Page 75 of The Love Hoax
Adam removes his finger from my neck. I yearn for its return.
I say, “Sometimes we need to be reminded of the obvious.”
A magnetic pull draws my gaze to meet his.
Adam says, “You mean of what’s right in front of your own two eyes?”
I’m about to answer in the affirmative when a new song begins to play. Eric Clapton’sWonderful Tonight. It’s one of my favorites.
Adam stands, extending a hand. “May I have this dance, mademoiselle?”
I place my hand gently in his palm and follow him to the dance floor. Adam brings me into his arms.
I say, “Did I mention I’m now the maid of honor?”
Adam smiles with pride. “I knew you’d win Steph over. I just didn’t realize how quickly.”
With his firm palm on my back, I lean my head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
Adam sings along softly. “Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight.”
If only I could bottle this perfect moment forever. It feels like nothing in the world could go wrong, ever again.
Chapter Fifty-Four
Adam
Evie is in my arms, snuggled to my chest. I’m singing softly along with the music. I wish this dance never ends.
Somehow, in a matter of days, Evie has managed to bring light and joy into my life. I’ve never felt so at peace with a woman. Including Daphne, the one who turned me off from the whole commitment thing for far longer than anyone liked. Including myself.
When I met Daphne in Vegas on the first afternoon of a three-day convention she had been standoffish. By the next morning, something had changed. She was like white on rice, showing up at each of the workshops I attended and sitting at my table for lunch. I wasn’t stupid. Clearly, she had gotten wind of my net worth. Still, on the last day of the conference, when she slipped me her number, I was flattered. She was beautiful and accomplished.
At first, the relationship was exciting, attending work and charity events, going out to dinner and the occasional weekend trip.My mother and sister were anything but subtle, dropping hints about proposals, weddings, and even babies every time they spoke.
In time though, I realized how little Daphne and I had in common, from life goals to interests. Things had turned . . . convenient. And still, I stuck around. A combination of inertia, pressure, and no desire to hurt Daphne kept me involved.
That all changed inside a dim sum restaurant in Los Angeles, on the last day of a long weekend intended for celebrating our first dating anniversary. I was exiting the men’s room when I overheard Daphne speaking on the phone through the paper-thin ladies’ room walls. She was calling someone “babe” in a tone I thought was reserved only for me.
“I just spent the afternoon using his credit card on a wild shopping spree on Rodeo Drive. I bought something you’re going to loooove.” She went on to describe the lacy lingerie in detail. “Seriously babe, Adam is such a clueless chump.”
The moment she exited the bathroom, I broke things off. But Daphne didn’t go quietly into the night. She did everything possible to badmouth me to my friends and even my work colleagues.
I was taken in by a pretty face.
I’ve since done all I can to avoid making the same mistake. The entire episode turned me off of commitment.
Until Evie.
Nearly falling off a cliff’s edge was kismet, the universe sending me a jarring reminder that life is short. I choose to view the near-fatal incident as an esoteric peace offering in the delightful form of a beautiful New York attorney who loves the great outdoors.
Evie begins to hum to the music, pulling me from my reverie. I breathe in her shampoo, lingering in the sensation of having her in my arms. I still can’t believe she agreed to this whole charade and drove with me all the way to Colorado. The wedding is tomorrow and thanks to Evie, it’s still on. She figured out how to connect with Steph, a feat of Herculean proportions.
The song is winding down. This is it.
The perfect moment to share my true feelings. Tell her I’m no longer faking.
“Evie?”
