She had to hand it to Lexi and her choice of dress. The floor-length black evening gown was flawless. A diamond band cinched her waistline and the strapless sweetheart neckline helped accentuate her assets. She wished she’d thought to bring her grandmother’s good-luck pearls for this evening, but settled for a pair of diamond teardrop earrings instead. For dramatic effect, Lexi had sent along a pair of black evening gloves. Thankfully, tugging the hem of the gloves over her elbows distracted her from converting into a cartoon character with her eyes popping out of her head and her jaw dropping to the floor at Will, who was amazingly handsome in his crisp black tuxedo.
What took her breath away was the way the covered area out back at Mas was set up. Someone had taken it upon themselves to put lights on the ceiling, making it seem like they were dining under the stars. Kenzie had tuxedoed waiters to serve their meals. A long, triangular table held everyone working on the pageant and was covered with white linen cloths; someone had had the foresight to bring in free-standing air conditioners and place them at each corner. Some of the tables had been taken out and in their place was a portable dance floor. Soft music pumped into the area.
Dinner was a combination of Southern battered chicken and catfish, green beans with ham, and macaroni and cheese. Sweet tea filled the glasses and laugher echoed in the air.
“I can’t believe I’ve had such a great week,” Will said, covering Zoe’s left gloved hand. They were seated together, and it wasn’t the first time Zoe had felt the jitters each time he accidentally brushed against her leg or her arm.
Zoe bumped her shoulder against his arm. “Are the pressures of being CEO off?”
“Not off, just on hold.”
“But after tomorrow you’ll be back to the grind.”
Will gave her hand a squeeze. “But now I’ve got you in my life.”
Again the butterflies returned. She couldn’t wait to spend time with Will at home, walk on the beach and dine across a moonlit table—just the two of them.
“I’m sorry to break up this lovefest,” Kenzie said.
“Sure you are,” Ramon mumbled, loud enough for a few people around to hear when the music was lowered via remote control.
Judging from the way Kenzie rolled her eyes, she heard it, too. She rose from her seat at the head of the table and clinked her glass with her spoon. She continued until she reached the center of the dance floor where someone mysteriously had placed a podium. “Our host, Lexi Pendergrass Reyes, couldn’t be here this evening, but she wanted the night to continue.”
A round of applause broke out. Zoe wondered if Lexi’s absence meant Stephen had made her stay home because tomorrow was going to be a big day or because the baby was ready to make an appearance two months early. Surely Zoe would have received a text message or something.
“This week we all got the chance to get to know each other,” Kenzie began. “We’ve seen the hard work put into making a pageant by the lighting people, stage hands, artists and even the judges.” Kenzie glanced at everyone who made up part of the crew. “Hopefully we’ve bonded enough to trust each other’s opinions come tomorrow. Whether it’s with the makeup and hair, or when it comes to the judging.”
Another round of applause.
Zoe glanced around at the people she’d gotten to know this week and figured everyone had some common sense. Even Rebecca had come around and performed selflessly that morning. She half expected the hairstylist to not give the prom girls the time of day. The only person Zoe thought might cause problems was the beauty queen, Vera Laing. According to Lexi, she’d invited Vera, her former student, to judge but worried their relationship had suffered irrevocable damage. Lexi trained the beauty queen from the time she was a toddler but left because of a conflict of interest. Lexi loved Vera but never knew what Vera had been told about the circumstances of Lexi’s departure. Vera and her mother were the only two who had not wanted to participate in any of the activities. This was simply a free vacation for them.
“So, in order to commemorate our time together, Ramon and I have been gathering intel and we’ve put a lot of thought and consideration together last night to come up with a list of awards we want to hand out to you all.”
Ramon stood and walked to the podium with a rolled-up piece of paper in his hands. Zoe got the feeling he didn’t want to do this, but she knew how persuasive Kenzie could be. It was the first time Zoe had seen Ramon in a suit and he looked rather handsome. His black hair was slicked back and off his face, and finally Zoe saw the resemblance between him and his cousins Stephen and Nate.
“First and foremost, thanks for coming to my hotel,” Ramon said, leaning into the microphone. “This has been a successful week and it’s been a pleasure getting to know you.”
Beside him, Kenzie cleared her throat.
“Ah, yes, we gave this a lot of thought and consideration last night.”
Last night? Zoe thought with bewilderment. Hmm, what’s going on here? She certainly knew what she’d been doing last night. Zoe placed her hand in Will’s lap and squeezed his leg. His eyes darted to her. Zoe stared straight ahead and began drawing circles on his pants leg up his thigh. The bulge between his legs grew and pressed against her arm.
“...and so for the most helpful one, especially since he helped me fix all these lights up here,” Ramon was saying, “I’d like to present the award of Most Handy to Tim Hernandez.”
The crowd clapped again, and to Zoe’s surprise, Kenzie reached under the podium and presented Tim with a gold statue.
Awards were given out left and right. Most Helpful, Most Spirit, Most Southern. Zoe entertained herself with fondling Will. She enjoyed the way he inhaled each time she cupped his crotch through his pants. His erection grew, turning her on even more. She stroked, squeezed and turned herself on with the image of herself riding him. Will’s jaw twitched.
