I tell you what, Natalie said sympathetically, lets check to make sure there arent any last-minute glitches with the reunion committee or hotel staff, then Ill buy you a drink in the lobby bar, okay?
Deal. Chloe followed her friend downstairs, fighting the urge to tug at the top of her dress. Shed never left the house with this much cleavage exposed.
One floor below the main lobby, an elegant corridor led to the ballroom. Waitstaff in white tuxedo jackets were setting tables in the back half of the room. Toward the front, a stage set with sound equipment overlooked a portable dance floor. An archway had been created with tightly fastened helium balloons of green and gold, their alma maters colors. Against the entrance wall was a long table covered in a gold cloth and rows of name tags. A man and woman, both in formal attire, stood near it.
Natalie headed in their direction. The man was Jack Allen, who had been their student-body president and was now a married father employed by the planning office of city hall. The striking dark-haired woman next to him was-ugh-Candy Beemis.
Though Chloe had seen her former nemesis around from time to time, they hadnt spoken since high school. Candy was the personal assistant to one of the towns wealthiest women and spent most of her time in elite circles. Well, as elite as Mistletoe got, anyway. The brunettes shimmering white one-shouldered dress looked like a toga as reimagined for the Academy Awards. Annoyingly, she hadnt gained a visible pound in the past ten years.
Hi. Chloe smiled in their combined direction but focused on Jacks congenial face.
He returned the smile, his gaze apologetic. Youll have to forgive me, Im blanking on who you are.
Chloe. Chloe Malcolm?
Right. Sorry. Im terrible with names. My wife harasses me about it constantly. I have entire building forms memorized, but can forget our neighbors name in the middle of a barbecue. He turned to Natalie, reporting on the events status. Everythings well in hand. We had to make a quick appetizer substitution, but theyre not charging us extra. Candy was just on the phone with the bands lead singer. ETA is about ten minutes for sound check.
Nat, you did such a darling job on the flowers, Candy interjected with a toss of her sleek, shampoo-commercial hair. One of these days Im going to have to develop an actual skill. And, Chloe! I hear youre quite the entrepreneur. If I had it to do all over again, Id go the computer-nerd route myself.
No, you wouldnt.
Even though Candys tone was playful, no overt malice, Chloe bristled. It was one thing for Natalie to call from the shop, freaking out because the computer had crashed and she needed the help of a professional geek. Yet being reminded of all the times Candy had indeed made Chloe feel like a socially awkward nerd-and encouraged others to treat her as such-was different.
Behind her polite smile, Chloe ground her teeth. She gestured toward a table covered with a green cloth and Mistletoe High memorabilia. I think Im just going to stroll down memory lane.
As the reunion committee finished their conversation, Chloe idly studied framed pictures from pep rallies and school plays. Gold and resplendent, the trophy from the state baseball championship sat in the center of the table; the Academic Decathlon first prize shed helped win sat off to the side. Still, she grinned at the unlikely parallel of her and Dylan Echols, school superstars. And here I thought we wouldnt have much in common to discuss.
Beyond the mementos Natalie had convinced the high school to let them borrow sat rows of name tags. Leaning over for a closer look, Chloe realized that each tag was printed with a black-and-white yearbook photo and identity: Chloe Ann Malcolm. Period. She hadnt flown high enough on the social radar to earn the Most Popular, Most Likely to Succeed or Most Likely to Make You Laugh labels that accompanied some of the other names.
Natalie had not warned her that shed be walking around all night with that awful senior portrait pinned to her chest. Eek. In Chloes junior picture, shed removed her glasses and squinted, so shed overcorrected the next year. With her wide eyes, lopsided formal drape and mouth caught between forced smiles she couldnt hold long, she looked surprised and frightened of the photographer. Not flattering.
The silver lining had been that shortly after Chloes parents had seen the picture, theyd finally allowed the contact lenses she so desperately wanted.
Surveying the photos of her classmates, she stifled a laugh. She wouldnt be the only one regretting her senior photo. In his shot, Brady Callahan sneered at the camera, his hair teased into short spikes and his eyes rimmed with black eyeliner; hed long since outgrown his Goth phase and was a deacon for a local church. A few students whod been into grunge at the time proved that what looks trendy one day merely looks like an aversion to hygiene the next. Of course, Natalie, blond and smiling, looked perfect in her picture. All the cheerleaders did.
