Chapter 13

MAY. There's a man in the center of the hall. The same direction from which the heated look comes. But I must be mistaken about that since a larger crowd of women flock around this man, cooing and flirting with him. Phone cameras click and I look away, scowling at the women who are all over each other, trying to get a picture of him. "Must be some new celeb. Oh, Jeff. Someone outshines you," I mock, drinking lightly from the glass. Ginny chuckles. "Yes. He sorta is. This event is held in his honor. The billionaire of the year, or at least, that's what they say he is. Mother says all of his assets are set to the value of billions." Billions. How have I never imagined myself handling such an absurd amount of money? Whatever might I use it for? A new wardrobe? No. I don't even like clothes that much. A car? I totally prefer my bike. A home? I prefer something rather small, cozy and simple. I'm not hard to please. It's the small things that matter to me. It's why I can never be like those women flocking around a man who's probably just as vain as they are. I don't care for the wealth. Never have. "I have more than that to offer you, like my heart," Jeff purrs, fingers tightening around mine. I laugh heartily, swatting him away while showing my ring to him. "My husband's gonna throw a fit if you keep trying to steal me away." Surprise flickers in Jeff's eyes, mingling with an emotion I am not familiar with. Jeff snatches my hand so fast, I don't follow until his hand closes around my ring finger. "You...you..." His voice trails off, and he seems to shake off the shock visibly before responding again. "You got... married?" Blush creeps up my cheeks. "Yes, recently." There's that emotion I can't read again flickering in his eyes as his gaze shifts from mine to Ginny's and back again. "You're being serious." Ginny laughs, shifting her weight to her left foot. "That's what I thought too until she told me everything! I thought she'd gone bonkers." Jeff's lips pull into a thin line. "You didn't tell me. Or invite any of us." "Not like you would halt your big trip just to attend my wedding." "I would," he cuts in sharply. "So long as it's you, I'll make the time for it." He sounds serious and I arch a brow at the sudden change in the air and his mood. Jeff seems to notice as well. He shuts his eyes and groans, making a funny face. "I think I might have eaten... something. Excuse me, ladies." I shoot Ginny an incredulous look as he saunters away, shoulders tight with tension. "Oddball, that one." Ginny shrugs, muttering something about how he's always been odd, even as a child, but as she talks, my gaze is drawn back to the center of the room and the mysterious man. My best friend catches me staring and she chirps, "He'd be quite the catch, though I'm pretty sure he's gay." That snags my interest and I lean further, gaze flicking between Ginny and the crowd around Mr. Mysterious. "How can you tell?" Ginny taps her temple. "Intuition and logic. They never fail. Over the years, he's been spoken of one too many times, and never for once has he been sighted with a woman or announced that he is in a relationship with one. The only way that's possible in my books is if he's gay." I'm laughing even before she finishes. "Or he's just different and keeps his affairs hidden. He doesn't seem to be gay," I tell her, as the women cloister together, fighting for his attention. I don't see his face, but I know he's handsome with perfectly sculpted features. I force myself to look away, mentally scolding myself for looking in that direction. I'm married now. My voice, however, seems to have carried well around us as people toss funny looks our way. Ginny pinches me. "Don't say that outside! Speculation or not, the first person who made a statement of that sort slept behind bars. I can't have mother bailing me out if you land us in trouble, May. I probably won't hear the end of it. Ever." When I look back again, all I see is a broad back and a retreating form, glass twirling with expertise and elegance in slender, graceful fingers. Something gnaws at my subconscious and I disregard it, looking away from the man. Why in the world would the movement of a billionaire seem almost familiar to me? That's just odd on all accounts. **** When I twist the doorknob, it gives almost immediately and I find Ethan seated on the couch, eyes glued to his computer. "Morning, May. You're up early." Heat creeps up my cheeks and I walk slowly over to where he sits. "I'm sorry. I should have sent a message that I'd be out for some time. I didn't think it'd take this long." Yes. It's three in the morning, and I might have had a little more than usual to drink. I feel a little funny. Add hot to the list. But I do feel very sane, and Ethan...Ethan smells nice. I know this because I am currently leaning over, sniffing his hair. He jerks, scuttling back so fast that his laptop almost falls from his lap. "What are you doing, May?" I blink, straightening. My vision blurs a little and I shake my head, clearing it up. My eyelids feel heavy, and my heeled feet feel so tired and in need of caring. I slump on the couch beside Ethan, letting my head loll left, leaning against the armrest. "I had fun tonight, Ethan." My voice doesn't sound like mine, and it's so weird, I laugh at myself. "I don't think I've ever had this much fun since Mom and Dad died. I'd forgotten what it felt like to be...alive." Ethan stares at me and I think I might be delusional because I may have heard him say, "You look beautiful, May." There's no way my husband would say that to me. I really should watch my intake of alcohol next time. Now I'm imagining things too. "You too," I giggle, reaching for his hair. "I like it... it's so soft and...it feels really good." I know I'm dreaming because Ethan's letting me touch his hair. My husband, Mr. Chase, would never let me do that. He'd remind me of the single fact that our marriage is nothing but an agreement. "I'm dreaming, aren't I? Who are you, stranger?" Warm fingers close around my wrist as my hand starts to trail down his temple. "I'll take you to your room," he says, reaching for me. I squeal, jumping out of his reach. "No! Jeff, I told you. I'm married." The hands on me stiffen. "Who's Jeff?" My eyelids droop. "Ginny's cousin." A voice that feels like honey being poured on pancakes penetrates the cloudy haze of my mind with one question. "Do you have feelings for him, May?" I snort, head falling on something soft and nice smelling. "Of course not. He's like a little brother." There's a pause, and then a relieved sigh. "Do you have feelings for anyone, May?" I groan. There's that delicious voice again that has me on the edge of my consciousness again, and I feel compelled to answer him. "Feelings...I don't know what...feelings feel like. Ethan...he makes me warm inside. Is that what feelings feel like?" It's all a bunch of nonsense tumbling off my lips, and I could have sworn that I heard that voice say to me again as I drift off to sleep, "You make me feel warm inside too, May."