“And for the...” Ramon stopped and turned toward Kenzie. His hand covered the microphone but his muffled words were heard. “Do I really have to say it?”
“It’s not going to kill you,” Kenzie huffed.
Will reached for Zoe’s hand and put it back on the table, wagging his index finger. He leaned so close to her ear his breath tickled her lobe. “Be careful what you start, my little tease.”
“Whatever.” Zoe pressed her lips together to keep from grinning.
“Whatever,” Ramon said into the microphone. “We conclude this awards ceremony with the—” he cleared his throat “—with the cutest couple.” He said the words as if they pained him. “Will Ravens and Zoe Baldwin.”
Shocked, Zoe shook her head. “Oh, we’re not...”
“Not fooling anyone,” Kenzie said, pushing Ramon away from the microphone. “Now, come on up here and get this award.”
Zoe didn’t get a chance to protest. After buttoning his jacket as he rose and hunched over, Will extended his hand for Zoe to take and positioned her in front of him. She obliged, knowing what she hid for him from the rest of the guests. The table clapped for them as they made their way to the podium. Ramon handed Will an envelope and Kenzie handed Zoe a gold statue of two silhouettes kissing.
“Now, let’s conclude this evening with a dance.”
Will took Zoe by the hand and led her to the floor. She stood against him, fitting perfectly. She took his hand and the music began, though she barely heard the melody. Others began to crowd the dance floor.
“Well, you have to admit,” Will said, “we are the cutest couple.”
“We are the only couple.”
“Are we?” Will inclined his head toward Kenzie and Ramon. The two were dancing closely together, but the tight grin across Kenzie’s face said something else.
Zoe turned her attention back to Will. Her heart fluttered. There was something Zoe was supposed to do or say to stop him from kissing her in front of everyone, but she couldn�
��t think of what it was. Their bodies began to fall into perfect rhythm.
“This can’t be good,” Will whispered against her neck.
If things didn’t cool off, Zoe was about to melt in his arms. Her eyes rolled backward with the warmth of his breath. “If it ain’t good...” she began.
“Zoe, I need you,” Will said, licking his lips.
The only thing Zoe heard was he needed her—that, and her Prince ringtone going off inside the pocket of her clutch bag. Will pressed his head against her forehead. “Go ahead and answer that.”
Will pressed his hands on her backside and guided Zoe back to their table where she retrieved her cell phone. She attempted to slide her finger across the screen but her gloves gave her a bit of a fit. She slipped them off her arms and swiped her finger across Lexi’s face.
“Hey, girl,” Zoe said, trying to sound cheerful, pushing off the feeling that a bucket of ice had doused her evening. Thank God for the portable air conditioners. Zoe glided toward one and let it cool off her body. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Lexi said. “I am watching a live feed from bed.”
“What?” Zoe held her phone by her side and glanced around until she spotted a red light mixed in with the faux stars. “What are you doing?”
“Saving your potential career,” Lexi said. “I saw you and Will just now.”
“So?”
“When I saw y’all’s name on the list for cutest couple, I thought it was a joke. Jesus, Zoe, you’re applying for a position in his company.”
The proverbial cold water continued to fall, dousing any inkling of a hot night. “Okay, Lexi. I understand.”
After a few more lines about not messing up and sleeping where you work, Lexi had drilled the message into Zoe’s head. Like a child having been scolded, Zoe hung up the phone and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Is everything okay?” Will asked the question as his hands warmed her shoulders. She hadn’t realized the AC had chilled her to her bones. Or maybe it was Lexi’s words. Either way, Zoe stepped out of Will’s embrace and turned to face him.
“I’m fine.” Zoe half smiled. An ache squeezed her heart. Common sense told her she’d find someone else, sooner or later. Right now her priority was landing the Creative Design Director job with Ravens Cosmetics. “You know, it’s been a long day. I probably need to head on back to the hotel and rest up for tomorrow.”
Nodding, Will reached for her again, successfully pressing his hand against her lower back. “Let me tell everyone we’re leaving.”
“No,” Zoe exclaimed, holding her hand in the air. “The last thing I need is for everyone to see us leaving together.”
“I’m sorry.” Will shoved his hands in his front pockets and cocked his head as if it gave him a better understanding of what she said. “Did I miss something?”
“No.”
“We were having a good time just a few minutes ago.” He reached for her again and in order to not make a scene, Zoe let him.
The brush against her arm sent chills down her spine. In the few seconds she tried to keep him away, his touch created such a sensation throughout her body she realized that she needed it. Zoe blinked toward the lights overhead to keep from letting a teardrop fall. She needed to focus. “We were having a good time, Will. But I need a break. I’ve got to go.”
Foolishly, Zoe had left with no secured plan on how to get back to the hotel. She headed down Mas’s driveway toward the street. In her dress and heels, she regretted her decision to leave the party. Zoe slid her phone open, searched for an Uber driver near her and placed an order for a pickup.
