Flight

“I’m the one that doesn’t want to be with him, remember?”

“Yes, I remember.” She winked before heading to the door.

“I’ll see you then.”

“Bye.”

Chapter Twenty-One

I shouldn’t have worn stiletto heels. The thought catapulted through my mind as I navigated the lawn on my way to the opulent white tent. To be fair, Hailey and Helen had told me the party was outside, but the silver heels looked perfect with the floor length red dress Helen had sent over for me. The dress fit flawlessly, and I wasn’t thrilled that Levi was able to pinpoint my size so precisely. It seemed somehow too intimate—even though he had every reason to know intimate details about me. I probably wouldn’t have picked out a sweetheart neckline myself, but it worked perfectly with a single strand of pearls. The back dipped just enough and as uncomfortable as I was about the whole idea of the party, I knew that I looked good.

When the black limo picked me up earlier that evening, I half expected Levi to be waiting for me inside. I tried to ignore the wave of disappointment that hit me when I noticed the empty interior. Hailey explained that they all had to go to some meeting beforehand, but it surprised me that they made me go alone.

I’ve always been a firm believer in the concept of being fashionably late, but that description didn’t fit what waited for me when I finally reached the tent. Clutching my evening bag, I plastered on a confident smile and walked inside.

The outside of the tent had been deceptively small for the space inside was twice as big. Tables lined the exterior while a large dance floor took up the middle. A giant skylight provided an incredible view of the night sky, only accentuated by the crystal chandeliers anchored from the ceiling of the tent.

The loud chatter of the crowd died down as I surveyed the sea of white and black in front of me. I was going to kill Helen and Hailey. My red dress stood out like a beacon in a dark sky.

Levi walked over to me swiftly, his eyes never leaving me. Placing his glass on a table, he left a man standing there mid-conversation. I tried to ignore how handsome he looked in his black tux.

“You look amazing.” The expression on Levi’s face spoke volumes louder than his words. Despite my anger, I was glad he approved.

“Thank you.” I refused to let him know his approval mattered. I tried to look around disinterestedly but had to snap at him anyway. “Was the red dress really necessary?”

“Absolutely. Red is definitely your color by the way.”

“You can give it up, Levi. Flattery isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

He shrugged. “I’m just speaking the truth. Did you have any trouble getting here? The car came on time and everything?”

“Everything was fine,” I said tersely, not in the mood to make small talk.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t bring you myself.”

“Hailey explained why she couldn’t come.” I spoke quietly, careful to avoid being overheard. I didn’t want to break my end of the bargain. I had promised Helen I would give this a fair shot and try not to make my reluctance too obvious.

Levi’s slightly wounded expression surprised me. I didn’t think he was capable of really being affected by anyone’s opinion of him.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you.” I would have written off Levi’s corny line if I hadn’t seen his look of complete adoration.

“Is Hailey here?” I asked glancing around. The crowd was mostly older than we were, and I could have sworn I recognized a few faces. “Wait, isn’t that the Governor of Louisiana?”

“Yeah, that’s Bobby,” Levi said nonchalantly. “Remind me to introduce you later.”

“Is that Hailey over there?” My original question was answered when she waved at me. With her long hair pulled up into an elaborate updo, I almost didn’t recognize her.

“We can go talk to her in a minute. Do you mind if we talk to my parents first?”

I nodded.

Levi took my arm leading me toward his mother and a man I assumed was his father. I studied him as we walked over; searching for evidence that he was any sort of king. He looked like an older version of Levi, his hair a striking shade of grey that made him look stately rather than old.

“Allie, you look breathtaking.” Helen embraced me warmly.

“Thank you, Helen. You look wonderful as well.” I turned on cocktail party mode, willing myself to pretend this was just another function for my dad.

“Ah, Allison, my son didn’t exaggerate your beauty after all,” his father said with a broad smile.

I dismissed the urge to correct him on the use of my full name. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Laurent.”

“It’s just Robert. I suppose you could also call me Dad if you wanted, since you’ll be my daughter-in-law soon.” He beamed.

Warning bells went off in my head and both Helen and Levi looked at me pleadingly. Robert had no idea what was really going on with Levi and I. I smiled weakly, confident that this would be an extremely inopportune time to make a scene. “I think I’ll use Robert.”

“Fair enough. Levi tells me you two aren’t going to be rushing into a formal wedding. I understand your father’s concern with how young you are, but I’d be happy to talk to him for you. I look forward to meeting him sometime soon.”

As I listened to this jovial man go on about meeting my father, I knew I needed to make an exit. “It was wonderful to meet you, but Levi, would you mind stepping outside with me for a moment? I could use some fresh air.”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Levi answered quickly clasping my hand in his.

“We’ll be right back,” Levi said quickly, like he was afraid I would start screaming if he didn’t get me outside fast enough. He was right.

Once again, my choice of shoe attire frustrated me as we walked a distance from the tent to talk. My injuries were healing well, but it probably would have been smarter to wear flats.

“What the heck, Levi? Your dad thinks I’ve agreed to marry you?”

“Look, I know you’re mad but with my dad there was no choice. He would have gone crazy if I told him the truth, and trust me it wouldn’t have helped you at all.”

“What are you talking about? All it would mean is us not playing this little game here. Like we’re fooling anyone.”

“Lower your voice. Seriously, if my dad finds out the truth we’re both in trouble.”