Such Great Heights - Sydney Logan Page 0,24
graze the lapel of my tux.
“Thank you.”
She smiles down at the little boy standing between us.
“Do you promise to be a good boy for Hazel tonight?”
Ryder nods. “Will you dance with Daddy? He wants you to.”
I stifle a groan. Hazel chuckles.
“I’d love to dance with your daddy tonight,” she says, leaning down to kiss his cheek.
He starts to kiss her back, but he hesitates, and I know why. Natasha was rarely affectionate, but when she was all dressed up, she absolutely refused—too afraid he’d smear her makeup or wrinkle her dress.
“Can I kiss you back?” Ryder asks quietly.
“You’d better. I’m gonna miss you tonight, so I definitely need a kiss from my favorite boy.”
“I’m your favorite boy?”
“My very favorite.”
With the biggest smile I’ve ever seen stretched across his face, Ryder leans in and gently kisses her cheek. Hazel stifles a quiet sob before quickly heading to the kitchen.
I ruffle his hair. “Be good for Hazel. We’ll see you in the morning, okay?”
“Okay.”
He runs toward the kitchen, leaving me alone with my date.
My date.
It’s been a long time since I’ve had one of those.
I offer Olivia my hand.
“Are you ready?”
She smiles sweetly and laces her fingers with mine.
“I am.”
“I know it’s for a good cause, but I hate wearing a tux,” Marcus says.
Grunting in agreement, I push my plate aside and grab another glass of wine. Marcus Tucker’s been a good friend since the day we both joined Dad’s firm. Fresh out of law school and desperate to make a name for ourselves, we competed for the best cases and the most billable hours. Today, we’re both partners at the firm.
And, now, he’s my divorce attorney.
Marcus also has the hots for my sister. The same sister who ripped my date out of my arms as soon as we walked into the hotel ballroom.
I glance over at Olivia, who’s sandwiched at the end of the table between Dana and my mother. She’s been the center of attention all night. I thought my parents were going to drop to their knees and worship at her feet when I introduced her as Ryder’s nanny. Naturally, I’ve kept them updated on his amazing progress, and the grateful grandparents have spent the evening lavishing Olivia with praise.
And she deserves it. Every single bit of it.
But don’t they know I want to dance with her?
“You’ve got it bad for the nanny, huh?” Marcus asks.
That’s when inspiration strikes.
“Why don’t you ask my sister to dance?”
He shoots me a glare. “Why would I do that? You know I can’t dance.”
“But, if you dance with my sister, maybe I can drag Olivia away from my mother so that I can dance with her.”
His eyes grow wide. “You want to dance with your mother?”
“No, you idiot. I want to dance with Olivia.”
He chuckles. “No, you don’t. You want to do a lot of things with that gorgeous girl, but dancing’s not one of them.”
“It’s not like that, Marcus.”
“Please. You haven’t been able to keep your eyes off her all night.”
Just then, one of the firm’s newest interns stops by the table to say hello to Dad. When he spots Olivia, he ignores my father completely and offers her his hand. Irrational jealousy rips through me until Olivia nods in my direction. The intern notices me, and I take great satisfaction in watching his face pale before nodding politely and skulking away.
Marcus groans. “I feel like I’m at the freaking prom. Go dance with that girl.”
With a firm nod, I down my drink before making my way to the end of the table.
“Jackson!” My mother smiles from ear to ear. “Are you enjoying the party?”
“I will be . . . just as soon as Olivia dances with me.”
Her face flushes when I offer her my hand. Ignoring the sly grins of my sister and my mom, I lead Olivia to a quiet corner of the dance floor.
“Took you long enough,” she says, her eyes sparkling.
I chuckle and pull her close. “Sorry. Did my mother talk you to death?”
“Not at all. She’s very sweet.”
I nod.
“Ryder will be glad to hear that we kept our promise,” she says.
“I know. I thought I’d missed my chance when that intern asked you to dance.”
“I told him no.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m here with you.”
“That didn’t used to stop . . .”
My ex-wife.
I bow my head, ashamed that I even thought of her.
Olivia gently places her hand against my cheek and lifts my face to hers.
“I’m not Natasha.”
“I know.”
“Dana told me how she used to get drunk and flirt with