“Yeah, okay, deal.” I took his hand, knowing I needed to at least try tonight for him. He’d given me plenty of opportunities this week to back out of this, but every time I was tempted, I’d looked into his eyes and realized that what he really wanted was for me to be here. So I wasn’t about to beg off now.
I squeezed his hand and then looked over at the front entrance of the hotel. “Come on. Let’s get this over and done with.”
Ryan chuckled as we made our way toward the revolving door. “Now there’s the giving attitude.”
I supposed he was right, but I wasn’t the one giving anything. ENN had paid a pretty penny for the tables tonight. “You know what I mean.”
When we reached the revolving door, I let go of Ryan’s hand so he could go first. Each section was wide enough for two, but these things always made me wary.
Once we were inside, Ryan handed over his invitation and was given a program in return, then we were escorted to an elevator.
“This place is pretty wow, isn’t it?” Ryan grinned as he flipped open the glossy brochure he’d just been handed.
The words Future’s Hope jumped off the page, and my heart just about stopped.
“I mean, even the elevators are out of this world. It was just voted one of the top ten five-star hotels in Chicago for the third year in a row.”
I knew Ryan was talking, but suddenly all my attention was focused on the brochure in his hand.
Future’s Hope? No… There’s no way I read that right.
I’d assumed tonight was going to be for a children’s wing of a hospital or something, where big companies and millions of dollars were involved. Not a local community-based charity, and especially not one so familiar, so…close to home.
When the elevator reached our floor and we stepped out into an enormous hallway, I saw a floor-to-ceiling banner advertising tonight’s event, and my feet came to a grinding halt.
“Jameson?”
My stomach twisted as I stared at the banner. If I’d thought this was a bad idea when I was just out of my element, it now felt like some horrible kind of trap that I was about to walk into.
What the hell was going on? Had Alexander looked me up? Had he been sniffing around in my past, trying to find out if I was good enough for Ryan? He was a journalist, after all.
“Jameson, is everything okay?”
No, it fucking wasn’t. My past was colliding with my reality, and I would’ve done just about anything for the floor of this fancy hotel to open up and swallow me whole.
“Are you still worried about the tux?” Ryan reached out to straighten the bow tie. “Because there’s no need. I told you, it fits you like it was made for you. You look very handsome.”
I didn’t know how to respond to him with everything that was going through my head, so I plastered on my best smile and told myself to pull it together. It was one night. How bad could it be?
We walked through the double doors of the grand ballroom, and the main floor opened up before us. We were immediately hit with large windows that overlooked jaw-dropping views of Chicago’s shiny skyline.
It made my view from the old corner store look like some old, faded photograph.
“Wow. This place is unbelievable.” Ryan walked in ahead of me, looking up at the twinkling chandeliers that hung throughout the room. But I was too busy trying not to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people packed inside.
There were tables and chairs wrapped in cream linens with gold accents, and the dinner and glassware sparkled under the lights.
As Ryan soaked in the opulence of the room, my palms began to sweat. What was it about rich folk and giving money away? It was like they had to be seduced into the deed by throwing the most extravagant event to ever exist. Wouldn’t it just make more sense to donate that money too?
“Isn’t this breathtaking?”
That was one word for it. I scanned the crowd of Chicago’s elite, feeling as though my bow tie was getting tighter. There were women in cocktail dresses and men in tuxedos as far as the eye could see, and even though I was dressed to fit in, I felt one hundred percent out of place.
Ryan must’ve sensed my flight response kicking in, because he hooked an arm through my elbow.
“I still can’t believe Alexander invited us tonight. I know ENN had two tables to fill, but I’m not usually at the top of that list.”
Funny, that. “So why do you think he did it?”
“Invited us? Honestly? Because of you.”
So I was right. Alexander must’ve been digging around and found out about my connection to Future’s Hope.
“Yeah. Sorry. I think Alexander wants to get to know you.”
Right, and here I’d thought I was just here as a plus-one, not the night’s entertainment.
“Get to know me? What do you mean by that? Twenty questions or something?”
“No.” Ryan chuckled. “At least, I don’t think so. But if he starts going all journalist on you, I’ll cut him off.”
I nodded and fought back the urge to tell him that if Alexander got too nosy, I had no problem telling him to take a hike all on my own.
“Oh, and while we’re on the topic, there’s something else I should probably tell you before we get to our table.” Ryan’s cheeks flushed and his shy smile made me forget for a second just how on edge I was.
“What’s that, GQ?”
“The president of ENN is also here tonight.”
“Okay.” That seemed expected, since ENN was donating an obscene amount of money.
“Well, he lives with my best friend, Gabe.” Ryan grimaced. “So he’s here tonight too.”
“Your best friend?” In other words, I was about to spend the next couple of hours under the microscope. They better be serving alcohol at this thing.
“Are you mad?”
Mad wasn’t the right word, but I was definitely feeling on edge. It was hard enough to imagine myself sitting and making small talk with someone like Alexander Thorne. But now I had to impress Ryan’s best friend at an event for a charity that used to provide a roof over my head? That was a lot to fucking digest.
“I’m not mad.”
“Oh, good. I wasn’t sure if telling you would make you more anxious or less, so I figured I’d just let you know when you got here. But I promise, you’re going to love them all and fit right in.”
I seriously doubted it.
Ryan pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Come on, let’s go find our table.”
I let him lead me through the crowds of people milling about, then a young guy in a tux started waving madly in our direction.
“There they are. That’s Gabe.”
The best friend. Well, here goes nothing.
We headed to where several couples sat around tables. Gabe stepped out from behind his chair and walked over to us.
“Hey, Ry.”
“Hey.” Ryan let go of my arm to hug his friend, then they both turned to me. “Gabe, this is Jameson.”
Gabe flashed a smile that had probably gotten him his way his entire life and held his hand out to me. “Hey there. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Gabe…” Ryan said, but his friend just ignored him.
“Did you ride your motorcycle here tonight? I was hoping to show Marcus and try to convince him we should get one.”