Read Countdown To A Kiss (A New Year's Eve Anthology) Page 38
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Since Lewis hadn’t arrived yet, one could only guess what his thoughts would have been on her dateless entrance. Grace released her father’s arm once they had navigated the steps into the clubhouse and made her way over to the coat check on her own. She handed her jacket to one of the two teenage girls sitting behind the half door that led to the coatroom. Grace had a vague memory of babysitting for both of them in middle school. How had they grown up so fast? “Hi, Ann. Hi, Jen.” Thank you, nametags.
“What an absolutely gorgeous dress, Grace,” Ann breathed, eyes wide. “That’s one of the newer Thela designs, isn’t it?”
“Look closer, Ann.” Jen squinted her eyes. “That’s definitely Vera Wang. And those shoes!”
“Are those Kate Spade’s Charm shoes?” Ann looked like she might faint.
Her shoes had a name?
“Ann, did Annabelle teach you nothing?” Jen threw her a disgusted look. “Those are Jimmy Choos. I’ve wanted a pair of those forever but my mom won’t buy them for me. You are so lucky, Grace.”
“I have a job,” Grace said sternly. “Get good grades, work hard, earn money and you, too, can have Jimmy Chews.” Or, screw that advice and borrow them from Belly.
The girls gave her an odd look but nodded. Her duty to the future generation done, Grace turned to walk across the lobby toward the long, wide hallway that led to the back of the building. On the left of the hallway was an open room dominated by a polished wooden bar. Hors d'oeuvres were set up on tables against the walls. On the right, a long row of doors led into the ballroom. Tonight they were wide open and Grace could see the twinkling lights of what looked like a blue and silver fairyland. She glanced down at her full skirts and suddenly felt like Cinderella at the ball.
Until midnight, she would dance, visit with old friends and forget Leo Ramos. At midnight, she would kiss Michael and break her New Year’s Eve dating curse. This would be the perfect start to a fabulous new year. Really, it would. The fact that Leo was no doubt at some party not even thinking about her didn’t matter a single bit.
She’d only made it three steps toward the ballroom when her dad called her over to a small group composed of her mom, dad, Belly and a man who must be Duncan James, Belly’s date. As soon as she saw Annabelle eyeing her critically, Grace tugged at her bodice.
“My God, Grace. If you touch the bodice of that damn dress one more time I’m going to rip it off of you. I swear it!”
“You and what army?” Grace asked and then shrugged. “I thought the dress was falling off.” She was not quite as blessed as her sister in the breast department.
Belly started spouting some idiotic nonsense about wearing a dress like a gun holster (as if she had any idea how to wear a gun holster) and her dad began introductions.
Grace ignored them both and gave Duncan her FBI stare, to which he responded with a barely concealed grin. He wore a tux like Annabelle wore a pair of heels––as if born to it. His brown eyes held a hint of devilry and more than a hint of intelligence. “You’re the hero who gave my sister her first speeding ticket.”
“I cannot tell a lie. I was the one who gave Annabelle the ticket.”
“Good for you.” Grace liked the look of him. He might be just the man to shake up her little sister’s well-ordered life, but he should know that if he hurt her, he’d have Grace to deal with. She held his gaze until he gave her a slight nod.
Annabelle rolled her eyes, fully aware of the unspoken communication, and pulled Duncan off toward the bar. Grace shared a smile with her parents then turned to head to the ballroom.
Inexplicably, her heartbeat quickened. Anything could happen once she stepped into that magical blue and silver world. Her aching feet and the awkwardness of her strange clothes faded and she felt transformed from a plain and sturdy agent into a princess.
Anything could happen. She blinked. Including a hallucination of a dark, lean Prince Charming who looked remarkably like Ramos. She closed her eyes and opened them more slowly this time.
The hallucination didn’t disappear. Leo stood with one shoulder propped against the wall, looking gut-wrenchingly handsome in a tux. Hands in his pant pockets, a half-smile on his face, he watched her approach with lazy intensity, his eyes never leaving her.