Page 22 of Sweatpants & Sweet Tea

“Did Maxine end up having the highest bid?” Reagan asked.

“No, it was somebody in the back. She was a brunette, but I didn’t recognize her.”

“Or maybe you do.” Skylar wagged her brows, and her mask went up and down.

As she did, I noticed all three of the Comfort brothers and Cash Malone walking toward us.

“Ladies,” Hank nodded at the group before grabbing Skylar’s hand and pulling her onto the dance floor.

Billy wrapped his arms around Reagan and swept her onto the dance floor. Cash offered Cheyenne his arm and she smiled as she took it. Jimmy spun in a circle, stopping in front of Isabella with his arm outstretched. Her head fell back as she laughed, and the two of them joined the other three couples on the dance floor.

As I watched everyone on the dance floor, a pang of envy twisted in my chest. I scanned the room looking for the man I was hoping to share a dance with. The man who had gone for five thousand dollars. There was a sea of men in black jackets and black masks, which made finding him more difficult than finding Waldo.

“Mom, why do I have to wear this?”

I turned and saw a tall, lanky kid standing beside Zoe, pulling at his mask.

“It’s a masquerade ball.”

“This is Zoe’s son, AJ; AJ this is Miss Daphne.”

AJ smiled politely. “Nice to meet you, Miss Daphne.”

“Please, call me Daphne.” Hearing Miss in front of my name made me feel a hundred years old. I was already looking downthe barrel of thirty, which in Los Angeles might as well be a hundred years old.

“Are you gonna dance?” Zoe asked her son.

AJ’s face scrunched. “To this?”

They were playing oldies music. The opening melody of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” began to play.

“Whoa, there he is, Mr. Five Thousand Dollars!” Zoe exclaimed as she looked past my shoulder.

I turned and saw the man I’d spent the last half hour searching for.

Harlan grinned and shook his head.

“Who bid that five k on your ass?” Nadia questioned.

Harlan shrugged. “I have no idea; I couldn’t see when I was up there.”

“That’s crazy!” Zoe exclaimed.

“You look sharp, man,” Harlan told AJ as he grabbed the kid’s shoulder.

“Thanks, Uncle H.” AJ puffed up a little, clearly appreciating the compliment.

Nerves were popping inside of me as I stood next to the man who I’d kissed an hour before and had seen naked twelve hours before that. Things were going a little out of order with the two of us.

Harlan turned his head in my direction, and when he looked down at me, I felt his gaze like a physical touch. The entire side of my cheek warmed.

I glanced up at him and watched as the right corner of his lips curled. “You didn’t leave.”

“I didn’t leave,” I repeated.

Harlan offered me his hand. “Would you like to dance?”

Inside, I was jumping up and down like a giddy schoolgirl, but outside, I tried to remain as composed as possible. “Sure.”

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