If it werent for Nat being her best friend, Chloe would have suspected the squad of making some sort of demonic pact. It seemed statistically unlikely that not one of a dozen teenage girls had blinked, had a bad hair day or had a zit.
If it werent for Nat being her best friend, Chloe would have suspected the squad of making some sort of demonic pact. It seemed statistically unlikely that not one of a dozen teenage girls had blinked, had a bad hair day or had a zit.
Chloe found herself studying the row of Es, telling herself she wasnt looking for anyone in particular. But she knew that was a lie even before her gaze landed on Dylans photo. Though the black-and-white photo didnt do justice to his green eyes, there was the promise of sexy intensity hed later grow into, and that one left dimple made visible by his cocky grin. Seeing that smile in class had turned her knees to jelly. Their civics teacher had once called on Dylan, whod clearly been flirting with a redheaded volleyball player instead of listening; when hed floundered for a response, Chloe had blurted the answer, bringing the moment to a quick close. The teacher had frowned but returned to the lecture. Dylan had turned slightly, sending a smile in Chloes direction and a bolt of lightning straight through her.
Emotions were often exaggerated for teenagers, though, distorted through a hormonal lens. She was an adult now, not an overreacting adolescent. If she happened to glimpse Dylans smile in the crowd tonight, she doubted lightning would strike again.
You ready for that drink? Natalie asked from beside her.
Chloe jumped. I didnt realize you were there.
Too preoccupied with- Natalie smirked at Dylans name badge -memory lane?
Watch it, smart aleck. I may decide to go home early-like now.
I have the keys, remember?
So your whole lets do makeup at my house and ride over together suggestion was a trap? Shed been wrong-this wasnt Cinderella at the ball, it was a hostage situation. Technically Chloe could call a cab, but they both knew curiosity would keep her here until she saw him.
Chloe sighed. What do you suppose it is about our teenage years that we never quite shake? Even her more recent memories from the nearby college shed attended werent as vivid as the day her team won the Decathlon or the day shed realized Natalie, a teacher-assigned tutoring pupil, had become a true friend. Thinking about how much she valued Natalie, she smiled. Tell you what, the drinks on me.
There was a private bar in the corner of the ballroom, but it wasnt staffed yet. They turned toward the doorway, Chloes ankle momentarily twisting in the unfamiliar shoes. Wincing at the brief flare of pain, she regained her balance before she fell. You can lead me to the Manolo box, but you cant make me walk gracefully in three-inch heels. She made sure to hold the stair rail on the way up to the lobby.
The recessed lounge was an elongated rectangle a few steps down from the main entrance. Natalie gestured to a row of four high tables against the wall. Grab us a spot, and Ill order.
But I said Id buy, Chloe reminded her.
Well, I said it first. Besides
Chloe raised an eyebrow. You dont want me pushing my luck balancing in these shoes, do you?
So, um, white wine? Or has the red dress inspired you to have something crazy and bold like shooters?
What do you think?
Two chardonnays coming right up.
Chloe pivoted toward a table at the far end, near an unmanned baby grand piano. She pulled herself up onto one of the two padded chrome stools at the tall table, taking the opportunity to slide off the red high heels. Her feet were wider than Natalies and the shoes pinched slightly. Also, Chloe was surprised she hadnt suffered a nosebleed from the extra height. She rotated her ankles and flexed her toes, closing her eyes in blissful relief. Now all she needed was a hot, sudsy bubble bath and the assurance that she wouldnt have to go anywhere near her senior yearbook photo ever again.
Her skin prickled, and Chloe opened her eyes, discomfited by the sudden sensation that she was being watched.
She saw him in the lobby, knew who it was immediately even though she couldnt quite believe he was really standing there in jeans and a green shirt. Dylans gaze locked with hers, and electricity gathered, heavy and crackling. Sizzling energy ribboned through her.
Definitely lightning.
Chapter Three
Dylan had returned to the hotel depleted. Following an afternoon of physical labor-fixing a leaky pipe in his moms kitchen, repairing the screen door-and emotionally taxing guilt that he didnt visit more, hed walked into the lobby unmotivated to shower and change for the reunion. Suddenly, however, he felt pretty damn alert.
The shapely brunette in the bar area was a splash of vivid color among the black tables and chairs. Shed kicked off a pair of red shoes-he noticed them as his gaze traced over her long legs-and there was something invitingly uninhibited about her sitting barefoot in an evening dress. From what he could see, everything about her was inviting.