into a woman men want, but there’s another layer to it, something innocent and pure. Ryan truly was someone I saw myself dating. For months, I had a crush on him. In the two weeks since Derek has returned to town, he’s been thrown onto the back burner, but that’s not quite fair. I owe it to myself to see if I really do have feelings for him. In fact, I desperately want to have feelings for him because when we step into the living room, where guests have already started to amass, I find Derek engrossed in conversation with a group of people, a beautiful woman by his side.
She’s no stranger. Nadine has been a manager in the Entertainment Department for the better half of a decade. She helped train me for my role as Princess Elena. Tall, dark-skinned, British. There’s not one bad word you could say about her unless it’s that she’s too polite. You know those type of people. Their entire existence is one big apology. Oh, am I in your way? Oh, here, you go first. Oh, please, take mine.
They look handsome together, standing side by side, much closer in age than he and I are. I doubt she has ever sent anyone embarrassing emails inviting them to dinner, and if she has, they probably tripped over themselves to send back a quick reply, their fingers popping letters off the keyboard.
Thomas stands in their circle, a fact Carrie doesn’t miss.
To save us both, I head in the direction of the bar, where Cal stands behind the counter, uncorking wine for his guests. He spots me and smiles, pulling the plug on a bottle just as we join him.
“Ah, perfect timing,” he says, filling the glasses lined up in front of him. “Whitney, I barely recognize you. You look radiant.”
“Are you saying I don’t always look radiant?” I ask, knowing full well that half the time I show up for our weekly dinners wearing yesterday’s jeans and a loose t-shirt, hair knotted up on top of my head.
“I’m merely suggesting that tonight, especially, there’s an air about you.”
“Carrie dressed me. That’s probably it.”
“Well then, Carrie, you’ve done a fine job. How are you?” He greets her with warmth. I’ve brought Carrie over to Cal’s plenty of times. They get on well, and she’s an easy addition to our dinners.
Then Cal’s eyes cut to Ryan. “Ah, and you brought another guest.”
“Ryan Culver, sir,” Ryan says, extending his hand. “I work with Whitney.”
Cal nods and I’m sure he seems perfectly pleasant to everyone else, but I can tell he’s not too keen to see Ryan here. He’s made his feelings about him perfectly clear to me. Still, he tries.
“Any friend of Whitney’s is a friend of mine. Welcome to my home. We have wine and cocktails here. I used to hire a bartender, but I find people are usually adept at making their own drinks if you give them the chance. Dinner will be served at half past seven.”
With that, he shoots me another glance before moving around us to greet someone else.
“Holy shit.” Ryan exhales with a laugh once the three of us are alone. “I just talked to Charles Knightley! I’m inside his house!” He’s wiping his palms on his pant legs. “Do you think that painting over there is by someone famous?”
I don’t have the heart to tell him it’s an original Cézanne. Instead, I hold up my wine glass for a toast.
“Here’s to an interesting night.”
Chapter Nine
Derek
Whitney is here, and she made quite an entrance. I think the entire room stopped to watch her and her friend walk in.
I’ve never thought of her as someone willing to reduce herself to arm candy, but there she stands, propped up by Ryan near the bar. He makes her smile and she leans in, her body brushing his.
Tonight especially, her hair looks like it’s on fire, burning in waves across her pale shoulders and black sweater.
I tamp down a twinge of annoyance as Nadine follows my gaze.
“Ah! Whitney’s here,” she notes pleasantly. “And she brought a date from the looks of it. I think that’s the boy who plays her prince in the castle, isn’t it?” Someone confirms he is and she sighs like she’s just been presented with a newborn baby. “Oh, that’s too sweet they’ve come together. I wonder if they’re an item.”
“No no. Haven’t you heard? Derek here is her new prince,” Thomas says, grinning.
He and I go way back. Our years at Princeton