Page 61 of Nightclub Surprise
Blinking at the screen, I wondered if I’d waited too long to make this decision. Would Tawny give me another chance, or was she done withme?
The text told me she was damn close. The way she was so quick to take my ring off said that aswell.
What if it was just too late? Would I be able to live withmyself?
Chapter Thirty-three
Tawny
I’d noticed that August had been to therapy every single day the entire week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. I hadn’t asked him why that was. Maybe our breakup was worsening hisproblems.
New Year’s Eve came, and Leila showed up at the house. I had to admit I was surprised, especially since she had a garment bag in one hand and a bottle of Champagne in the other. “I’m here to help you get ready, Tawny. Why is your jaw hanging open likethat?”
“What are youdoing…?”
She walked past me, heading up the stairs. “I’m here to get you ready for the grand opening at Swank, of course. Come on, I’ve got to get this show on the road. You’re to meet August at the entrance in less than threehours.”
“But Calum…,” I said as I moved along behindher.
“I’m taking him home with me. He’ll stay the night with us.” She hurried to mybedroom.
“He doesn’t need to stay over. August and I don’t…” I stopped. She knew we weren’t having sex. I didn’t need to remindher.
“Oh, yeah, the ‘we’re not romantically involved’ thing. Yes, he told me about that. There’s no need to wake Calum up to take him home so late—that would be silly.” She laid the garment bag on my bed and pointed to the bathroom. “Go in there, shower, and shave every last bit of hair off your body. This dress is quite revealing. And wash your hair, too. I’m going to put it in a fantastic up-do for you. You’re going to be the most gorgeous woman there tonight.” Unzipping the garment bag, I saw something shimmery and whiteinside.
“Leila, this is so nice of you. But you see, I’ve already told your brother to get another date for this. I’m not about to spend the night with him, dancing, drinking, and possibly kissinghim.”
“And why the hell not?” she asked as her hands moved to her hips. “I’ll tell you why you don’t want to do that. It’s because you’re in love with August. You’re being foolish about this not sleeping together nonsense. I’m here to tell you that August has asked me to come get you ready. He only wantsyouas his date, and he told me to tell youthat.”
“He does?” I asked as a shot of heat moved through me. “He told me that he wasn’t going to take anyone to theopening.”
“I don’t know why he said that. He’s taking you, and that’s that. Now hurry up,Tawny!”
With that, I hurried to the bathroom, showering, shaving, and shampooing, too. When Leila was finished with me, I looked like me, but a version of me turned way the hellup.
My hair was curled and pinned in ways that defied imagination. “Wow, you’re good,Leila.”
“So, I’ve been told.” She poured me a glass of champagne. “Drink this. Take the bottle with you—Max is driving you there. It’ll help you to relax and to keep an open mind this evening. See whathappens.”
“Nothing will happen. He’s as done with me as it gets. And even if he isn’t, he’s not going to give me what I want. No—what Ineed.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she said, gently shoving me along. “Let’s get goingnow.”
The white heels matched the barely-there dress perfectly. A slit came up the inner thigh of my right leg, showing off much more of me than anything I’d ever worn had before. The V-neck plunged all the way to the bottom of my bellybutton, and the back did the same thing, ending just before the crack of myass.
August had spared no expense, as diamonds dripped off my ears and hung around my neck. Even a diamond ankle bracelet accented the over-the-top get up. I felt like a movie star going to the AcademyAwards.
The alcohol didn’t do a lot to help my nerves as I sat anxiously in the back seat while Max drove me to the club. He stopped at the entrance, and there stood August and two othermen.
I supposed they were his partners; I’d never met them before. All three of them wore matching black tuxedos, and all three of them were devastatingly handsome. August was the best-looking, though. At least to me, hewas.
He came right to me as I got out of the car. “You look amazing,Tawny.”
I gave him the once-over. “As doyou.”
“Thank you for coming.” He threaded my arm throughhis.
“As if Leila would have allowed anything else.” I tried to ignore how sexy he smelled. “Is that a newcologne?”
