Page 54 of Dare To Live

“So, purely for your own entertainment?”

His grin is wicked. “I’ve got to get something out of it.”

I laugh, but my brain is ticking, sorting through comments made by Elena. “Is Elena going to be there tomorrow?”

“Yeah, along with her daughter, I think.”

Anticipation licks along my veins. “Send me the details. I’ll be there.”

Chapter 31

Arabella

The crowd around me is buzzing with excitement. Ivan’s gallery is hosting the charity auction for the Mercer-Jackson Foundation for Abused Children tonight, headed by Gabe Mercer, lead singer of Forgotten Legacy. I’ve caught a couple of the band’s songs on the radio, and I know Miles is a huge fan. When Mom said she was attending the event to fundraise for a house for abused children, and invited me to join her, I hadn’t been able to decline.

No, just the one for Eli’s exhibition.

The knowledge that Eli was in New York yesterday left me unsettled. From what my mom told me, when he does attend those events, he rarely sticks around.

I’m sure he will be back at the cabin by now. There’s no need to worry about running into him. I’m not even sure what I would do if I did see him again. Pretend our last time together hadn’t happened? Smile politely? Ignore him?

Scratch his fucking eyes out and demand a do-over?

Swallowing down my misery, my gaze roams over the smiling people in front of me and lock on Miles weaving through the crowd with a glass of champagne. He’s following behind a dark-haired man I recognize as Forgotten Legacy’s singer, and a lavender-haired woman. Eyes wide with excitement, my best friend mouths, ‘oh my god’ at me.

I paste a smile onto my lips and roll my eyes at him.

Miles and Ivan had taken me under their wing when I returned to New York two weeks ago. I’d been an emotional mess. As promised, Miles had a bottle of expensive wine waiting for me, and they’d taken care of me while I got drunk. I remember very little of that evening or what I said to them. What I do recall is the mother of all hangovers I had the next morning.

Miles finally gives up chasing the gorgeous rockstar and heads over to join me. “Gabe Mercer and Draven Moore are here. Pinch me. I think I died and went to heaven.”

“Who?” I tease.

“Don’t even pretend you don’t know who Gabe Mercer is!” He waggles a finger at me. “Draven Moore is the drummer of Climax Seclusion. They’re friends.”

I glance around the sea of faces. “Which one is he?”

“The big muscly one with the neck tattoos. I’d climb him like a mountain any day.”

My attention settles on the hulking man with intense blue eyes and the tiny blonde woman hanging off his arm. “Don’t let Ivan hear you say that, or you’ll make him jealous.”

Miles’ gaze sweeps around. “Where’s Elena?”

“She’s gone to use the restroom.”

He bumps his shoulder gently against mine. “I’m glad she talked you into coming tonight.”

“Me too.”

Although Monsieur Allaire had not been happy with me taking more time off from the fashion house. Not that I give a shit. In the four years I’ve been working there, I’ve barely taken any time off at all.

“I better go and find Ivan.”

“You don’t want him to think you’re misbehaving.”

Miles drapes an arm over my shoulder. “You know I’m always getting into some kind of trouble.”

Laughing, I press an affectionate kiss on his cheek. “Go on.”

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