Page 42 of Choose Me

"He saved me," I responded, my voice broken with emotion.

"And I'm glad he did. Stop crying because you'll mess up the makeup I just put on you."

I let out a laugh, gently patting the tears from my eyes.

Amelia chuckled and touched up my makeup, adjusting the headpiece on my hair, making sure it was secure. "You're going to knock everyone off their feet tonight, especially James."

I felt a blush heat up my cheeks. "I hope so."

"Are you ready?" she asked, breaking me out of my reverie.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied, taking a deep breath.

She hugged me quickly and pulled away, eyes scanning me up and down one final time. "Now, let's go make a grand entrance, Cinderella."

We left the bathroom and walked into the living room, where James and Everett were waiting. As we stepped into the living room, the sound of conversations suddenly ceased. James was standing by the kitchen counter, and he stopped his conversation mid-sentence and fixed his eyes on me. His eyes widened as he took me in, and his lips parted in awe. The world stood still for a moment, and the noise around us faded away. He pushed past all the black suits and strode towards me, his jaw dropping as he took me in. "Wow," he breathed, his eyes still glued to me. "You look absolutely stunning," he said, closing the distance between us. He took my hand and raised it to his lips, kissing the back of it gently.

I smiled up at him, feeling my heart skip a beat. "Thanks to your sister."

Amelia waved me off. "I just enhanced what was already there."

James leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. "You're breathtaking," he whispered, his eyes never leaving mine.

I blushed, "Everyone is watching us," I breathed, recognizing the desire in his eyes.

"Let them," he responded, his voice low and full of unspoken promises.

Everett cleared his throat, pulling our attention away from each other. "We should get going. The banquet starts in twenty minutes.

James nodded, squeezing my hand. I glanced over at Everett, whose eyes hadn't left me either. When he realized I caught him staring, he gave me a small smile and turned away. There was something hidden in his expression.

Jealousy?

Sadness?

Disappointment?

Whatever it was, it left as quickly as it came.

24

TWENTY-FOUR

AVA

The car ride to the banquet was filled with laughter, and even though I smiled along with them, my heart was conflicted. Amelia and James were trading stories about their childhood, but every time Everett looked at me, I felt a tug of something else. He would quickly avert his gaze whenever I caught him looking, leaving me more confused than before.

I made a mental note to talk to him when we got there.

As we pulled up to the banquet hall, James took my hand and helped me out of the car. I took a deep breath and stepped out, my eyes scanning the grand entrance. The towering columns and intricate architecture left me breathless. The sweeping entryway led into a grand ballroom with breathtakingly high ceilings and walls painted a pale ivory color. The room was huge, with crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, refracting the light and creating dancing rainbows across the walls. The large dance floor in the center of the room was made of polished hardwood and circled by tables draped in white tablecloths with ornately crafted vases filled with pink roses that had been dipped in gold glitter.

Music played softly in the background, and couples filled the floor. I stood still, taking in the grandeur of the ballroom. James offered me his arm, and I let him lead me to one of the tables where I sat between Amelia and him. Everett sat across from me, and James introduced me to a dark-haired agent.

"Ava, this is Brock, my brother I was telling you about that I served with."

I smiled at Brock as he took my hand in his and gave it a gentle shake. "It's great to meet the man behind the stories finally."

"Hopefully, they were good stories." Brock smiled warmly, flashing his perfect white teeth. He was ruggedly handsome, with piercing eyes that seemed to stare right through me.

---