Page 160 of My Lucky Charm

She tells me about Ted’s house and how she isn’t allowed to paint her bedroom because “bright walls will affect resale value.” And while I know her physical needs are all being met and she is very much loved, there are things she needs that she doesn’t have. A space all her own, for instance, and more time with her dad.

I groan out loud, and Poppy shoots me a look.

“Sorry,” I say. “I’m just not up for this.”

We arrive at the gala, and as we step out of the car and onto the red carpet leading into the arena, a handful of photographers appear. They’re most likely hired by the team to capture the event, but it instantly makes me feel a little foolish. I’m a nobody. Here for work, and the only reason I’m dressed up is so I don’t stand out and also because my sweatpants were dirty.

Dallas emerges from the crowd and takes Poppy’s arm.

“Are you okay?” Poppy asks me before he whisks her off.

I swallow the lump at the back of my throat. “Of course. Go be beautiful.” I force myself to smile, and they turn to walk down the carpet, looking like they should be standing on the top of a wedding cake. Their entrance is met by the flash of cameras lined up along the walkway.

I could jump back in the car and find a side door somewhere, but as I turn toward it, the car drives off, leaving me feeling like I’m living one of those dreams where you’re starring in a musical and you never learned the choreography.

But then, as if the Red Sea has parted in front of me, Gray appears at the end of the walkway. He’s wearing a charcoal suit, a white button down and a blue tie, and I guess he made himself a hair appointment, because he definitely got a trim.

And he is . . . beautiful.

The cameras are trained on him as he starts walking toward me, and I wonder if anyone told him walking out of the building onto the red carpet is not how you make an entrance.

When he reaches me, he doesn’t smile. He simply says, “Hey.”

For a flicker of a moment, I forget that I’m Eloise 2.0, and I smile. “Hey.”

“You look—” He clears his throat. “Beautiful.”

The word hangs there between us.

The corner of his mouth lifts in the faintest hint of a smile. “You can’t really be surprised.”

“I’m surprised you’re paying me a compliment.” I hold eye contact, but he makes no attempt to look away.

“I don’t say half the things I think when I’m around you,” he says.

There’s a low hum like an electrical current pulsing through my entire body as I try not to read too much into that. It’s probably not a good sign that I really want to ask him what kinds of things he’s been keeping to himself.

“Shall we?” He offers me his arm, and I slip mine around it and fall into step beside him.

It’s impossible not to let my imagination run wild.

It won’t hurt to take a moment to pretend. Just sixty short seconds of believing this isn’t a work event and Gray isn’t off limits.

Ninety seconds, tops.

As we reach the end of the red carpet, he pulls the door open, and I walk through. Inside, I tuck my phone into my sparkly black clutch and smile.

“I think tonight should be pretty straightforward,” I say. “I memorized the names of all the big donors, but even if you don’t know them, I don’t think anyone will mind introducing themselves. You’ll just win a few bonus points with Rosen if you look like you did your homework.”

“You don’t have to work tonight,” he says.

I frown. “That’s why I’m here.”

“Maybe it shouldn’t be,” he says.

I hold his gaze, then finally say, “I don’t follow.”

“Eloise—”

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