Page 140 of See You Again
After handing their coats over to the attendant, Dahlia and Cami walked the perimeter of the room. Cami smiled at Dahlia when the stunning redhead adjusted the shoulder strap of her gold sparkly dress. “Did you match the décor on purpose?”
Dahlia rolled her eyes. “My stylist asked where I was going. It’s my job.” But then she crossed her eyes, making a silly face, and Cami laughed. “If I can draw attention to me, then no one will look at what your hands are doing.”
“Diabolical. I like it.”
The women scanned the room as they walked, accepting glasses from one of the gloved servers threading through the crowd with trays of bubbly drinks.
“That’s convenient.”
“The more lubricated, the more people bid,” Dahlia explained sotto voce.
“No, I meant the gloves. If I can get a glass, it might only have Matt’s fingerprints on it. That would help to prove it was his.”
Dahlia’s eyes widened. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
The room buzzed with energy, a happy combination of laughter and excitement for the upcoming auction of Atlanta’s most eligible, single men. Small groups of men and women stood in clumps giggling, and pointing at the pamphlets that described who each bachelor was and what the proposed date would be.
“James would have hated this,” Cami muttered. “Oh god, there’s Kip and Kevin. I forgot he was going to be here.” The last thing she needed was Kip drawing attention to her.
“Do you see Matt yet?” Dahlia asked, after they had searched for almost thirty minutes.
“No, and the auction is going to start soon.”
Cami thought Matt would have been here by now. What if he didn’t come? Anxiety blended with excitement, making her almost sick to her stomach.
“There he is,” Dahlia said. “By the entrance.”
Cami discreetly glanced over and exhaled a sigh of relief. Holding court with Alanna and Shannon was not only Matt Crawford, but his younger brother Trey.
“I probably should have asked this before we got here but… Do you have a plan?” Dahlia’s green eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Not exactly,” Cami admitted. “I have plastic bags and tissues in my purse. I thought we could keep him in our sights and pick up something he sets down, using the tissue so our fingerprints don’t contaminate it. A glass or a napkin. Something that would have his DNA.”
Dahlia looked at her skeptically. “You don’t think he’s going to notice us picking up his trash?”
Cami wrinkled her nose. “Fair point. I’m open to suggestions.”
Dahlia watched Matt cocking her head. “I think we should split up. If we both approach him, he’s bound to be suspicious.”
“Good thinking. Just remember. Be discreet. Last thing we need is one of the other guests noticing what we’re doing and making a scene.”
“Pfft. Trust me, I bet half these people would love some excitement in their lives. Give me one of your baggies.”
Cami handed over a clean tissue and a sealed plastic bag, and Dahlia slipped it into her small purse. “I bet Matt would love to have a drink with me.” Dahlia smiled, her eyes glinting.
“Is Luke going to murder me?” Cami asked, remembering what James told her about the actress and Matt’s history.
“Nah. I’ll tell him it was my idea.” Her lips tipped in a mysterious smile. “He’ll probably love that I’m doing something crazy.”
“Somehow, I really doubt that,” Cami muttered, but Dahlia was already sashaying away.
Cami stood by one of the high-tops trying to keep Dahlia in her sights as the woman made her way across the room to where Matt was taking a shrimp hors d’oeuvre from a passing tray. But before she could reach him, Alanna tugged on his arm and led him toward the stage with a bright smile.
Damn it!
She lost sight of Dahlia as the crowd surged forward, drawing closer to the stage as the evening’s entertainment began.
Alanna started off the program by introducing the children’s charity and all the objectives they hoped to achieve in the coming year.