Suddenly, the redhead was all smiles. "If you want, I'll call you a cab."
Obviously, she didn't get it. I wasn't going to hop in some cab. I had no money and nowhere to go. Plus, Jax had my phone and wallet, so even if Ididwant to run, I couldn't do it now, not without first retrieving my things.
This left only one option – hiding.
I told the redhead, "I don't need a cab. I just need some fresh air, that's all."
She frowned. "What? You're not leaving?"
I knew why she wanted me to leave, and it had nothing to do with the dress.
It was strange, really, because if the person in the matching dress had been anyone other than my mom, I would've simply laughed it off.
Seriously, it wasn't that big of a deal.
But this was.
So without another word, I turned and headed in the opposite direction, hoping to get lost in the crowd. As I moved, I glanced over my shoulder to make sure the redhead wasn't following.
She wasn't. But shewasstaring, as if she couldn’t quite figure me out. I knew the feeling. I couldn’t figure myself out either.
Why, oh why, had I ever listened to my mom at all?
In the back of my mind, I could still hear my best friend telling me just one week ago, "You're crazy for trusting her. You know that, right?"
One thing had led to another, and we'd gotten into a huge argument. Now, here I was, looking for a closet to hide in.
If only I had my phone, I swear, I would've called Allie right then and there and told her just how right she'd been all along. And then, I might've begged for her to come and get me.
If I knew Allie, she'd do it, too.
The only problem was, she was halfway across the country. Even if she left Nashville this instant, she wouldn't be here until sometime tomorrow morning.
Talk about painting myself into a corner.
I didn't find a closet, but Ididfind a small powder room off a side hallway. Surprised to find it empty, I ducked inside and slammed the door shut behind me.
I didn't mean to slam it, but my nerves had gotten the better of me. Obviously, I was losing it, and for no good reason.
I mean, I'd been in situations a lot worse than this. And really, it wasn'tthatbad. After all, it wasn't like my mom could drag me off by my hair. For one thing, she'd never behave like that in front of a crowd. And for another, I wasn't a kid anymore.
Even as I thought it, a little voice in my head whispered that if I wassobrave and capable, why was I hiding in a bathroom?
But I knew the answer. I didn't want a scene, and not only for my own sake. I thought of Jax. Already, he'd rescued me more than once – and at considerable cost to himself.
Now, I was supposed to be doinghima favor. Causing a scene in front of his friends – or whoever these people were – would be a sorry way to repay him. So I hunkered down and tried to think.
Assuming that my mom hadn't spotted me, everything might still be okay. I'd just need to avoid her – and Dominic, too, while I was at it.
I'd only met the guy one time, but something in his eyes told me that he'd foundmea lot more interesting than I'd found him.
Then again, Ihadbeen wearing a bikini at the time.
Stupid pool.
A knock at the door jolted me out of my thoughts.
Damn it.I gave the door a worried glance, wishing the knocker would just go away. But that was selfishness talking. Thiswasa party, after all. Even in such a huge place, bathrooms would always be in short supply.
