Page 183 of Fighting the Pull

He nodded in a way I didn’t think he was very committed to, doing this while he put his napkin on his lap, but his attention was focused on Roland.

“Really, Roland, we’re not finished eating,” Nora said.

“Later then,” Roland pushed.

“No,” Jamie denied, his tone steel, even pugilistic.

Nora glanced at him with open puzzlement, and I was puzzled too, because he was being very possessive for a man who considered Nora his friend and companion, not making her his lover, when it was clear to anyone around them (or at least those who were female) she wanted that.

Nora looked up at Roland. “We really don’t have much to say to one another.”

“I—” Roland began.

It was then Ned entered the fray and stood.

“Roland, please,” he said sharply. “Manners.”

Roland glowered at Ned, then he moved that to Jamie, then he stormed off.

I noticed we had most of the ballroom’s attention now when Hale leaned my way. “Is it more fun being in on it than it is reporting on it?”

I looked at him. “Absolutely.”

He winked at me and went back to his food.

Mika and Tom were whispering to each other.

Jamie was sawing into his roast beef like he had to kill it before eating it.

Nora seemed self-conscious, which was not her at all.

Ned and Faunus tried to rescue the dinner repartee, and although their efforts were valiant, they didn’t quite succeed.

So by the time dinner was over, and Nora had to flit off to do event duties, Tom, Jamie and Ned headed straight to the bar.

Hale leaned back in his chair, his arm around the back of mine.

“I need to pop to the bathroom and freshen up. There’s dancing after this, yes?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Hale answered. “Some ballroom dance show and then they’re opening it up to everyone else with a band.”

“When are we leaving?”

“When they open it up to everyone with the band.”

I laughed softly, went in for a kiss on his jaw, then said, “I’ll be back.”

“’Kay, baby,” he muttered.

I shot Blake a smile as she slid into my seat to keep Hale company while I was gone, and me and my evening bag headed to the ladies.

Of course, the two women’s bathrooms on the ballroom level had lines out the door because everyone was doing the same as me, and in a patriarchal archetype, the men who designed these spaces didn’t cater to the differing needs of women from men, so this kind of thing happened pretty much everywhere.

I took the stairs to an upper level, where there were conference rooms and such, and found the bathrooms there were thankfully empty.

I used the facilities and was leaving the stall to wash my hands and check my makeup.

And the minute I pulled the stall door toward me, I saw her standing right there.

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