Less than five minutes later a car pulled up to the mailbox. But it wasn’t the Uber car she’d called. Instead, it was a stretch limousine. The back window rolled down and a gaggle of girls screamed Zoe’s name. In the center of the group of girls sticking out of the sunroof was Kimber Reyes, toting a crown so big it caught the moonlight across the crystals.
“Evening, ladies,” Zoe said, cheering up. When she’d last checked her phone the time was close to midnight. Didn’t they have curfews? “What are you doing out this late?”
“After-party!” someone yelled.
“We wanted to sneak and get a look at your party,” Kimber said.
“Like, you saved all of us today,” another girl said.
Someone popped the door open and Zoe sighed as she climbed in. “Well, thanks for the lift. How was the prom?”
Everyone began to talk at once. The space of the limo was filled with girls and Zoe wondered where all their dates were, but someone else mentioned again about an after-party about to get started. The story the girls gave was that they’d all been together since elementary school and they started out every party together. They’d promised each other that once they were seniors, no matter what cliques they were in, they’d all hang out together at prom. They’d managed to do the same thing for every party throughout middle and high school. Zoe liked the idea of the girls all sticking together rather than focusing on being with boys. It was the confirmation Zoe needed to stay focused on her goals.
The limousine made its way to the front steps of Magnolia Palace. “Are you guys coming to the pageant tomorrow?” Zoe asked with her hand on the door before their chauffeur could open it.
“I’ll be there all day,” Kimber said with a droll roll of her eyes. “Come hell or high water, I’ve got to be there.”
“Why the long face?” Zoe asked.
“Because y’all are starting at the crack of dawn, which limits how long I can stay out tonight.”
Zoe grinned and patted Kimber’s shoulder. “Behave tonight.”
“I’d say the same to you,” Kimber teased right back. “But considering you’ve gone home alone, I’m guessing you have no choice.”
“You’re cute.”
“And you’re pretty,” said Kimber. “Don’t waste your pretty.”
Unprepared for the girl’s rather grown-up response, Zoe burst out in laughter. “Get going, child. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
The girls went on down the road, chanting for the driver to lay on the limo’s horn. Zoe headed upstairs, laughing the whole way to her room. She was glad for the peace and quiet.
Not wanting to get out of her gorgeous dress so soon, Zoe kicked off her heels and headed into the bathroom to begin her nightly rituals. A part of her felt guilty for leaving Will at the party without so much as an explanation. As she reached for Ravens Cosmetics’s makeup-remover cream, Zoe realized he deserved to know why she left. But if she’d told him, he would only have tried to convince her she was wrong. What she was, was swept up with the Southern heat. After wiping the last remnants of cream off her face, Zoe heard a knock. Her heart slammed against her rib cage.
“I know you’re in there,” Will said from the other side of the door.
Zoe contemplated tiptoeing back to her room, but she wanted to lay eyes on him before going to bed. If she couldn’t have him in real life, she could always dream about him. “Why did you leave the dinner?” Zoe asked, opening the door.
The black bowtie hung loose around Will’s neck and the top three buttons of his white shirt were undone. The cut of his shirt complemented his hard jawline.
“I left because finding out what’s going on with you is more important than sitting at the table watching everyone else dance.”
Zoe shrugged her shoulders. “There were other people you could have danced with.”
“I only wanted you.” Will reached for her hand, pressing it against his beating heart. “What changed when you took that phone call?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t act like I don’t know you by now, Zoe.”
Zoe took a step backward. “No, what you know is the Zoe who has had her head fogged up in these Southe
rn nights. Not the Zoe you met over a week ago when I applied for the director’s position.”
“Zoe,” Will sighed.
She’d heard what he said about not liking her work. She didn’t care. “Until I get an official word on Ravens Cosmetics stationery thanking me for the time but saying y’all have decided to go in a different direction, I still have a fighting chance.”
“And so I have no say in this?” Will asked, letting her hand go.
“Not really. Save your say for something official, and then let’s go from there. Right now I don’t want to risk what I’ve worked so hard for.”
Will’s mouth dropped open. He stood in the doorway, gawking. “You’re serious.”
“As a heart attack.”
“And what about your personal life, Zoe?” Will asked. “You want to stand here and say your career is worth more than your happiness?”
Zoe wasn’t sure what the answer was. She shrugged her shoulders and stepped backward.
“You want to stand here and tell me what’s been brewing between us is just some Southern spell?”
“Yes,” Zoe said, finding her voice. “We’ll have to wait for everything business between us to be over.”
“And if you start with Ravens Cosmetics?” asked Will. “We’re supposed to act like there’s nothing between us?”
“Looks that way.”
“So, either way I’m being punished?”
Zoe narrowed her eyes on his face. His lips were thin and his jawline twitched. It killed her to deny them what they both wanted. Her body trembled with such craving. “Will, you’re utterly handsome, heir to the throne of Ravens Cosmetics. You’re bothered that you’re not getting your own way. And I dare say you’re pouting.”
“Pouting?” Will snorted out a laugh.
Zoe threw her hands in the air and backed farther away. “Whatever. I’m going to bed.”
“And just like that,” Will called out to her, “you’re done talking?”
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