Page 111 of Infatuated as They Come
“Oh my God,” I mumbled, heat filling my cheeks. Eyes flickering up to Gemma, she gave me a wide-eyed stare. “Pretend you didn’t see that.”
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine. Just drunk and embarrassed and kinda heart broken. A lot heart broken, actually. But I’m fine. And so happy, I love it here. The club is my favorite place in the world,” I said bitterly, one hand pressed to my sore cheek. “Don’t you just love it here too? Don’t you wanna move here and live here forever?”
“Uh, not really.” She laughed sheepishly. “Do you need ice or something? Or for me to get someone for you?”
“No, no. I’m okay. Just embarrassed. Please act like that didn’t happen.”
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m totally fine.” But my voice was too shaky and it wasn’t from the stinging in my cheek. I was sick of waiting, sick of the emptiness, sick of feeling like I didn’t even have a right to feel sad. What was love when it came hand in hand with loneliness? I just wanted Sawyer. His presence, his touch, his closeness, his sweet gestures. The ones he probably thought were miniscule and meaningless but really were the ones I knew I’d remember for the rest of my life.
So why couldn’t he remember me?
Chapter 27
Sawyer
I was so late it wasn’t even funny.
I wouldn’t blame Holly if she had just upped and left and went back home. One hand pushing through my hair, I quickly pulled into the country club’s parking lot, greeted by a frowning valet who was making his way down the stairs. Every other car I had passed on my way in looked expensive and pristine: Aston Martins and Porsches and Bugattis. There I was in my truck, but at least it wasn’t my old, beat up one.
I quickly straightened my tie and hopped out of the truck, my suit thankfully no longer covered in dirt. I had five minutes, a gas station bathroom sink, and paper towels. Not perfect, but passable.
“Would you like me to park your car, sir?” the valet asked. “I mean, your truck.”
“Have at it.” I handed the keys to him and quickly moved up the stairs, eager to find Holly. It felt like I had all eyes on me as I walked through the main entrance, dodging all the loitering guests until I spotted the sign that directed me to the restaurant. My hands kept patting down my hair, making sure it was neat as possible as I found the host. His dark brows furrowed the second he saw me, and fuck, did I really look that out of place?
“Can I help you?” he asked, hands straightening the lapels of his blazer.
“Uh, yeah, I have a reservation. I’m meeting my girlfriend here. Holly Sutton,” I said. “I’m a little late.”
Humming, he tapped a finger against the heavy book resting against thestand in front of him. “You’re over an hour late.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Your table is no longer available. Miss Sutton arrived, you did not, the table was given to another guest,” he said, voice all curt. “It’s Christmas Eve. I’m sure you can imagine how busy we are. We couldn’t hold the table all night. May I serve the other guests? You can’t come in here dressed like that, anyway.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Guilt wouldn’t stop stabbing and cutting at me. “Do you know where she is? Did she leave?”
Exhaling sharply, he blinked at me slowly. “She didn’t leave. She might be at the—”
“Thanks.” Patting him on the shoulder, I quickly made my way inside. The space was quiet and warm, the voices of all the guests nothing but a soft murmur as gentle music played in the background. I moved past all the cream-colored chairs and brown tables, eyes darting left and right as I searched for the familiar face I had been aching to see. I had been missing out on so many things. Waking up to her, falling asleep together, just sitting next to her as she cuddled up to me on the couch. Moments, even the small ones, when it was just her and me.Like she wanted to do tonight.
I kept on looking, but I couldn’t find those doe eyes I had fallen in love with. Maybe she was in the bathroom or something. Fuck, maybe she was in there crying over me being some huge fuck up boyfriend who never paid any attention to her.
I inhaled sharply when I saw long dark hair spilling over someone’s back. I couldn’t see her face, but I knew it was her. At the bar. I frowned, making my way to the back part of the restaurant, to the marble countertop and the high, light-toned chairs. With one hand outreached, I let it land on Holly’s shoulder, watching as she turned to face me. Chin in her hand and eyes looking tired, she gave me a lazy smile. But it was the distinct purple mark on her cheek that made my heart stop.
“What the fuck happened?” I snapped. “Did someone fucking hit you?” The sound of gasps hit my ears as my voice raised, but I wasn’t all that concerned about how scandalous my language sounded.
“You remembered me,” Holly said softly. “It’s so nice of you to remember me.”
“What happened?”
She rolled her eyes. “I slipped and it was very embarrassing and I don’t wanna talk about it.”
I gently grasped her chin, turning her face to me. The bruise looked dark and painful against her golden skin as I carefully ran a thumb at the spot just underneath it. “Are you sure?”
