I hug him back while looking wide-eyed at Robbie over Josh’s shoulder. He gives me a boyish shrug and then whispers something in Phillip’s ear. The guy throws his head back and laughs. Josh is still glued to me, so I have to push him back to break free. He staggers, and I notice his eyes are bloodshot. Is he drunk or high? Or maybe both? After getting judged by him when I accidentally ate Harold’s brownie, I’m annoyed to see him in this state.

“Ooh, look who’s here, Chiara,” Robbie says, looking over my head. “Our favorite teacher.”

My chest becomes tight suddenly. No, Alistair can’t possibly be here.

I turn around slowly, and sure as shit, there he is, across the swimming pool talking to Robbie’s parents.

“I didn’t know he was friends with your mothers,” I say.

“Oh yeah, through my uncle Caio, my mother’s younger brother. He and Alistair are tight, went to college together.”

“Small world,” I mumble.

“LA is a village. Come on, let me get you something to drink.”

I should pry my gaze from Alistair. If I stare at him too long, I’ll give away that I’m hot for teacher. But knowing I should and doing it are completely different things.

As if sensing my stare, Alistair turns to me and, in a plot twist, curls his lips into a crooked grin. I didn’t tell him I’d be here tonight, but he probably guessed since I’m friends with Robbie. Why the hell didn’t he tell me he was coming too so I’d be prepared?

“Chiara? What are you staring at?” Valerie asks me.

I shake my head. “Nothing.”

Robbie snorts. “Yeah, right. I think Chiara has a major crush on Mr. Walsh.”

Heat creeps up my cheeks. “I do not! You’re the one who’s always drooling over the man.”

Phillip steps closer and throws his arm over my shoulders. “Of course she’s not crushing on old Mr. Walsh when she has me, her golden knight, by her side.”

My instinct is to push Phillip away, but I don’t. It’s in my best interest to get Robbie off my case. I do, however, roll my eyes.

“You’re just saying that because I broke the curse,” I say.

“That was just a perk.”

Robbie is the one who comes between us and pries me away from Phillip. “Get off her, you goon. You’re wrinkling her pretty dress.”

“Hey, no I’m not. Tell him, oh fair maiden.”

I laugh at their antics, immediately feeling less nervous about Alistair’s presence here. If I just hang out with my friends, there’s zero chance I’ll mess up and reveal my secret.

Robbie hands me a caipirinha—a typical Brazilian cocktail that’s super strong. I take one sip, and it immediately goes to my head.

“Whoa. What are you trying to do to me, Robbie?” I ask, then take another large sip.

This stuff is good.

“What?” He widens his eyes innocently as he laughs. But suddenly his amusement vanishes. He squints and curses, “Son of a bitch. What is she doing here?”

I turn around to follow his gaze. It takes me a moment to find the person he’s staring at. When I do, my blood runs cold.

Nadine Perez, Alistair’s ex-wife, is here.

30

Alistair

Enzo would kill me if he knew I came to Monica’s birthday party knowing Chiara would be here. To be fair, I wasn’t completely sure, and that’s what I’m going to say when he calls to bite my head off. I could have given Monica an excuse to bail, even though I’d already said I’d come, but I couldn’t resist seeing Chiara at a social event even though I have to stay away from her.

Idiot that I am, I didn’t count on succumbing to jealous rage from witnessing Chiara have fun with her male classmates. Josh Flannigan and Phillip Harrison are getting too close to her for my liking.

“Earth to Alistair.” Caio snaps his fingers in front of my face. “Where the hell have you been?”

“What?” I bark.

“I’ve been talking to myself for the past minute.”

I shake my head. “Sorry. I spaced out for a moment.”

“Divorce shit?”

“Yeah. What’s new?” I take a sip of my drink to mask the lie.

His spine goes taut suddenly as his eyes narrow. “Things are about to get worse. Fucking Nadine is here.”

I almost choke on my beer. “What?”

I look over my shoulder and see the viper in the arms of an older guy I don’t recognize.

“I can’t believe she had the balls to show up here,” Caio says, his voice tight with anger.

“I can. It fits her MO.”

I drain the rest of my beer and wish I could drink something stronger, but that’d be a mistake considering Chiara is also at this party. I have to keep my head straight to avoid a disaster.

Tessa, Caio’s sister-in-law, walks over. “I’m sorry, Alistair. We didn’t invite Nadine. I didn’t even know Greggory knew her.”

“Don’t worry.”

I notice Nadine and her date are coming our way. I stay put, even though my desire is to keep my distance from her venom. There’s no chance in hell I’d give her the satisfaction of leaving the party because of her.

Greggory exchanges pleasantries with Tessa and Monica while Nadine smiles triumphantly at me. I don’t know what she’s so smug about. Fucking an old fart to stay afloat? Hardly an accomplishment.

Greggory turns to me. “Alistair Walsh, I hope you don’t mind that I’m escorting Nadine tonight.”

I snicker. “Mind? Not at all.”

“Alistair is not the type to show his emotions, Greg dear. He may look as calm as a cucumber, but he could be simmering with anger.”