back.
For the most part, Trevor has been the perfect partner for tonight. Attentive, always ensuring I’m not left out in conversations, making me feel as though I belong here. I’d almost convinced myself he is right and that maybe, just maybe, some of the doting tonight isn’t because he wants his family to believe we are together.
Almost.
“There’s a fig cocktail around here somewhere too,” I offer.
“What is it with these people and figs?” He laughs. “Must be a thing for rich people because I’ve never been to a party with figs. Or caviar tartlets. Did you even know tartlets were a thing?”
“I did not,” I say. “I’ll be honest, and don’t judge me for this, but most of the parties I attend feature the combination pizza rolls.”
He chokes, grabbing a napkin and covering his mouth. His eyes water as he catches his breath. “I love that you specified the combination ones. Everyone always goes for the plain pepperoni.”
“Right?” I say, scanning the area for Trevor. “I usually go for pepperoni pizza, but the combination pizza rolls are where it’s at.”
“I concur.” He plops the rest of the bite in his mouth.
I swish the water around my glass as he chews. My stomach is uneasy. I think it has less to do with the figs and more to do with Trevor.
A striking woman in a red dress arrived about an hour ago. I caught her staring at me while talking to an edgy-looking Jake. Then a little while ago, unless I’m paranoid, I caught Trevor following her outside.
It was Liz. It had to be.
I take a deep breath and force the image from my mind. I was, after all, brought here because of her. Maybe it was less to keep her away and more to make her jealous. After all, I haven’t known Trevor very long. Maybe he saw me as an easy solution to what’s really going on with him and Liz.
You don’t need to worry about this, Haley. You won’t see him after tomorrow. He’ll drop you off, Branson’s house will be done, and that will be that.
Jake walks up. He takes in Fig Boy and me and chooses to stand between us.
“How are you tonight, Haley?” he asks.
“I’m good.”
He lifts a brow, calling me out without actually saying anything. I lift mine right back, as if to ask him if he knows, why is he asking.
“You should be,” Jake says pointedly.
“Oh, I am. We’ve been having a fascinating conversation about our culinary tastes. Right . . .”
“I’m Noah. I work with Jake and Trevor.”
“Ah,” I say. “Noah and I have the same taste, it seems.”
Jake’s jaw twitches. He opens his mouth as if to say something but stops short of actually speaking.
“How do you guys know one another?” Noah asks.
Jake holds his hand out. “Why don’t you explain it, Haley?”
“Sure.” I set my water on the counter. I tried to prepare an answer to this question on the way here, but every time I thought about it, Trevor said something and sidetracked me. Here I am with no Trevor and no response. “I’m a friend of the family,” I say. “Kelly Construction is doing business with my family in Dogwood Lane.”
“Oh, yeah. I heard about that in the office last week,” Noah says. “I guess the carpenters down there are unbelievable.”
I note that to tell Dane. “Yes, they are.”
Jake turns so that Noah can’t see him. “Friend of the family, huh?”
“Makes sense to me.”
“Let’s see if this makes sense . . .” He fires a mischievous grin my way before excusing himself.
I lift my water glass again, unsure what he meant. The vessel almost slips from my grasp as a hand plants firmly on my hip from behind.
Trevor’s cologne floods my senses as I look into Noah’s eyes. He glances over my head before letting his gaze fall back on me.
My body roars in response to Trevor’s fingers biting into my skin. White noise rushes over my ears as I try to step out of his grasp.
Not happening.
Trevor holds me in place, my back to his front.
“Hey, Trevor,” Noah says.
“Hi, Noah.”
Noah’s lips twist. “Friend of the family, huh?”
“Yes,” I say, ignoring Trevor’s body pressed to mine. Not being able to see his face, to read him, to have some idea what he’s thinking, makes me crazy. “He needed a plus-one, and since our families are doing business right now, we thought it would be fun.”
Trevor’s fingers flex, ruffling the fabric of my dress between us.
“Are you having fun,