Page 70 of Calamity Rayne Knocked Up

“Exactly.”

Okay, this was getting weird. Where was Hale when I needed him? “I have to get back. My husband’s waiting for me.”

“I bet he is.” He cupped a hand at the sideof his mouth and whispered, “In case you lost count, that’s three.”

I laughed nervously. “It was, uh, nice meeting you.”

“The pleasure was mine. Rayne.”

As soon as I opened the door, I abruptly stopped. “Remington?”

He untangled himself from the arms of some young brunette. “Meyers? What are you doing down here? The party’s that way.”

I scoffed. Was he going to play this off like he wasn’t just making out with some chick that had to be his daughter’s age? And to think I was just defending him.

“What am I doing?” I looked at the girl, her lipstick smeared off her lips and her dress slightly disheveled. He was unbelievable. Odette was in the ballroom waiting for him. “I’m leaving.”

I wanted to find Hale and go home. Leaving him and that slice of veal he was pawing in the hall, I went to find my husband.

Hale was getting his ear chewed off by Barrett’s date. He appeared immediately relieved to see me. “Hey,” I interrupted. “I’m ready to go home.”

He frowned, surprised by my bluntness. “It’s still early?—”

“No, Hale. I’m ready now.”

He excused himself from McKinsey and pulled me aside. “I arranged a surprise for you.”

I had enough surprises for one night. Very aware of Odette’s location in the ballroom, I averted my stare, afraid of what might happen if I looked her in the eye. “I want to leave.”

Just then, the band changed from a traditional classical ballad to a more modern tune. Hale laced his fingers with mine and pulled me toward the center of the ballroom. “May I have this dance?”

My eyes widened. “What’s happening?”

“You said you wanted to dance.”

“No, I said no one was dancing. And they still aren’t.” The last thing I wanted was to become more of a spectacle.

He pulled me to his chest and planted a hand on my lower back. “Do you recognize the song?”

The familiar notes of Cyndi Lauper’sTime After Timeregistered.It was the song we danced to at our wedding. Guests formed a circle around us and watched as Hale twirled mein a slow circle.

Remington appeared with a scowl, disrupting Hale’s romantic moment. “Meyers, I need a word.”

“Not now, Dad.”

“Yes, now. It’s important.”

I glared at him, because even I had reached the end of my patience with him. “Not now, Remington.”

Hale twirled us away from his father. “You’re the prettiest woman in the room tonight, Rayne.”

I was fuming. “That’s great, Hale, but I just saw your dad making out with some chick in the hall.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“He had his tongue down some woman’s throat.” I gagged. “What the hell is he thinking? Odette’s right there.” Why were bathroom visits always so complicated at these fancy functions? “Oh, and I met that Landry guy. He’s creepy.”

Hale’s silver eyes darkened. “Why do you say that?”

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