have a purse?” he asked, leaning into my ear. I had to lean away just a little so I wouldn’t burrow myself against his chest. For that little piece of idiocy, I blamed his breath, which I’d felt on my neck, causing a shiver to move up my spine.
He let go of my hand and stood at my back, ready to help me take off my coat. “I don’t have anything that matches,” I answered softly, angling my head to the left so he could hear me as I slowly started to unbutton my coat with cold fingers and then gently shrugged it off.
“Why didn’t you buy something?”
“You said to get a dress, and I don’t need a purse. Don’t worry, the dress alone cost a fortune already.”
He handed off my coat to the girl and when he forgot to say thank you, I spoke for both of us and offered a small smile. A second later I heard Jack grumble a thank you too as he was taking off his own coat.
It made me smile and I walked ahead.
Thankfully, inside the ballroom where the event was being held, it was much warmer, so I didn’t think I’d have much problem with freezing in my dress. Discreetly, I touched my nose to make sure the little cotton ball I’d pushed in back at the apartment was still there. How fun was it that my runny nose had decided to stick around? Tugging the bell sleeves of my dress and trying to make them look good, I stood still and waited for Jack to stand next to me again.
When he reappeared at my side, I caught him staring at me. I looked down at myself.
“What? Is it too much?”
“Rose.”
I met his piercing gaze with an arched brow and waited for him to go on, but he just stared. Starting to feel worried, I tried to pull down the tan lining underneath my dress.
“No. No, it isn’t,” he whispered. “You look incredible,” he said, and my eyes snapped up to his.
This time when he offered his hand, it was a welcome distraction.
“I…you look incredible too, Jack. You always do,” I murmured feeling myself blush a little.
He opened his mouth to say something, but right at that moment, an older man put a hand on his shoulder and drew his attention away from me.
Jack introduced us, but after the initial shock of hearing Jack had gotten married, the guy wasn’t really interested in me. They started talking about a company I believed Jack was representing. Keeping the fixed smile on my face, I tuned them out, taking the opportunity to look around the room.
When I spotted two tables full of kids toward the back of the room, I couldn’t hide my curiosity. Some of them were talking to each other, while some of them just stared around in wonder. Their clothes didn’t fit in with this snazzy crowd, so I doubted they belonged to anyone who was in this room. It looked like each table had one adult sitting with them.
As Jack finished his conversation with the guy, Ken something, I leaned closer to him so nobody could hear us. He leaned down at the same time to make it easier for me, and my nose got a pretty good whiff of his cologne when my nose bumped his neck. It was the one I hated because it made me go all wonky around him—not a good look. “What charity is this event for?” I asked, managing to focus after the initial shock of the smell.
“An organization that supports foster kids.”
I pulled back and looked up at him in surprise. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“I didn’t?”
Slowly, I shook my head.
“I thought I did. Is that a problem?”
My entire childhood spent with the Colesons was rough. I was unwanted. For a kid that age, that knowledge was a hard pill to swallow. I knew what these kids were going through, how alone they felt, how abandoned and sometimes worthless. I’d always have a soft spot for kids and probably would have for the rest of my life.
Steeling my voice, I whispered, “I’d like to donate too. Where can I—”
Jack cleared his throat and looked away from me, his eyes moving across the crowd. “I’m already donating.”
“I understand that, but I’d like to donate as well.”
“I’m donating, so you don’t have to.”
He started walking, but this time holding hands worked in my favor and I was the one who tugged him back. He gave me