Page 85 of Exchange of Heart

Likewise, I’d made the effort to ditch his blue-framed glasses and try out contacts. It had only taken seventy million tantruming stomps for me to squeamishly press them against my eyeball. Taking them out would be another story.

‘Should we walk up and find your mum?’ I whispered.

Red carpet rolled from the street to the three-story building lined with photographers and journalists. I straightened my black jacket and shook the creases from my pants.

‘Yeah, but if someone calls out for a photo, we can’t say no. They always keep an eye out for big names, but hopefully there’s enough people here at the moment to distract them so that they don’t notice me. Well, you.’

‘Mr Flemmington,’ a voice ahead called.

‘You put the thought into the air.’ I rolled my eyes.

The camera’s harsh flash against the deep night sky transported me to Hollywood. I tucked my hands into my pockets and twisted side to side with no idea how to show Corey’s good angle. A quick glance at Corey showed me he also had no idea which was my good side, because he stood front-on like a mannequin. Only Corey could make a deep blue dress pinched at the waist hang from me like a potato sack.

‘Move around a little, give them a good pose,’ I whispered.

‘Why? I normally just stand here.’

I slid my arm around Corey’s waist and grabbed his hip to turn him sideways, angling him towards me so he had to look over his shoulder for the photographers.

‘That’s my good side.’ I gave him a wink.

The flashes increased as more cameras turned towards us.

‘Corey. Who have you brought with you?’

My heart pounded as realisation set in. Corey Flemmington, son and future CEO of Zealy Insurance, had his arms wrapped around the waist of a mystery girl. A mystery girl with painted nails, at least.

‘Now you’ve done it,’ Corey sighed.

‘Keep them wanting more.’ I shrugged, then grabbed his hand and dragged him inside.

‘They’re going to think we’re a thing,’ Corey whined.

‘We are a thing,’ I reminded him. ‘A magical tangled web of body parts.’

Corey’s eyes darkened and his lips tugged into a half-smile. ‘You’re right. We are a thing.’

Something about the gleam in his eyes sent my stomach into knots.

We stepped through the entrance where an enormous, tiered chandelier hung from the centre of the ceiling, illuminating the cluster of round tables decorated with white roses. The white tablecloths draped to the floor and waiters swerved through the maze of people with trays of canapes and tall drinks. It almost looked like a wedding reception. Corey’s mum stood by the stage on the other side, her silver sequins catching light like a disco ball. When she looked up, I cleared my throat and plastered a smile over my face.

‘Show time.’ I laced my fingers through Corey’s and weaved us through the tables to the stage, bumping a sharp corner because I still hadn’t mastered tight spaces in this enormous body.

Delight poured from his mother’s face as her gaze bounced between our hands and outfits. As she spoke, I spotted a pink stain on her teeth.

‘You’ve got a little lipstick here,’ I whispered, rubbing my left front tooth in demonstration.

‘You’re such a good boy.’ She patted my cheek and ran her tongue over her teeth.

She linked her arm through mine and turned to Corey. ‘It’s so nice to see you again, Nora. Your dress is absolutely divine.’

‘Thanks. You look nice, too,’ Corey mumbled.

I rolled my eyes at his lack of response and nodded to his brothers. Steven had one arm around his wife, Julz, in a gorgeous pastel pink gown, and the other holding their six-month-old daughter, Gwen, in a sweet lavender dress. A perfect happy family. It was clear why Corey didn’t want Steven to jeopardise this life he’d built. I’d do the same considering Oliver had wanted to be a nurse ever since he spent a week in hospital with pneumonia when he was twelve, and Rowan borrowed a Food is Medicine book when he was eight and hasn’t shut up about it ever since.

But Corey deserved it, too.

Ben clutched a glass of amber liquid like his life depended on it, and Luke texted Corey earlier to say he wouldn’t make it. Two more brothers he didn’t want tangled in his father’s disgusting business practices.