Nick ran his fingers through his hair, sighing, not looking very excited about the idea at all. “I’ll be honest with you; I’ve been to those types of parties before in the past and they’re not really my thing.”
“I can appreciate that, but you have never been to one of those parties with me, so it would be a different experience.”
“I don’t know . . .”
I crossed my arms. “Don’t make me beg. I really want to see you tonight, and it was my fault that I forgot about the event. I promise that if it gets too boring, we can leave early and do something else alone. How’s that?”
He nodded. “Really?”
“I promise.”
He scratched the side of his face. “I do really want to see you . . .”
“Well, then? Come with me. We don’t have to stay till the end.”
“Okay, okay. Count me in.”
“Great!” I reached up and kissed him.
I felt better that he agreed to come after I made the mistake of double-booking my evening.
And maybe it wouldn’t be that bad.
It was just a party.
What could possibly go wrong?
Chapter Twenty-Four
RUTH
I jerked my head back in surprise when I opened my front door and saw Nick standing there in a charcoal suit, crisp white shirt, and a black tie.
Every time I had seen him since we had met in person for the first time, he had been wearing shorts and a polo shirt with his company logo on it. Short pants were the norm all-year-round for most people working outdoors in gardens, since Del Mar’s climate was considered to be just like the Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and mild, humid winters.
But still . . .
Nick cleaned up well.
He looked dapper, debonair, and delicious.
I smiled. “I’m beginning to understand why the women in college called you Nick-fil-A.”
Nick grinned. “Thank you.” He glanced at my black cocktail dress and my four-inch stilettos, grinning. “And I’m beginning to wonder why you don’t have a nickname like Babe Ruth. Maybe we can skip the party and stay right here.”
I patted him on the chest. “That’s more tempting for me than you’ll ever know, but I’m required to be at the party, and I don’t want to be fired before I become managing partner. Sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.” I motioned to his truck on the street. “Now, let’s get out of here before I change my mind.”
Nick drove us to the Hilton San Diego near the Del Mar Fairgrounds and Racetrack, just five minutes away from where I lived.
We passed through the lobby and down the hallway, following the arrows on the signs that said, “Stansfeld Investments Celebration - Courtyard Terrace.”
“I forgot to ask, what did you do with Karma for the evening while we’re here?”
“She’s with my mom.” He chuckled. “And she says she’ll let me know if she’s ever going to give her back to me or not.”
I laughed. “I like your mom.”
He smirked. “Me too, but she’s not keeping my dog. I’ve become attached to her rather quickly. She’s a good girl, and very sweet.”
Nick and I both glanced through the open doors of a banquet room as we walked by it, the music from the DJ, the colorful lights, and the packed dance floor catching our attention.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me to a stop. “I think this party will be much more fun. Let’s crash it. What do you say?”
I shook my head. “I say nice try. You’re not getting out of this now. Let’s go.” I walked toward the door leading out to the Courtyard Terrace and the pool.
Nick passed me, pushing open the glass door. “You can’t fault me for trying.”
I smirked and walked by him. “It was a valiant effort.”
The Courtyard Terrace had white lights strung above the heads of my coworkers with the swimming pool illuminated just behind them. Jazz music played in the background and waiters walked around, offering drinks and appetizers. There were no chairs, just tall cocktail tables that everyone hovered around as they ate, chatted, and drank their favorite alcoholic beverages.
I led Nick through the crowd, stopping to say hello to many of the other partners in the firm. A waiter stopped in front of us with a tray of champagne, but we both declined, opting to head to the bar for a beer.
I clinked my Heineken bottle against Nick’s Corona bottle. “Thank you for coming.”
“You’re welcome.”
Another waiter stopped in front of us with a platter. “Crispy coconut shrimp with orange marmalade sauce?”
I nodded. “Yes, please.” I grabbed a napkin and one of the shrimp, dipped it in the sauce, and ate it. “Ooh, that’s good. You have to try this, Nicky.”
Nick followed my lead, grabbing one of the shrimp, dipping it in the sauce, and eating it.
He chewed and nodded his head. “You’re right. Amazing.”
The waiter started to walk away.
“Wait,” I practically yelled.
He turned back around and grinned. “One more?”
“Yes. Please.” After eating another shrimp, I licked my fingers, and took another sip of my beer.
Nick chuckled. “I like a woman who eats.”
“You won’t ever see me being shy or self-conscious about it.”
“I like that. And speaking of women . . . are you the only one here?”
“I’m the only female partner at the company.”
Nick glanced around the Courtyard Terrace. “But you brought a date. Why didn’t any of these guys bring their significant others? Or were they all just smarter than me?”
I laughed. “You’re smart because you know how to get on my good side. But all the women are together on the far side of the courtyard. They’re known as the Abandoned Wives Club and they do everything together, like widows. They’re always as far away from their spouses as possible since the guys only talk about business at our parties.”
“I’m expecting a hundred-grand bonus,” the voice said behind me.
“Me too,” said someone else. “I’ve had my eye on the new Jag. Have you seen that baby? That’s why I work fourteen hours a day. I’m sporting wood just thinking about it.”
Nick set his beer on the cocktail table, shaking his head. “Everyone makes a lot of money but doesn’t have time to spend it or enjoy it.”
“That’s a fair assessment.”
“The company doesn’t believe in a work-life balance.”
“No. They don’t.”
He crinkled his forehead. “And why is this appealing to you?”
I opened my mouth and closed it.
“I guess I’m trying to see your point of view. Why you would sign up for this lifestyle in the first place?”
I sighed and lowered my voice. “Honestly, it’s not as appealing as it used to be. And I blame you for that.” I poked him in the arm with my finger.
He grinned. “You mean you thank me, not blame me, right? You got a taste of the good life and now you’re hooked on Nick-fil-A.”
I laughed. “You got that right.” I took a step toward Nick and stood on my toes to kiss him, but then stopped myself, and pulled back after realizing where I was.