Page 123 of The Temporary Fiancée
I standin front of the mirror, carefully tying my tie, when I hear Olivia’s door close down the hallway.
Tonight, both of us are going out—but not together. She’s become good friends with Sophie through Riley, and the three of them are hitting the town together. They’ve been planning it for a couple of days now, and I know she’s been looking forward to some good fun.
When I learned that she wasn’t going to be around tonight, I figured I could use a night out with the guys, as well. It’s been a while since we’ve all gotten to spend time together.
So I texted Cole and Declan, and we’re meeting each other for drinks in around an hour. Cole invited his neighbor, Noah, and on a whim, I texted my brother, so Shane is meeting us there as well.
I finish up my tie, then do a last check of my hair before heading out of the room. She’s standing in the foyer, texting the girls’ group chat. When she looks up at me, she smiles, and for a moment, I’m at a loss for words.
She’s fucking stunning. It knocks the wind out of me. She’s wearing a simple, matte black dress and hoop earrings, plus, ofcourse, her trademark six-inch heels. The dress hugs her curves perfectly.
She looks up and catches me staring. A flush spreads across her cheeks, and she quickly drops her gaze back to her phone.
“Took you long enough,” she teases, a nervous flutter in her voice. “And here I thought guys got ready faster.”
I shrug, grinning. “Yeah, well…” I can’t even come up with a suitable comeback. She puts on a cute dress, and suddenly I’m too distracted to even banter properly.
This is a train wreck waiting to happen.
After a moment of floundering, I manage to get my feet back under me. “You look good.”
She arches a penciled eyebrow at me. “That’s all you’ve got?You look good?”
“What?” I protest. “It’s a simple observation. I call it like I see it.”
“Oh, please.” She rolls her eyes, but there’s a begrudging smile on her face. “You say that to all the girls, don’t you?”
“Not lately,” I murmur. To my quiet delight, her cheeks redden even more.
“Where are you headed?” she asks, rather than responding directly. I love getting her flustered like this. Even if our relationship can’t be defined, it’s still thrilling to see that kind of reaction from her.
“Gonna meet the guys at a club we haven’t been to in a while.”
“Oh,” she says. “Some kind of exclusive VIP lounge? With old leather chairs and cigars?”
I can tell she’s making fun of me a little bit, but she’s more or less right. I give her a crooked grin. “Something like that. Where are you headed?”
“Apparently, Sophie and Riley have a reservation somewhere for dinner, and then we’re gonna, and I quote, ‘see where thenight takes us.’” She lifts her fingers to make air quotes around the words. “Whatever that means.”
“Sounds fun.”
“Eh.” She shrugs, but I can tell that she’s excited. And I’m glad. It’s nice to see her go out with friends instead of the stuffy parties my family has dragged her to. “Should be interesting.”
The two of us take the elevator down to the lobby together, then part ways with a staged cheek-kiss, just in case there are photographers lurking somewhere on the street.
I’m meeting the guys downtown, but not on any of the common night-life streets, so there’s no crowd of people to contend with as my driver drops me off. It’s not at all my usual scene, but I know I’d never get Shane to come clubbing with me, so I had to pick a more low-key establishment.
When I arrive, I’m hit by a wave of cigar smoke and the slightly tangy scent of good whiskey. The host of the club escorts me to a private table in a secluded back room, where Declan and Shane are already waiting for me.
Our room is an old-fashioned smoking lounge, with classic, creaking leather chairs, polished mahogany fixtures, bookshelves, and even a carved chessboard on one of the small side tables. I take the chair opposite Declan’s, settling in and breathing the smell of conditioned leather.
“Welcome to the party,” Declan says, pouring me a glass of whiskey. I take the drink, then hold out another hand for a cigar.
“Cole and Noah aren’t here yet?” I ask as Shane passes me a lighter.
“Cole texted. He had to wait for Archie’s babysitter to show up before he could head out for the night, since both he and Riley are out,” Declan explains.
A moment later, Cole appears in the door to the room, giving us a sheepish wave. Noah files in behind him, and Declan busies himself pouring each of them a glass.
