Page 474 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
Something must have happened afterward.
“Oh shit,” Armie breathed.
I looked up and followed his line of sight behind me toward the bottom of the staircase, where Tinsely had just entered the party.
As per usual, she looked like a million bucks.
She’d worn the dress I sent her, too. I smiled, impressed with my own good taste. The midnight blue fabric hugged her figure dreamily. It swept across her hips in draped pieces of fabric, dropped low down the back, and had a high neckline. A pair of diamond earrings flashed in her ears, and she wore her hair slicked back. Her dark brown eyes slid across the room, and just as I raised a hand to call her attention to me, Armie brushed past me, clipped my shoulder, and rushed toward her.
Prick. I scowled.
He met her at the bottom of the stairs.
Tinsely looked past him, and he leaned to the side, blocking her view. She looked up at him, her big brown eyes neutral but her lips pressed together in a thin smile. He offered her his arm and she glanced down at it.
Then she slid her arm through his and let him lead her to the bar in the dining room.
“I need a drink,” I muttered.
My father put a hand on the back of my neck and steered me to the patio doors. “How about one of those Kings you said you had for me? Did you bring them?”
I pulled the cigars from the pocket inside my suit jacket and fanned them out.
He smiled. “Come, let’s give these guys the slip. I haven’t had a good cigar in ages and I’m not keen on sharing.”
CHAPTER 27
TINSELY
Armie smelled like whiskey and tobacco, and he had no sense of personal space as he leaned on the bar and bumped my elbow with his, nearly knocking over my glass of white wine. I clutched at the stem, saved it from tumbling off the bar, and brought it to my lips. Watching him over the rim, I tried to think of how to make a quick getaway.
“You’re a beautiful woman, Tinsely,” he said. “Chadwick has no idea how lucky he is to have you on his arm all month, you know that? I’ve been trying to pick his brain about you, but the guy is a sealed trap. Won’t say a damn word. Kind of selfish, don’t you think?”
Uh… what the heck were we talking about?
“Chadwick is my boss,” I said. The last thing I needed was more confusion at this party. I didn’t even want to be here. Luckily for me, there weren’t many staff members from work here. There were a handful of retired employees I hadn’t seen since last year that I hoped to catch up with at some point in the night, all of whom were good friends with Alastair. The best part was they weren’t at the party last night, and I doubted they’d have heard any of the rumors going around about me and Chadwick hooking up.
“Unfortunately for you.” Armie laughed.
I frowned.
Armie nudged my elbow again. “Oh come on, you don’t have to pretend with me.”
“Pretend?”
“The guy is a git, Tinsely. Everyone and their mothers know it. He’s entitled, spoiled, and has had his cock in more women than Hefner.”
I blinked. Whoa.
Who was this guy? Where did he get off speaking to me like this?
Armie ordered a whiskey on the rocks and had the bartender refill my wine. He swirled his drink and took a mouthful like he was drinking water. “I used to hate the guy, but then his mom died and I sort of felt bad for him. Of course, just because you lose your mommy doesn’t mean you’re all of a sudden a nice guy, you know? He can’t lean on that forever.”
“I don’t think he leans on anything,” I said.
“I’ve known him since we were kids,” Armie said matter-of-factly. “He’s a cocky bastard. Don’t lie to me, Tinsely. You’ve spent almost every day this month with him. Are you seriously telling me you think he’s a saint?”
“I never said that.” I looked around, desperate for an escape.
