Page 10 of Tempt Me

5.

CHLOE

My good mood lasts exactly twenty minutes: long enough for the driver to deliver me to the front steps of the historic Boston Public Library building, where the gala is taking place.

Max greets me out front with a frown on his chiseled, tanned features. “What happened to the dress I sent?” he asks, before even saying hello.

“It’s beautiful, I just thought I’d wear this tonight. Why?” I ask, feeling a bolt of insecurity. “Don’t you like it?”

“You look beautiful, you always do.” Max says quickly, and presses a kiss to my cheek. “It’s just, I told you, tonight is pretty formal.”

Inside, I can see he’s right. The men are all dressed in tuxes, and the women are outfitted to the nines: expensive gowns dripping diamonds, even furs. Suddenly, I wish I’d stuck to the plan.

“Don’t worry, baby.” Max slips an arm around my waist. “Nobody will care what you’re wearing. That ring on your finger is your VIP pass.”

He collects us both a glass of champagne and steers us into the crowd. Immediately, we’re mobbed with well-wishers, and I can see that he’s right. Everyone is cooing over our engagement.

“You lucky thing,” one woman tells me. “We thought Max would be a bachelor forever!”

Max chuckles. “I was just waiting for the right woman.”

“So romantic,” her friend swoons. “And what’s your background, Chloe? Who are your people?”

“Chloe’s a former ballerina,” Max answers for me. “Her family’s in Chicago.”

“Oh, I just adore the ballet! I should have guessed, you’re so graceful. You’ll have to join me on the fundraising board,” she tells me. “We host all the best events.”

“What a great idea,” Max says. “Chloe is looking forward to being a patron of the arts.”

I am?

I wait until we’ve moved on until asking him about it. Max looks at me, puzzled. “Of course you’ll be sitting on charity boards, all the women in the family do.”

“But I have a job,” I say quietly. He laughs, and presses another kiss to my cheek.

“I’m not saying you need to quit work and stay home, this isn’t the 1950s. But the Mainwarings are very active in the community,” he adds casually. “So if you wanted to focus on charity work, I would support that. Whatever you want.” He smiles and squeezes my hand. “You know I only want you to be happy.”

“I know,” I echo, trying not to feel uneasy. Most women would love the freedom to quit work if they wanted, but hearing Max talk like this is still weird. I’ve been on my own, supporting myself for years.

I take another gulp of champagne, draining the glass.

“Look, there’s Sienna,” Max brightens, pointing to his stepsister. She’s holding court with a group of perfect blonde women, and I haven’t drunk nearly enough champagne to face them yet, so I shake my head.

“You go ahead, I have to powder my nose,” I say. Max kisses me again and then goes to join them, while I head down a hallway in the other direction. Just like that, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses melts away. I keep walking until I find a small courtyard, empty and hidden from the party, lit by just a few flickering lamps.

Finally, I have a chance to breathe.

I know this is part of the deal with Max—this is his life, society responsibilities and all. It’s a different world, and miles from my own family back in Illinois. My mom is a school teacher, and my dad is on disability now after an accident at the auto shop. I didn’t go hungry as a kid, but we never had much money, either, and even though they always wanted the best for me, it was still a fight when I decided to try to pursue ballet professionally. They didn’t understand my passion, or why I couldn’t just go to a regular school like everyone else. I scraped together scholarships to get to Chicago to study myself, and after I moved away at fifteen, the distance between us only grew. Now I call every month, send emails, too, but we’re not close. Not like Max and the rest of the Mainwarings, with all their family dinners, gala events, and summer vacations at the compound on Cape Cod.

“It’s a privilege, and a duty,” Max says all the time about his family, but maybe I just need to give it time before I can feel at home.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, right?

“Who are you hiding from?”

I yelp in surprise and spin around. “You scared me,” I exclaim, before I realize who it is.

Jase Banner.

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