any drugs, not even during the year and a half that I spent in college. I wasn’t about to start now with a bunch of perfect strangers.
I took a seat on an egg crate and Zach took the one next to me, close enough that his knee brushed my thigh. I deliberately picked up the crate and scooted it to the side, pretending not to see his knowing smile.
“ S o what’s your deal , new girl?” Jason, the only other guy, asked me as he lit his cigarette. “We don’t see many new faces. What brings you uptown?”
“ I normally work at a diner , but I needed some extra cash. A girl that I used to go to school with told me they needed more waiters for tonight.” I shrugged uncomfortably, not happy with being the center of attention. “So here I am.”
“ W hat girl ?” Aeryn leaned forward. “Someone from catering?”
“ N o . My friend, Trina, works for Berkmore Global – I guess they’re hosting this thing, or something.”
Z ach’s eyebrows disappeared into the fringe of hair that hung over his forehead. “I get it. You run with educated bitches.”
“ T rina is not a bitch ,” I said, affronted.
“ B ut I bet she liked being the one holding the handout.”
“ I t’s not like that .” Trina and I weren’t close enough for me to feel especially moved to defend her, but I refused to let Zach have the satisfaction of thinking he knew anything about me. “We were roommates in college.
H e surveyed me with a look that was too knowing, like he already had me all figured out. “Well, that explains it.”
I ’d never been prone to violence but I really wanted to slap the satisfied smirk off of his face. “Explains what?”
“ W hy you’ve got I’m-too-good-for-this written all over your face.”
“ I never actually graduated from college,” I said, rolling my eyes. What a jerk . “If that makes you feel any better.”
“ I t does actually .” His tone had turned from playful to pointed. “I guess that’s why you’re slumming it down here with us instead of sitting at one of those tables inside where you belong.”
A eryn broke in with an uncomfortable laugh. “Whoa, guys. Play nice.”
“ I t’s fine , I’m heading back inside.” I gave Zach my haughtiest look as I stood up from the milk crate. “And just for the record, I’m not slumming it anywhere. I’m too good for you because you’re an asshole.”
J ason’s low whistle carried me through the propped open door. “Nice one.”
I couldn’t believe the nerve of that guy. Maybe insulting a girl within the first ten minutes of meeting her was a trick that worked on some girls, but I definitely was not the one to put up with it.
N erves frayed , I joined the group of waiters heading back into the ballroom to pick up the dinner plates. I was at the point of swearing off men completely – wanting them, talking to them, acknowledging that they existed.
A s I picked up a plate from a man who hadn’t even bothered to look at me when he demanded that his water be refilled before I cleared anymore dishes, I heard the feedback of a microphone going live.
I looked up to see a beautiful woman on a raised stage at the back of the ballroom. She wore a floor-length red dress that shimmered underneath the twinkling lights of the chandelier. When she spoke her voice was deep and resonant like chamber music.
“ T hank you all so much for coming tonight. My name is Adriana Hathaway, and I am the chairwoman of the Chicago Children’s Hospital Foundation. As you know, all of the proceeds from tonight’s dinner and silent auction are going to support the construction of the Berkmore Cancer Wing at the Chicago Children’s Hospital.”
T he woman waited through the round of polite applause before continuing. “Now, I’d like to introduce the man who is responsible for putting together this wonderful evening. Since becoming CEO of Berkmore Global only two years ago, he has been a pioneer for corporate outreach in
I took a seat on an egg crate and Zach took the one next to me, close enough that his knee brushed my thigh. I deliberately picked up the crate and scooted it to the side, pretending not to see his knowing smile.
“ S o what’s your deal , new girl?” Jason, the only other guy, asked me as he lit his cigarette. “We don’t see many new faces. What brings you uptown?”
“ I normally work at a diner , but I needed some extra cash. A girl that I used to go to school with told me they needed more waiters for tonight.” I shrugged uncomfortably, not happy with being the center of attention. “So here I am.”
“ W hat girl ?” Aeryn leaned forward. “Someone from catering?”
“ N o . My friend, Trina, works for Berkmore Global – I guess they’re hosting this thing, or something.”
Z ach’s eyebrows disappeared into the fringe of hair that hung over his forehead. “I get it. You run with educated bitches.”
“ T rina is not a bitch ,” I said, affronted.
“ B ut I bet she liked being the one holding the handout.”
“ I t’s not like that .” Trina and I weren’t close enough for me to feel especially moved to defend her, but I refused to let Zach have the satisfaction of thinking he knew anything about me. “We were roommates in college.
H e surveyed me with a look that was too knowing, like he already had me all figured out. “Well, that explains it.”
I ’d never been prone to violence but I really wanted to slap the satisfied smirk off of his face. “Explains what?”
“ W hy you’ve got I’m-too-good-for-this written all over your face.”
“ I never actually graduated from college,” I said, rolling my eyes. What a jerk . “If that makes you feel any better.”
“ I t does actually .” His tone had turned from playful to pointed. “I guess that’s why you’re slumming it down here with us instead of sitting at one of those tables inside where you belong.”
A eryn broke in with an uncomfortable laugh. “Whoa, guys. Play nice.”
“ I t’s fine , I’m heading back inside.” I gave Zach my haughtiest look as I stood up from the milk crate. “And just for the record, I’m not slumming it anywhere. I’m too good for you because you’re an asshole.”
J ason’s low whistle carried me through the propped open door. “Nice one.”
I couldn’t believe the nerve of that guy. Maybe insulting a girl within the first ten minutes of meeting her was a trick that worked on some girls, but I definitely was not the one to put up with it.
N erves frayed , I joined the group of waiters heading back into the ballroom to pick up the dinner plates. I was at the point of swearing off men completely – wanting them, talking to them, acknowledging that they existed.
A s I picked up a plate from a man who hadn’t even bothered to look at me when he demanded that his water be refilled before I cleared anymore dishes, I heard the feedback of a microphone going live.
I looked up to see a beautiful woman on a raised stage at the back of the ballroom. She wore a floor-length red dress that shimmered underneath the twinkling lights of the chandelier. When she spoke her voice was deep and resonant like chamber music.
“ T hank you all so much for coming tonight. My name is Adriana Hathaway, and I am the chairwoman of the Chicago Children’s Hospital Foundation. As you know, all of the proceeds from tonight’s dinner and silent auction are going to support the construction of the Berkmore Cancer Wing at the Chicago Children’s Hospital.”
T he woman waited through the round of polite applause before continuing. “Now, I’d like to introduce the man who is responsible for putting together this wonderful evening. Since becoming CEO of Berkmore Global only two years ago, he has been a pioneer for corporate outreach in
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