us head to the bar with about ten minutes to spare before guests will start arriving. I can only pray that Roarke isn’t one of them.

Chapter Thirty-Three

All the guests are seated and I’m at the podium after introducing Chelsea and Victoria. The video advertising the RISE program is about to play when my voice catches in my throat when I spot the tall man winding through the tables.

Roarke slides into the seat next to mine. The one that was reserved for him but was supposed to have been moved to a different table.

“Please enjoy the…video.” I step away from the podium, and the spotlight moves off of me. “Chels,” I bite out.

“I saw.” She cringes.

“Why is he at my table?”

She shakes her head. “I have no idea. I know I put him at another one.” She bites her lip. “I know I’ve been a little out of it, but that is a detail I definitely didn’t miss.” I believe her. Part of me wonders if Sonya did it. God knows she thinks he walks on fucking