Page 34 of Tiebreaker

There's other couples ahead of us, and other couples arriving behind us even still, although no sight of Everett’s friend and his bitchy fiancée. Looking around, I'm grateful that Kai took me to Rodeo Drive to shop.

Living in L.A., you can't help but know the big brands, and I can see a lot exclusive designers from Dolce and Gabbana all the way to Chloé. And that girl is carrying a vintage Chanel. I've seen no less than three mini-Kelly's dangling from the fingers of women who look like they should be on a catwalk somewhere or vamping in a music video.

And then there's me. I curled my own hair in loose waves. And I did my own makeup. My cat eyes a little bit over the top. But maybe I'm in luck since tonight is all about artists. I can beeccentric, including with my makeup choices.

“All you need to do is look pretty. Hang on my every word, and don't get drunk,” he says, “that should be pretty simple for you right. Since you have a master's and everything.” The mocking tone in his voice makes me pinch the inner part of his arm and he lets out a curse.

“Don't fucking pinch me,” he says, giving an elegant sort of snort as we get to the top of the stairs. There are two large double doors open, and the carpet leads us inside. Immediately my senses are assaulted by a bright, visual display as huge canvases hang from the walls down a long hallway. Other glittering couples stopping to admire artwork.

A gentleman in a trim black suit and black suit-shirt greets us. He smiles warmly when he sees the two of us, but his gaze is focused on Everett, and not me.

“Mr Layton, what a pleasure,” he says.

“Of course I wouldn't miss it. The event of the season,” Everett says, sounding so unlike himself that I almost do a double take. But that wouldn't be classy, quote unquote.

That's when I notice that the way this man looks at Everett is like he wants to devour him.

Everett almost maneuvers me in front of his body.

“Have you met Miss Copper,” he asks, and his hand wraps around my wrist tightly. The gentleman in the suit and black shirt looks intrigued andalmostslightly disappointed. His gaze drops to me.

“Miss Copper? No I don't believe I have.”

“What a fortunate chance that I brought her with me tonight then,” Everett says, “Miss Copper, please meet Mr Wolden. He is our host tonight.”

“That's a little obvious, Ev,” I say, using a playful little new nickname for him that he doesn't deserve. But there's something off about his relationship with this other man. I know a predator when I see one and Wolden is a predator.

Especially because he's looking at me like I'm a poison snake that he's found in his bed.

That's cute I haven't heard that one before. Everett shrugs and gives an easy lazy smile. We're still in the honeymoon phase, He says, and I have to hold back. A snort of laughter. There was no honeymoon phase if anything we skipped right on to hell.

So we're all these works of art yours I ask, Are you the artist, changing the subject and needs a name laughs. I can see why Everett likes you are F, he says, heavy on the quotations around the nickname. Has the ego. And it needs someone special who can help him with upkeep.

Are you saying I need a cheerleader ever and asks, and the other man just smokes. Enjoy the show he says, I love to know what you think afterwards. If you have a few minutes.

He holds ABS gaze Everett's gaze with his own for seconds longer than his natural. Ooh, that one of you were saying that you wanted something for the

front hall. I say, causing a distraction and pointing at a painting. Everett laughs, and I tug on his arm. Come on. Ever gives needs a name a look and shrugs as if to say, women. Right. And we go. He follows me. Once we're inside. It is very overwhelming, the towering ceiling pillars everywhere. Smart looking servers with platters of food. Navigating the crowd. There must be at least 1000 people here. That's what it feels like anyway.

I need a snack after that, I say. I glance over at Everett, and unlike him. You're not my idea of a snack.

Haha, he says sarcastically. And then looks at the painting guide pointed out, it's ugly and tacky Why would you think that would suit my apartment.

I roll my eyes and grab a passing crab puff stuffing it into my mouth. I'm not worried about looking in elegant right now. I just need to eat. Hello, look, it was an escape parachute and it worked so just appreciate it, instead of being a little bitch about it. I say he sighs, and as a waiter passes by he grabs another crab puff offering it to me. Thank you. He says, My princess in shining armor. He talks an eyebrow. And it's almost like I'm seeing a real human underneath the steel facade.

Hello, I'm so glad to see you. A woman dripping diamonds says, as she greets him with an air kiss on either side of her of his face. She barely glances at me and passes on before he can say much to her. There's at least 20 other Greetings, much like those. And I realized I'm just cotton candy.

Fluffy no substance, totally normal. Which I guess is fine, but I'm also really fucking bored.

I need to find the bathroom, I say quietly in his ear, as he's talking to some other man in a suit this one more interested in staring at the waitresses asses than at Everett himself. I figure he's probably safe.

He nods to me. It's. You need to excuse yourself. He cracks me under his breath. I resist the urge to roll my eyes again because I don't want to strain my act sprain my octave nerve and go off in hunting, the bathroom. There's a lineup. About 40 women long, and I groan when I see it before an ingenious idea fills me. The men's is always empty, and I sneak up on it like a ninja hiding behind a pillar and slipping inside. I check up under the stalls but it's empty the whole place. And with a breath of relief.

Only washing my hands. After that I hear hiccups footsteps. So tell me, Miss Olivia copper. That's smooth veiled voice sounds off behind me, and I look up seeing him in the mirror.

He smiles. Oh, don't worry, I think it was very smart of you to use the men's bathroom. You'd have been out. You'd have been away from your precious Everett for at least an hour. If you'd waited for the women's. When I opened my mouth he shakes his head. No need to apologize. Why don't I walk you back to him. He offers me his arm. And I take it.

We leave the bathroom together. And it doesn't look like anyone seen us ever did tell me not to embarrass him. I'm worried I've already done that. By getting caught in the men's. So tell me about how you two met, He says, and my brain stumbles over it. Oh, work, I say, what do you do he asks, I was a barista. I blurred out. I see he says you're one of those. Honestly, it's embarrassing that he even brought you. He looks down at me with a sneer. It's so like Everett's but even worse, darker. It's like he looks right inside of me and knows all my secrets.

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