Page 58 of Cole

“You said you were going out fordinner, Annie,” Dawn said as she stood with her arms crossed, glaring at Annie’s reflection in the mirror. “Not a charity gala where there are going to be a bunch of people. A bunch ofstrangers.”

“I didn’t say anything because I knew you wouldn’t let me go.”

“Well, you’re not wrong,” Dawn said. “But we’re only carrying out your dad’s orders. If it were up to me, I’d let you go.”

“It is up to you,” Annie said as she leaned forward to check her makeup in the mirror. She’d hired people to come do her hair and makeup for her because she didn’t have much skill with either.

She could do basic makeup and hairstyles, but the gala called for something more. Especially since she was going with Cole.

“I can’t let you go, Annie,” Dawn said. “You can’t go without security, and we don’t have the time to arrange anything.”

“Sure you do,” Annie said as she turned to face her. “James came along as backup. He can go to the hotel and check it out. It’s not like there won’t be a ton of important people there. I did some research on the gala and there are a lot of rich and famous people who will be present. Seems to me that will make it a high security event.”

Dawn sighed. “Let me talk with Andrew and James to see what they think. But don’t get your hopes up. I’m not willing to risk my job over this.”

“I’m a grownup, Dawn. I should be able to make my own decisions.”

“It seems like Benji is rubbing off on you.”

“Maybe I’m just deciding that I want a life beyond the four walls of my house. I want friends. And maybe, just maybe, I want a relationship.” Annie paused. “Like you have with Andrew.”

Dawn narrowed her eyes at Annie. “Is that a threat?”

“Of course not,” Annie said. “Just a reminder that you are also reaching for something that you’re not supposed to have. Are you prepared to give Andrew up?”

With a sigh, Dawn turned away. “No.”

“Then let me have this.”

“You’re not going to be able to keep this from your dad. He has people scouring the internet looking for any whiff that people are on to who you are. They’ll find pictures of the event, I’m sure.”

“But no one will be able to track me down. I mean, I don’t even have a social media presence.”

Looking back at Annie, Dawn said, “Well, actually, you do.”

Annie lifted her brows. “I do?”

“Jude thought it would seem odd that someone your age didn’t have social media if anyone started to dig for information about you. So you’ve been posting a couple of times a week.”

Annie felt like she had wandered into a different world. “Do I have a lot of friends?”

“Not really, but there are a few who interact with you on a regular basis.”

“And they are…?”

“Friends we set up for you.”

“Good grief, is my life pathetic.” She turned to look at herself in the mirror. “Fake friends. Fake family. I just want something that’s real in my life.”

“Let me talk to the others,” Dawn said as she headed for the door to the room.

Annie reached for her phone to check out her newly discovered social media, but then left it sitting on the bathroom counter. She didn’t want to be distracted by that right then.

She had had a great day with Cole and the others. He’d showed up at ten, after they’d had breakfast, and since he had a seven-passenger SUV, they were all able to pile in together.

After that, Cole had given them a tour of the area before taking them for a late lunch at the Santa Monica Pier. Annie had enjoyed the sightseeing, especially since she had done it with Cole.

Given how little she’d traveled over the years, this time away from Serenity was exciting and made her want to travel more. And now she was getting ready for a glamorous night out. Something else she’d never done.

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