Despite herself, Perdie kind of liked Aubrey’s exuberant optimism and her guileless lack of self-awareness over the idea of people sitting on her face on a public bench. And she had to hand it to the girl, she wasn’t afraid to let her feelings show. Carter might like someone like that. Perdie regarded the two of them together. Like two bright, shiny ornaments glimmering on a tree.
“I’m sure you’ll do very well here. Sorry to tell you I’m not in the market.” Across the room, Perdie spotted a dash of red hair. Max. She needed him now, she needed him like a shield. Luckily, she caught his eye. When she inclined her head like get over here right now, he lifted his glass in her direction and headed towards her. Thank god.
“Perdie’s neighborhood is very quiet,” Carter said, his gaze challenging.
“Oh, you’ve been before?” Frank’s voice cut in. “Why, I don’t believe I’ve ever gotten an invitation.”
Max arrived, saving Perdie the necessity of explanation, elbowing his way in next to Perdie, flashing those bright white teeth. He held out his hand to Carter and then Aubrey. “Max Goodridge. We haven’t been formally introduced.”
Perdie let out a sigh of relief. Max was an ally. Someone who liked her. He’d keep her from falling off the deep end with Carter and Aubrey.
The group settled in and chatted, the conversation shifting away from house shopping and Perdie’s condo.
As the conversation inevitably turned to work, Perdie didn’t dare glance at Carter. Instead she made eye contact with Max. A smirk played on her lips as he raised his glass of what appeared to be scotch. He smothered a smile at her knowing wink and then passed the glass over. She sipped from it, confirming the evidence of the ginger ale.
A laugh escaped her as she passed the drink back.
“What’s so funny?” Aubrey asked with an expectant smile. “You two sharing an inside joke?”
With the direct question, Perdie was forced to acknowledge Aubrey and Carter. Carter’s face was tense and he was staring at her with more scrutiny than made her comfortable. But it gave her a small thrill, the idea that he might be jealous. Also, it irritated her. He was the one with the date, not her.
“It’s a secret.” She smiled. “I can’t tell you or it would permanently alter your perception of Max, and I’m not that kind of friend.”
Max winked at her and the muscle of Carter’s jaw tightened.
That’s what you get.
“Secrets. Secrets are no fun.” Aubrey laughed nervously, her eyes darting around the three of them.
Perdie allowed the lingering silence before speaking again. “I’m heading to the bar.” She tipped back her drink, a lipstick stain on the rim.
“I’ll join you.” Max smiled and rested his hand on her lower back. This time, she liked it but not for the right reasons. She willed herself not to throw a glance at Carter as she and Max walked away together. Eat shit, Pretty Boy.
She twisted the empty glass stem as they walked, watching the rotating bright pink marks smudging the rim. The lipstick. Probably a mess on her face after two drinks. God, she hoped she hadn’t looked sloppy in front of everyone. She touched Max’s arm. “Hey, I’m going to run to the bathroom to fix my lipstick. I’ll meet you at the bar.”
“Don’t be too long. You’re a vision of perfection,” Max said, making the uncertainty in her chest grow.
Perdie peeled off, escaping into the bathroom past the hallway. Once there, she leaned close to a large mirror, inspecting her face. Okay, all things considered, but still she followed Lucille’s directions. First the lip color, then the gloss. She gave a few puckers and turned to leave, walking into the hallway, the stream of music and lights creeping in from the opening and closing gala doors.
She took a deep breath, the vision of Frank and Max and Carter and Aubrey still fresh in her brain. It made her hot and foggy. She didn’t want to go back. Not yet. Instead, she turned around and walked out the back hallway exit.
Chapter Seventeen
The winter air soothed Perdie’s heated cheeks as she click-clacked to a small hidden alcove behind the theater. She leaned against the brick wall of the building, mesmerized by the twinkling shrubbery in front of her. The Christmas lights had grown slightly hazy due to the drinks she’d consumed. Above her, the sky was dark and clear, her breath sending forth a billowy cloud. She set her clutch by her feet—she’d been keeping it squished between her side and upper arm the whole night. Then she rubbed the tops of her bare arms, soothing the goose bumps as a sharp breeze forced a shiver through her bones. She should’ve collected her jacket too but she needed time to herself.
The back door opened with a heavy, decompressing sound.
“Are you cold?” Carter asked her as his large frame stepped into view. He strolled towards her, then shrugged out of his black tuxedo jacket. From beyond the door the dulcet tones of a Got7 cover floated outside, “Aura.”
“Are you a stalker?” A small part of her that had expected him to show danced with glee. The other part panicked. She reflexively jerked away when he reached around her shoulders, but then caught herself when he rested the jacket around her.
“Thanks.” She burrowed into the silk-lined coat, begrudgingly grateful for the extra layer.
Somehow Carter looked even better without his jacket, with his hands shoved in his pockets, intimate, like he might remove more layers. Perdie inwardly cursed her dirty mind.
“So, you and that guy have a thing?” he asked casually, his eyes turned up to the night sky.
She kept her face forward too. “Do you and that woman?”
He shrugged. “Like I said. She’s my real estate agent.”
She couldn’t stop herself from scoffing. “You might’ve mentioned it earlier.”
“I don’t see why someone like my real estate agent would require a special mention.” His tone was teasing, but it made her roll her eyes.
“Come on. You could’ve mentioned who she was the day you drove me home. You know, when you kissed me on my doorstep.”
One side of his mouth curled up. “You were jealous.”
“So why didn’t you explain yourself then?”
He looked at her for a moment, incredulous. “Did you really think I would openly bail on a woman I was seeing to drive another woman home with every intention of kissing that other woman boneless?” He cocked his head, waiting for her answer.
Perdie’s mouth dropped open. “Don’t act so innocent. It was a reasonable assumption.”
He elbowed her side gently. “You really do believe the worst about me, don’t you? And here I thought you were reaching for excuses not to like me.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Carter, any woman alive would’ve made the same assumptions that I did.”
