Page 69 of Burn It Down

Jake and I both swing our gazes around the room again. Taking it all in, I notice the attention to detail. The silk bows on the backs of the chairs are a lime green to match the color of the muscular dystrophy ribbon. Cora’s managed to quiet the loud color with black tablecloths that almost touch the floor and black chair covers. The tables are adorned with lime green napkins and each table has a flower arrangement in the center containing white, purple, and lime green flowers.

String lights artfully hang around the stage where a string quartet is playing softly. Even the waiters and waitresses arewearing black and white with lime green aprons tied around their waists.

The crystal drinking glasses on the tables look more expensive than my family’s entire dishware set and the silverware is embossed with the country club’s crest.

“I’d say it looks amazing in the way it can only when Cora gets a hold of something,” Jake answers. His eyes are warm and full of pride.

Before I can answer, Cora, herself, swings back by our table and wraps her free arm around Jake’s waist, clutching her cell phone in her other hand.

“The silent auction is set up along the back wall. There’re some great things to check out,” Cora gushes before looking down at her phone. She smiles as she pulls her arm from Jake’s waist and responds to a message. When she looks back up, she glances at the door and her face falls. “Oh shoot, the Lancasters just arrived. I’d better go say hello.” With that, she turns and immediately gets swallowed by the crowd of people that have pushed their way into the room.

“Shall we sit?” Jake asks, planting a hand onmyback this time, guiding me to my seat. The touch sends sparks along every one of my frayed nerve endings.

We haven’t been seated long when Jake and Cora’s fathers stride up to the table. Jake stands to greet them, so I follow suit.

“Father, Governor Cosey.” He nods his head and shakes their hands before turning to me. “You remember my friend Dylan.”

The governor holds his hand out first. “Of course. Dylan, nice to see you again. Tell me, how are things at the shop?”

“Thankfully, the vandalism has slowed down a little, but I fear the damage to our street’s reputation has already been done. We continue to lose customers daily,” he admits.

Martin shakes his head. “I’m so sorry to hear that. And the woman who was shot? Is she pulling through?”

“Thank you for asking, yes, they’ve moved her to a rehab facility and she’s started walking again.”

“That’s wonderful news.”

Not even trying to hide his sneer or bothering to hold out his hand, Jake’s dad says, “I expect you know the rules for a function like this?”

“Father,” Jake growls in warning.

“No need to get defensive, Jacob. Whether you’re acting like it or not, this is a big night for Cora and I want to make sure there will be no distractions.” Jake’s dad turns his slithery, reptilian gaze back to me and has the audacity to say, “Nice of my son to elevate your status for the night. Please remember you represent his futurewifethis evening.”

It isn’t lost on me the way he emphasizes the wordwifeas if he somehow knows what Jake and I have been up to.

Jake’s eyes nearly bug out of his head, but it’s the governor who speaks first.

Clapping a hand on my shoulder, he says, “We’re glad you’re here Dylan. Make yourself at home and excuse my friend. He sounds like he could use a glass of bourbon.” The governor looks at Jake’s dad with a stern expression.

The men quickly greet the rest of our table and then Jake’s dad pulls him aside for a whispered word I can’t hear, but Jake’s body language tells me he doesn’t like what’s being said.

I pull my gaze off the men as they finally retreat and turn my attention to Whitney who’s in the process of scooting closer to my chair.

She leans in, bracing herself with one arm across the back of my chair and one on my forearm. With her mouth pressed almost against my ear, she whispers, “Cora knows.”

Suddenly, the air is too thick, my tie is too tight, and I need more space than this table can accommodate.

With rapid breaths, I pant, “Excuse me, I need a minute.”

I wind my way through the throng of people until I push through the doors leading outside and hide in the shadows of the building, trying to catch my breath.

I shouldn’t have come here.

Chapter 19

Jake

“Icannot believe you brought yourmechanicto a function put on by yourfiancéeat our country club! Do you even realize what a slap in the face that is to Cora?”

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