Diamonds, стр. 32

“Then, do that,” Bryna said harshly. “I’m not fucking stopping you.”

“Good. Because I’m not fucking around anymore.” He brushed past her toward the door and then spoke quietly, facing away from her, “I used to think you were everything, Bri. Now, I realize that you were just a waste of my time. You’re not queen. You’re just another desperate wannabe. And you’re no longer welcome here.”

“What?” she snapped. Her mouth dropped open.

He turned around, and his eyes were icy. “Leave. Before I have to alert security.”

With that, he walked out the door, leaving Bryna standing alone in the empty room with her hands shaking, her breath coming out in shocked sputters, and her mind reeling.

PINK WAS THE COLOR OF THE EVENING.

Rose champagne in pink-rimmed flutes. Waitresses in baby-pink sequined skirts, carrying pink trays with pink champagne cupcakes. Ornate shimmering pink crystal chandeliers, pink peony bouquets atop waist-high cocktail tables, and already dozens of women wearing gorgeous designer pink dresses.

Bryna was standing at the entrance table in a tight hot-pink Dior dress with the Harry Winston B necklace on, overseeing the idiots she had gotten to replace Avery and Tara. She had given them the guest list Felicity had made and informed them that they had to know every single person who was attending by face. She didn’t want any awkward moments where they would have to ask for a person’s name. Clearly, neither of them had done their homework.

“Lauren, are you completely incompetent?” Bryna snapped. “How could you not recognize Jeremiah Anderson? He’s a very important alumnus and successful producer. I know he was on the list!”

“Sorry, Bri.” Lauren frantically looked around as if she thought the other assistant, Julie, would help her. “I…I guess I just forgot. He didn’t seem to mind—”

“I mind! You should have been more prepared for this.” Bryna shook her head in disgust. “You’d better get the next person right.”

Felicity flitted over to the table with a big smile on her face. She was practically glowing. It was the happiest Bryna had seen the bitch since they started working together.

“Bryna, everything is going so wonderfully. Thank you for all the hard work you’ve put in.”

“I’m so happy I was able to help, Felicity,” Bryna said with a fake smile.

She was shocked she could keep her temper under control, even for this moment.

After her argument with Gates at the premiere, she had left in shock. Part of her had wanted to find the first reporter on the red carpet and let the media know about Gates and Chloe. But she couldn’t. As much as she was humiliated by what had happened, she cared about Gates too much to out him to the press.

But she hated that they weren’t in a good place, and he wasn’t here tonight. She couldn’t believe how judgmental he was regarding Jude. It ate at her more than she wanted to admit. Not to mention, she was freaked out about finally getting to see Jude tonight after the benefit. Her stomach was in knots, and it only increased her irritability.

“Oh, look! Our special guests have arrived!” Felicity said.

Bryna turned around to see who was walking in the door, and her mouth dropped. “Daddy?”

“Hey, sweetheart!” her father said, enveloping her in a hug.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were still in New Zealand!”

“We wrapped up this week. I immediately flew home for my little girl’s big charity event. Celia told me all about it.”

Bryna looked on in surprise. My father flew all the way from New Zealand to be here for me? Her eyes shifted to Celia, who smiled politely, and then to the person standing next to her. Pace. He stared at her as if he knew all her secrets, and she quickly looked away.

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

Her father quirked his head to the side. “Now, Celia told me one other thing. Something about a boyfriend? Where is Gates? We need to have a talk.”

Bryna’s face fell. “Oh, uh…he wasn’t able to make it. The Broken Road premiere was last night.” She hated lying, but telling the truth at this point would be more work.

“Next time then, kiddo.” He patted her shoulder and then introduced himself to Felicity.

Pace walked forward and leered at her. “No Gates tonight, huh? Fake boyfriend didn’t want to make an appearance?”

“Leave me alone, Pace,” she said warningly.

“What about Avery and Tara? No fake friends tonight either?”

“Just go!” she snapped.

He smirked. “Have a good night.”

She glared at his back. She wanted to relish in the fact that her father was here and not worry about Pace. He couldn’t ruin her night. She had worked too hard for this.

Felicity laughed at something Bryna’s father said. He shook her hand and then disappeared into the crowd with Celia.

“Your father is quite the charmer.”

“That he is,” she agreed.

“Well, keep up the good work. I’m going to entertain the guests. I’ll be back to fetch you when your work is done,” Felicity said.

Bryna glumly watched her walk away. She wanted to enjoy the party that she had created. She knew that it wasn’t unreasonable to have her working the front of the event while so many people were showing up, but mingling sounded like so much more fun.

“Bryna! This man isn’t on the list,” Lauren said. “I’m sorry, sir. We’ll get this all cleared up.”

She turned around, and her heart skipped a beat. “Jude?”

His head snapped back. His mouth opened slightly in surprise. His gaze traveled up her legs, over the hot-pink dress, and then to her face. After he soaked her in and seemed to realize that she was real, his eyes darted around the room. “Bri, what are you doing here?”

“This is my event,” she said.

Suddenly, her stomach turned to ice. If he was here, at a Harmony event, then he could find out at any second that she wasn’t here as an alumnus but as a student.

“What are you doing here?” she asked him.

He opened his mouth and then closed it. He didn’t seem to know how to answer the question. His inability to give a logical answer only made her that much more fearful.

“Oh, Jude, you’re here!” Felicity called from behind her, appearing out of the crowd. “Sorry. I forgot to add you to the guest list.”

He stared at Felicity with a tormented look on his face, but she didn’t seem to notice. She walked right up to him and wrapped an arm around his waist.

Bryna couldn’t tear her eyes away. It was like a train wreck. As much as she wanted to avoid the oncoming crash, she couldn’t seem to get out of the way.

“Bryna, this is my husband, Jude.”

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! This couldn’t be happening.

Jude wasn’t here. Felicity wasn’t his wife. Bryna hadn’t been having a raunchy affair with the organizer’s husband.

She was going to blink, and this nightmare would disappear.

“This is Bryna?” Jude asked. Shock was clear in his voice too.

Oh shit! She had only ever told him that her name was Bri.

“The student who has been working with you on the charity event?”

She closed her eyes again, hoping to make this all go away. Please work!

Fuck! It isn’t working!

Jude’s eyes met Bryna’s in disbelief and…horror. She was sure that she mirrored his expression. She wanted to say so much to him in the moment, but what could she say?