Page 20 of The Forever Rule

I toweled off my hair, pausing to stare at her. “Is everything okay, Isabelle?” I asked, worry etched in my tone. “We don’t have to talk about me all the time.”

“I’m perfectly fine. I’m just razzing you. Now, let’s get your hair done. And you know we talk about my family more often than not.”

“Are you sure you have time for this?”

“I have time to help my best friend look hot in a dress for whoever might show up.”

“He’s not going to be there,” I warned.

“Fine, I have time to help my friend look hot in a dress for herself. How about that?”

“Yes. Let’s go with that.”

It took an hour, but drying my hair, straightening itso I could curl it, and then doing a full face of makeup took time. Thankfully I had my grandmother’s jewelry that I could make work with the dress, and when I finished the final clasp on my bracelet, I sighed in the mirror.

“Well, I don’t look too shabby.”

“You look beautiful. And don’t stain my dress.”

“I thought that I was being gifted this and you were taking the sage one?”

She smiled far too sweetly. “No, I’m just fixing the stain, and we can share both dresses. How about that?”

“You are a riot.”

“I try. Now go knock them dead.”

“Or at least try to win over clients. All in the name of finance,” I said, sighing when Isabella rolled her eyes at me.

I drove myself to the event, because I was planning on only having one glass of champagne if that. I didn’t want to deal with a ride-share or wait on anyone else. Thankfully there was a valet at the hotel, so I didn’t have to find a way to park in this dress.

Holding my small clutch, I made my way into the hotel ballroom, smiling at a few people as I made my way around the room.

I saw a few familiar faces, though it was mostly strangers. When I caught the eyes of my boss’s wife, she smiled softly at me and waved. I did not know how that sweet woman was married to that monster of a man, but then again, maybe he was only an asshole at work, and saved all his goodness for home.

The boss in question gave me a once-over and a tight nod, and I figured I’d passed some test.

A waiter passed by with a glass of champagne, and I milled about, holding my drink, barely taking a sip, and speaking with potential clients. I had already done research on the people that I knew I should talk to at the gala, the ones who had RSVP’d. But I hadn’t seen a Cage on the list. Mostly because they were always invited, and they didn’t have to RSVP to things like this.

That wasn’t ominous at all.

“Well, small world.”

It indeed was a small world. My hand squeezed on the stem of my champagne flute, and I turned around slowly, to stare into the eyes of Aston Cage.

“Oh. You’re here.”

He tilted his head and gave me that smile. The one that made my thighs clench, and I had to count backward from ten so I could catch my breath. “Yes, I’m here. The foundation is one that’s close to my mother’s heart. So we take turns attending different events. And it’s my turn. Fancy that.”

“I didn’t know you’d be here.”

He raised a brow. “And I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Is it okay?” I shook my head. “Of course it’s okay. This is work.”

“You work for Howard, don’t you?” he asked, his voice low. People really weren’t paying attention to us other than the fact that their gazes would catch on Aston’s. Because that’s what the Cages did. They pulled in attention even when they weren’t trying.

“I do.”

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