Despite how I was feeling, Alexa was so easy to talk to that I found myself relaxing into her company. We talked about growing up in Connecticut, about college (not a lot because I didn’t want to give anything away inadvertently), about Boston, and how I’d recently done the tourist thing. She told me about her favorite places around the city and I could see our tastes were similar. I enjoyed the fact that she didn’t ask me about Henry, and because I already knew more about her and her boss than I wanted to, I didn’t ask her about Caine.
We clicked, and in the back of my mind, I was already cursing Henry for introducing me to her, knowing that our friendship wouldn’t last given he and I were ending this thing between us.
But maybe, somehow, I could still stay in contact with Alexa. She was the first person in Boston, other than Joe, who made me feel like myself.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, ladies.” Henry appeared and gently tugged me toward him. I wanted to resist, considering how long he’d left me alone, but that conflicted with the fact that I was glad he had because it meant I got to spend time with Alexa. “My father is finally free from the bigwigs and I want to introduce you to him.”
What the fuck?
His father?
Was here?
And he wanted to introduce me to him? No way. That was not in the plan!
“Your father?” I shot Alexa a pleading look even though I knew there was very little she could do. “Why are you introducing me to your father?” I hissed as he propelled me through the crowded ballroom.
“Because I want him to meet you.”
I ignored his obvious amusement. “You’re trying to torture me.”
“Actually, I merely want you to meet my father. I like him a lot and I like you a lot. It makes sense to introduce you.”
“You’re being pushy and obnoxious.” My stomach twisted with nerves. “Really, Henry, I don’t want to—”
“Father.” Henry stopped in front of two men, and I was forced to shut up.
“Henry…” The taller and older of the two men turned to us, his eyes flicking from his son to me. I’d seen Randall Lexington in the paper and already knew Henry got his good looks from his father. As trim as he must have been in youth, Lexington filled out his tuxedo as well as any man half his age. He had light gray eyes, not blue like Henry’s, but they had the same smooth handsomeness. When he smiled at me, it was Henry’s boyish, charming smile, and for some stupid reason, it made me relax a little.
“Nadia, this is my father Randall, and my colleague Iain Prendergast.”
I stuck out my hand to his father, “Nice to meet you,” and then to Iain.
“Nice to meet you, Nadia.” Iain gave me a polite smile. “Henry, Mr. Lexington.” He nodded at father and son and then left us to it.
“Miss Ray.” Randall reached for my hand again, clasping it between both of his. His expression was warm and curious. “I’ve seen you on television. You light up the screen. I’ve never met a broadcast meteorologist before.”
I was immediately charmed—he got my job title correct!
“Thank you. I love my job.”
Randall let go of my hand and smirked at his son. “It only took you twenty-odd years to bring an interesting date to one of these things.”
I laughed as Henry chuckled. “You’ve just insulted half the women in this room.”
His dad shrugged. “Whoops.”
Having not been what I expected at all, I found myself relaxing even more. “Henry told me he had to work his way up in your company rather than going straight in at the top. I have to say I admire your decision to do that.”
“Were you complaining again, son?”
“I’ll never forgive you for the hardship.”
I studied father and son as they teased each other, and liked what I saw.
“So, Miss Ray—”
“Please, call me Nadia.”
“Nadia,” his eyes searched my face, “a beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”
“Hey now.” Henry slid his arm around my waist and pulled me into his side. “Watch it. For all I know, my date has a thing for older men.”
I tensed at the joke, immediately regretting it when Henry shot me a puzzled look. Forcing myself to relax, I smiled lamely.
“As I was saying,” Randall smoothed over the moment, “Nadia, tell me, are you dying to get out of here as much as I am?”
There was no hiding my surprise at the question. Randall Lexington was Boston society. “What?”
Henry squeezed my waist. “My father hates these things. He only comes for the business opportunities and because my mother loves them.”
“We could be doing better things with our time than standing around sipping champagne and gossiping,” he said. I heard the tired derision in Randall’s voice.
“This is a charity benefit.”
“So let me write a check. Don’t make me put on a damn penguin suit and stand in a ballroom having to converse with people, half of whom don’t have an original thought between them.”
I choked on a snort.
Seriously. I loved him.
Randall grinned at the noise. “I have a feeling Miss Ray shares my sentiments. Well, unlucky for you if you stick around with my son, you’ll be subjected to more of this. It comes with the territory.”
“I don’t mind this stuff as much,” Henry said.
“Now you don’t. Give it twenty years. So… do you like it?” Randall asked me directly.
I sighed. “It’s really only my first society event.”
“But?”
“I feel like a fish out of water,” I answered honestly.
Henry’s grip on me tightened. “Why?”
My answer seemed to have disturbed him.
“Uh, kids, maybe take that conversation elsewhere…” Randall stared over my shoulder, “Your mother is headed this way.”
Without even a goodbye, Henry took hold of my hand and dragged me in the opposite direction. “What is going on?”
He didn’t answer me until we were on the other side of the ballroom with hundreds of couples between us and his father. Henry grabbed two glasses of champagne, handed one to me, and downed the other.
“Explain.”
“You first.” He crowded me against a window alcove, hiding me from the rest of the room. His hand rested on my hip possessively as he stared down into my face, looking as serious as he had in the Town Car earlier. “You feel like a fish out of water here?”
“Honestly, yes.”
“Why?”
I cocked my head, studying him. Why did he care? “Why does it bother you if I do?”
“Because I have to attend these events. I hate to think of dragging you along to things you’re not enjoying.”
“There you go being all presumptuous again.”
“I introduced you to my father, Nadia. I don’t normally do that.”
I scoffed. “So I should feel honored?”
“Don’t do that.” He leaned into me, pressing his body along mine. He stroked my chin and gripped it gently to tilt my head back. “Don’t be cynical and distant. I don’t like it. It’s not you.”
“You don’t know who I am,” I whispered, aroused by his proximity despite the mess of my emotions.