Page 15 of Once Upon a Beast

“He didn’t know how to call me. He didn’t know what to say. He kept hoping a situation would present itself for him to need to call me but it didn’t—”

“Until now,” Ella added.

“Yes, until now. He and my dad need my help. This story sounds like it’s nasty and could ruin all the good work they’ve done and could do. I can’t let that happen. I won’t,” I said.

“Which was exactly what your father and Nic were counting on. They were hoping your kindness and generosity would compel you to help them. Couldn’t they get someone else?” Ara asked and topped off Ella’s wine.

“Do you think they could have found someone else? Would you have done it?” I asked Ara and gave her my glass to fill up too.

“I would have killed him while he slept so he knew not to ask me,” Ara said.

“There’s no one they trusted who could have jumped into this so quickly, who would understand the situation, or keep their mouth shut,” I said and took a sip of wine.

“You did a really good job about keeping your mouth shut,” Ara stated.

“Actually, it was Nic who suggested I tell you two what was going on. He knows how important you are in my life and he didn’t want me to have to lie to you about anything.”

“Well, isn’t that sweet of him,” Ella said and looked over at Ara.

“He also might have hoped that he and I could go on a double date with you and Dax, or maybe have drinks the four of us. You know the whole keeping up appearances thing.” I looked at Ella and then Ara before adding, “He does want to make it up to me. And you, Ara.”

“How’s he going to make it up to me that he made one of my best friends cry? There’s no making up for that,” Ara said.

“It knows he can’t make up for that. Dad is going to put out a press release about Nic and my engagement tomorrow. The plan is for us to be seen as soon as possible together, hopefully in the most social situation we can find.”

Ara sat up and glared at me as she slowly put her wine glass down. “No. Tell me you’re joking. This isn’t right. This isn’t fair. He can’t take you to the Library Lions. He can’t! I have a dress and everything.”

“Technically, you could still go. I’m sure you could get a ticket or Nic or Dax could get an extra one. I think my father might want to go. You could go as his plus one and then ditch him as soon as you got there.”

The Library Lions event was the New York Public Library’s biggest annual event. It was also one of the most anticipated social events in the city. As an employee, I was able to go and had taken Ara as my date the last few years. She loved not only supporting me and the library but rubbing elbows with the city’s most elite people, including actors and minor royalty.

She definitely had more fun at the event than I did but she was good about making sure I enjoyed myself too. It was nice to get dressed up and to give Ara an excuse. Ella had never wanted to go and until recently hadn’t even lived in New York City so she couldn’t. This year she was planning on going with her fiancé, Dax.

“I would never ditch your dad, he’s too sweet of a man to do that too. I don’t want to be looked at as if I was his pity date because my friends are going and I couldn’t find one. It’s okay. I heard a rumor that Bash might be there. This gives me an excuse to not go now. I don’t want to run into him if I can avoid it,” Ara said, mentioning her ex-boyfriend.

“Or you could go with some handsome man on your arm and make him jealous,” I suggested. I knew Ara was putting up a strong front but she loved going to the Library Lions. I also had been looking forward to the three of us going together.

Ara smiled at my comment and put her finger on her chin. “I think Stephen might be in town this weekend. I could ask him to go. Nothing like taking an old boyfriend to the social event of the season to stick it to your ex. This could work.”

“Yeah, I can totally tell that you’re over Bash,” Ella said and leaned in and gave Ara a friendly push.

“I might be over him but that doesn’t mean I can’t show him just how over him I am,” Ara said.

“By taking a man you’re not interested in to an event you might see Bash at in order to make him jealous?” I asked.

“It won’t make Bash jealous; he doesn’t care about me anymore than I care about him.”

“Clearly,” Ella said and looked over at me. We shared a look that said we didn’t believe her but wasn’t going to say anything. The saga of Ara and Bash had gone on since we were in camp over thirteen years ago and by how Ara was acting, it wasn’t finished yet.

“So, I take it, I can tell Nic he doesn’t have to get us three tickets to And He Wore a Hat? He even offered to take us out to a nice restaurant to say he was sorry for taking your ticket. He felt badly that you couldn’t wear your new dress and wanted to give you an excuse to wear it.”

“Oh, he can do that too but I’ll give Stephen a call and see if he wants to go. It might be good for his political career,” Ara said.

“As long as you’re okay with it,” I said.

Ella reached across and put her hand on top of mine. “No, as long as you’re okay with everything. Are you sure this is the best move for you?”

“I missed Nic. I always wondered what it would be like if I had him back in my life. I never thought it would happen. Now he is. I can’t turn my back on that opportunity. I can’t let him or my father down either. They need me. I want to do this for them. But honestly, I’m doing it for me too.”