Page 3 of Only for Tonight
Me: These shoes already kill my feet but they make my legs look hot.
She replies right away.
Lexi: That’s because they are hot.
Another from my cousin Zoey.
Zoey: I’m here and I’ve done five shots already.
I snort, knowing that her husband, Nash, is going to be carrying her home at the end of the night. Not that he cares, he would do anything for her.
My brother texts me next.
Brookes: I’m going to be here for two hours and then I’m leaving.
Brookes: I’m with Maddox at a table, if you are looking for me.
He mentions his best friend and our other cousin. The two of them have been thick as thieves since Maddox was adopted into the family. They are two months apart and have been each other’s shadow since.
I step out of the hotel room and hear the sound of the door clicking at the same time I put the key card in my purse and my phone pings with a message.
Mom: We are in the ballroom. It’s on the second floor.
My head is down as I walk toward the elevator door, my heels sinking into the carpet as I round the corner and hit the tiled entryway, where three elevator doors greet me. I take in my reflection. The black lace dress was something I bought today when shopping with Zoey and my mother. It was a spur-of-the-moment purchase, but it fits like a glove, so I had to have it. The lace sleeves are see-through and go to my elbows. The front comes down into a V and is tight all the way until my mid-hips, and then it flares into a ruffled bottom that hits mid-thigh and drapes longer in the back. The bottom part sways right and left when I walk. My black sky-high pumps with a gold T in the back complete the look. I didn’t go big with my makeup, opting for a natural look, with my long brown hair in beach waves. My blue eyes look a light gray tonight.
I press the button for down before answering everyone with the same message.
Me: On my way down.
The pinging of an elevator has me looking up and I see the last one has the white light on top of it, so I walk over to it at the same time the doors open. I step in, pressing the second button before the door closes. I put the phone in my purse, holding it in front of me as I watch the numbers go down from twenty-seven to two. Luckily, it doesn’t stop at any other floor, and when the doors open, I can hear the music coming from one of the ballrooms. I look around, seeing people everywhere. My heart starts to speed up with a bit of nerves as I make my way toward where all the people are.
My phone vibrating in the purse in my hand has me stopping and opening my clutch and pulling it out while it vibrates another four times. I look down and see I now have twelve missed texts. The big red bubble shows me the number.
Pressing the green app, I see that it’s the thread I have with my sister, Callie, and my cousin Zoey.
Callie: I need someone to hook me up with one of the hot guys from the hockey team.
Zoey: I can’t help you there. My husband is an executive. You need to get Ryleigh to help you.
Callie: Where is she?
Zoey: She should be there any second.
Callie: There is this guy at the bar, I think I heard him say his name was Nikolas or Atticus.
Zoey: Pics or it didn’t happen.
Callie: Okay, I’m now deceased.
Zoey: I’m coming, what happened?
Callie: I tried to snap a picture of him but it’s so fucking dark in here that my flash went off.
Zoey: RIP, you will be missed. Also, rookie mistake.
I shake my head and try not to laugh out loud as I take a couple of steps and run smack into someone. “Oh my God,” I quickly blurt when I feel hands on my upper arms. The heat from their hands going right through the lace of my sleeves. “I’m so sorry.” I look up and into ice-blue eyes. But they’re not all the way ice blue, the border around them is darker and all you can do is stare into them.
“Ariella?” His voice is smooth and husky all at the same time, and my eyes widen in shock.
