Page 33 of Why Not Us?

She holds out her hand for Nate to shake. He looks Calista up and down before taking it, shaking once, and letting go. I can’t help but remember the way he’d held on when we shook hands for the first time.

“You’re Adalie’s sister?” he asks.

“Yes.” She flicks her hair back. “The baby and the favourite. That’s me.”

“The one who stood her up a couple weeks ago,” he confirms, voice flat.

“Oh, that was just a silly misunderstanding.”

Something in me warms that he’s not falling for Calista’s charms, and because he’s angry on my behalf.

Dani bounds up, a huge grin on her face. “Hi Adalie,” she says, hugging me tight before turning to her father. “Dad, Lis said she has the drink I had last time. Can I have one?”

Nate’s demeanour immediately softens. His hand goes automatically to the top of Dani’s head as though to stop her from bouncing, or at least to try to keep her from bouncing too high. It doesn’t work.

“Of course, pipsqueak. But we’ll limit it to two tonight. You were a little wired after three last time.”

She squeals and hugs Nate before rushing off to where Lis is standing.

“You have a daughter?” Calista asks. “Where’s her mom?”

“Not here,” Nate answers shortly. I can tell by his tone that he doesn’t want to talk to Calista anymore, but my sister isn’t getting the message. She could never understand people not wanting to do everything she asks as soon as she asks it.

“Calista, the class is about to start. You should head back to your easel. Have something to eat. Get a glass of wine.”

“I just thought I should be seated up here, next to Nate. He might want to partner with me as well. I’m a social media influencer.”

“No,” Nate says. He crosses his arms over his chest, but I can’t take a second to admire the muscles in his shoulders and arms because I have to usher my sister to the back of the row.

“This is your easel, Calista. If you want to stay, you stay here. Nate is enjoying a night out with his daughter. Leave him alone.”

She huffs, then looks at me speculatively. “You seem pretty friendly with the VIP. What’s going on between you two?”

“Nothing,” I say, though my mind drifts to the kiss we shared on my birthday. The same night Calista stood me up. Maybe I should thank her for that. “He’s a contractor. We purchase product from him. He’s been here a couple times with his daughter.”

“Well,” she says, turning away from me. “It’s not as if someone like him would be into someone like you, anyway.”

I shoot a glance at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She lifts a shoulder in a shrug. “He’s too edgy for you, Addie. You’d never be able to keep a man like that interested for long. This night better not be boring.”

She sits down like the conversation is over, like she hasn’t just sliced open my deepest insecurities so I can bleed out on the floor. I walk away because I have to start the class. I don’t have the time—or really, the desire—to get into an argument with her.

The class itself goes very well. Dani has to help Nate again, but he’s good natured about it, smiling as Dani shows him where he went wrong.

When it’s over, Tanner gives me a hug goodbye, winking at me before leading his nieces down the stairs. Calista comes up to me next.

“Well, it wasn’t as boring as I expected, but I’m not sure it’s the kind of thing my followers are looking for, so I’m not sure I’ll post about it.”

“Okay,” I say, trying to sound put out even though I don’t care at all. Business at Blue Vista doesn’t need her followers.

“See you later, Addie,” she calls over her shoulder as she follows the other guests out of the ballroom.

“Is Cerberus here?” Dani asks. She and Nate are the last ones in the ballroom, other than the staff who are cleaning up.

“If Lis is still here, Cerberus will be,” I tell her.

“Can I go see him, Dad?”

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