Page 39 of Beautiful Rose
“What do you want, Vanessa?” I turn around as she climbs my body like a fucking viper.
“I saw you searching for me,” she slurs as her glassy eyes roll.
“I wasn’t searching for you.” I pull her tipsy body away. My girl is waiting for me, and I have no interest in wasting my time on drunken women.
“You don’t have to lie to me, Zander Teager.” Vanessa giggles, batting her eyelashes at me seductively, and it distracts me for a second.
“What’s going on, Vanessa? Is everything all right?” Why is she coming on to me, and so brazenly? I’ve never given her any indication that I’m interested in anything beyond friendship. And I always thought she and Zach had something going on.
For a fleeting moment, her gaze turns downward and her shoulders curl over her chest, but she soon recovers and pats my tie.
“Everything is peachy. If you’re so worried about me, why don’t you get me a drink? We can talk more about us.”
“I think you’ve had enough for tonight. And there is no us; there was never an us. If I ever gave you any indication otherwise, I’m sorry. But I’m not interested.” I yank away from Vanessa and march to get my girl.
13
ROSE
As I enter the reception hall, my eyes search for Zander. And it doesn’t take me long to find him near the bar staring right at me.
I’d thought the warm feeling his presence brings would have disappeared by now, but boy was I wrong. It feels like the temperature in the room has increased several degrees. His beseeching eyes hold me captive and take my breath away. Someone walks through our line of held gaze, breaking our trance.
I recognize his tie, and a smile forms on my lips. Yesterday, Kristy insisted we go to the mall to shop for the party. My dress collection is quite scarce, with parties being a rarity in my world. I also knew I couldn’t show up in my flannel shirt and canvas shoes. So, even though the idea of shopping didn’t stir my blood, I joined my friend.
When I saw the full sleeve red dress smushed between a shimmery backless green and a floral peach, his cherry tie came to my mind. Although the dress, with all its ruffles and layers, isn’t my usual style, the color drew me in.
I’m about to take a step toward Zander after leaving my jacket at the coat check station when a woman grabs his hand from behind and my heart stops. All the confidence I’d gathered after hours and hours of pep talk ebbs away, leaving me panicky and nervous. The same old me.
She looks like a supermodel. Her hourglass figure draped in a green cocktail dress is exactly how someone would imagine Zander’s girlfriend. In high stiletto heels, she’s as tall as him.
And here I thought my new boots were cool.
Her hands curl around Zander’s arm in a tight grip as she whispers in his ear, giving him a sexy smile. I can’t see his face, but I can see hers and it’s clear they’re intimate.
Stupid Rose. What the hell was I thinking?
I misinterpreted his friendly behavior for something more. Remembering all the times I flirted back with Zander in the past few days, my chest cringes with shame. I turn around, hoping to run away from this place before bursting into unstoppable tears. But a clearing of a throat interrupts my escape plan.
“Marr.”
Why does he have to talk to me now?
“Hi,” I reply without looking at him.
“I was waiting for you.” He guides me to a secluded corner with a warm hand on my back, burning my skin though the soft fabric.
Liar. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy waiting for you; I just wanted to see you sooner.”
“It doesn’t…look that way,” I say under my breath.
He chuckles. “Someone’s feisty.”
I peek under the hair falling over my forehead to admonish him, but as always, his dimpled smile gets to me. His kind and warm eyes hold the same affection that I’ve felt in his voice over the past few weeks.
“She is a friend, Marr. Acquaintance is maybe a better word. Vanessa is the daughter of Mathew Hilbert, one of our board members. We’ve known each other for a long time. She likes to throw herself at men, but I have never encouraged her.” He then asks, “Wouldn’t you know by now if I was with someone?”