Page 64 of You, Me, & Après-Ski
My cheeks warmed, but with the more time that passed, it felt good and less weird to have Cressida’s approval. “Nervous about seeing your family tonight?” I asked. Her parents had also flown in for the event, and I worried about their rocky relationship bringing her down.
“No more than usual. With all the paparazzi around, they’ll be on their best behavior. And they’ll be pleased to see Nolan and I on full display,” she said with a scoff. “But we both know who he’ll be staring at all night.”
With a wink, she bustled out to finish getting ready while I messed with my outfit for an extra minute.
I had to admit, Ididlook hot. The wine-red dress wrapped around me in a beautiful drape of satin. A one-shoulder sweetheart neckline showed off my tattoo and a daring slit raced to my upper mid-thigh. I loved it—Cressida had picked it from her own closet and had it altered to fit me. With one last look in the mirror, I grabbed my clutch and headed to meet Frankie. Cressida and the others were still half dressed and playing drinking games, and I waved to them on my way out.
When I arrived at the lodge, pillars of evergreen fronds woven with burgundy and white dahlias graced the front entrance. Inside, the space was decked out in its finest—a trail of holly and greenery dangled from the ceiling, leading the way to the ballroom, where the evergreen and dahlia motif continued. Gold tapestries draped from the high ceilings and flowed down the walls, transforming the normally dingy room into an opulent space fit for royalty. Round tables with overflowing floral centerpieces dotted the back of the ballroom, the silent auction was set up to one side with the bar opposite, and the dance floor was up front.
A low whistle sounded beside me. “I’ve never seen the place look so dressed up,” said Austin.
“It’s fantastic,” I agreed. Austin looked dapper in a black suit and navy blue tie, his curls as long and free as ever. I nudged him with my elbow. “I could say the same about you. And myself. And everyone else for that matter.”
He chuckled. “You always look good. Don’t sell yourself short.” Then he offered his arm to me. “Let’s go find Hugh and Frankie. They already grabbed a table.”
“Really? The gala hasn’t even started yet.”
“You know Frankie. She was the first one at the door practically breaking it down to be let in. Said she wanted to get ‘primo seats by the bar.’”
I snorted a laugh. Sure enough, Frankie and Hugh were posted at a table right beside the bar. Frankie looked badass in a slinky black dress with a sparkly overlay. Her short black hair was pinned back in a bunch of twists fastened with star-shaped clips, and a deep aubergine shade painted her lips. Hugh sat beside her looking spiffy in a crisp white shirt and suspenders.
“You look like Goth Queen Barbie,” I said to Frankie as we took our seats.
Lifting her dress, she showed off her black combat boots and full-sleeve leg tattoo. “You know it.”
While the guests filtered in, we chatted and drank. As I catalogued every face that walked in the door, I told myself I was just people watching. But who was I kidding? Anticipation zipped through me as I looked for Nolan. With us both busy with work all week, we hadn’t had any alone time together—not even in the privacy of home. Maybe we’d get a stolen moment tonight while everyone was distracted with the party. It was risky with all the media around, but there were plenty of other guests to keep them occupied.
When Arthur and Cyrus walked in, each with a beautiful woman on their arms, my eyes bulged, and I nudged Austin and Hugh on either side of me. “Looks like we have quite the VIP guest list tonight.”
“That means no dancing on the bar, Frankie,” Hugh said with a mock harsh look.
“Aw, nuts!”
Unfortunately, Erica and Robert showed up too. I sank in my seat and hoped to avoid her notice. Cora and Daphne followed them, waving at me and Frankie. Cora looked absolutely lethal in a skin-tight, backless crimson gown, and Daphne dazzled in a pastel blue dress like a freaking Disney princess. Behind them, two guys stood out. One was a mountain of a man whose muscles were stuffed into a gorgeous gray tux that complemented his blond hair and piercing blue eyes—eyes that were glued to Daphne.Ahh…must be Thor. Anton Alistair, I think?He was, as Frankie and I had both predicted, hot as a summer sidewalk in Texas.
Cutting into my speculating, Frankie nudged me, asking, “Who isthat?” But she wasn’t pointing at Thor—she gestured at the man beside him. With his straight nose, high cheekbones, and strong jawline, he was unmistakably a Keller. But unlike Nolan, his suntanned skin and a few light scars on his face and hands indicated a man who spent his time working outdoors doing hard labor. Dark brown hair cropped close on the sides but loose and wild on top and hefty but tasteful five o’clock shadow rounded out his rugged look. From the way Cora wasn’t actively trying to murder him, I knew it couldn’t be Cressida’s ex, Raife.
“I think that’s Nolan’s youngest brother, Dominic,” I said. “He works on a ranch in Hawaii.”
Frankie hummed, licking her lips, her eyes never leaving Nolan’s admittedly very hot brother. “So he’s acowboy.”
Chuckling, I said, “You look like you want to eat him.”
“Oh, I do.”
Finally, after almost twenty minutes, he arrived. Nolan’s presence washed over me like the furnace had been turned on full blast. He looked devastating in a perfectly tailored jet-black tuxedo, and Cressida dazzled beside him in a gold silk gown with a high neckline and an open back that plunged to her hips. Nolan’s eyes swept the crowd, pausing when he found me. But a chink in his armor showed when he saw who sat beside me. I lifted my hand in a flirty wave, then laughed as his nostrils flared.
I’ll make it up to him later.
Microphone feedback interrupted all conversation, and a hush fell across the room. “Thank you for coming,” said Tess from the DJ stand. Her sequined lavender dress complemented her fiery red hair exquisitely. “We want to welcome all the newcomers who are in town for the Cobra Cup competition. We hope you’ll go back home and tell all your friends that Montana has the best terrain around.” When she winked, the crowd gave a few hoots and whistles.
“All proceeds will benefit the town Market reconstruction, the local food bank, and the Rescuers—that is, those folks who took some of our own employees into their homes while we do repairs. The servers will be around soon with the first course, the band will take the stage momentarily, and the bar will be open all night. So enjoy! Oh, and we can’t forget to thank our very own Nolan Keller and his team for pulling all of this together on such short notice. Enjoy the evening, everyone!”
Nolan did this?My jaw dropped, Frankie’s shock a mirror to my own. “Dude just scored some major points with the town,” Frankie said with an appreciative nod.
And with me.
A few seconds later, Tess and Bobby filled the two empty seats at our table. As soon as Tess’s butt hit the chair, I blurted out, “What do you mean Nolan planned this?”
