Page 7 of Forever Yours

“It’s almost midnight, let’s go get the champagne, Devlin,” Annabelle suggested, breaking into her thoughts. “I think I need another drink with my champagne anyway.”

Sebastian, who had stood to talk with Chuck and Kinsley, turned to Annabelle, giving away the fact that he’d been listening to their conversation. “Double fisting it, Ace?” he asked, and Devlin saw his gaze bob down to the gap in Annabelle’s neckline.

Annabelle scooted out of the booth and stood, brushing against his chest, unsteady on her feet to all appearances from her drinks, but most likely to screw with him. “Wouldn’t you like to know,” she said with a low, sultry purr in her voice.

Sebastian’s nostrils flared as he breathed in with a sharp inhale.

Chuck tugged on Kinsley’s arm and moved away. “We’re gonna go. Happy New Year, everyone.”

Annabelle smiled and tugged Devlin to the bar as Sebastian sat back in their booth. She giggled, “Messing with him is so easy. A man is a man is a man, they don’t stand a chance.”

“Is that all that was, AB? Messing with him?”

“Of course. What a silly question.”

Devlin surveyed the bar, not seeing Gabe anywhere. “I hope Greyson and Prudence make it,” she said, knowing it was possible they wouldn’t.

The bartender had just handed them drinks when someone jostled them, reaching in between them, trying to pick up Devlin’s glass.

“Excuse me, ladies,” the person connected to the hand said.

“Hey, get your own—the hell?” Annabelle asked. “What the fuck is that?” She pointed to a large ring.

“Oh this?” The person was Prudence. She raised her hand, admiring the beautiful ring, and smiled. “Grey proposed tonight.”

“Oh my God, Pru! Congratulations!” Devlin reached out and hugged her.

“About damn time.” Annabelle threw her arms around her already hugging friends. “Give us the details, this is Page Six stuff.”

“Of course. Greyson wants only you to do the write-up, AB.”

“Associated Press, here I come.” Annabelle threw a look back at the booth. “Eat that, your royal pain in my ass.”

“Speaking of.” Prudence tried to follow Annabelle’s line of sight. “Did Sebastian grace us with his presence tonight?” she asked as she raised her hand to get the bartender’s attention, her ring sparkling in the light, nodding and flashing two fingers when the bartender indicated a champagne bottle.

“Oh yes.” Annabelle jerked her head to the far side of the bar then finished her whiskey in one gulp. “He’s here, and he brought a date.”

Devlin and Prudence exchanged quick looks.

“Why does that matter?” Prudence asked in her sweetest, most nonchalant voice.

“It. Doesn’t. Matter,” Annabelle ground out and glared at the other two. “I’m just stating the facts.” She noticed the second glance between the two as they grabbed their drinks. “What? It doesn’t!”

“Methinks you doth protest too much, AB.” Devlin steered them toward the booth their friends were gathered at.

“If by doth protesting, you mean I don’t care what that abhorrent man does, then you’re right.” Annabelle rolled her eyes as they neared the table. “Besides, I don’t want to talk about me. You got engaged tonight, Pru!”

“I hear congratulations are in order.” Sebastian stood and placed a light kiss on Prudence’s cheek.

Devlin once again tuned out the conversation around her, feeling like a bad friend, especially after the news of Prudence and Greyson’s engagement, but she was tired. Her stomach was also starting to growl with hunger. She noticed that Greyson and Prudence had wandered on to the dance floor and Sebastian and Annabelle had started arguing again. She slipped away from them, hoping not to be noticed.I just needed a few bar nuts and I’ll be fine. She walked to the bar, the combination of hunger and tiredness had hit her like a wall. She was careless and didn’t even look to see where Gabe was.

Chapter Three

Gabe looked at the clock for what seemed like the hundredth time. He loved New Year’s Eve, being a part of everyone’s night, and because of his business he was able to bring everyone together in one place, but tonight felt different. Annabelle was with a mystery woman. A woman who vanished every time he got near their booth. He swore that if he so much asthoughtabout going over there, he’d look over to see she was already gone. He couldn’t pin down why she was so familiar to him. He’d had brief sightings of her over the last year or so. Tonight, he caught flashes of silver and the twirl of a dress out of the corner of his eye, but she was never there. The universe had more concrete proof that bigfoot existed than his mystery woman.

He sighed and tried to shake it off. It would die down after midnight, and he’d get to sleep in tomorrow. Maybe that was all he needed, a good night’s sleep. A quick zip of silver beading caught his eye and he turned. “Hey, what can I get you?” He locked eyes with the woman who had eluded him. Hedidknow her; he had no doubt now. The bleach blonde from Boston now had short, brown hair—but those eyes. Now that he was mere feet away from her, he knew. He couldn’t mistake those eyes, so green, the color of moss in a rolling river on a spring day after the winter snow had melted.

They stood suspended in time as the clock started its inevitable countdown to midnight.

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