Cole & Jamie

Chapter 23

I couldn't figure out if Neal were curious or just downright nosey.
It's already a very thin to begin with, but Neal walks it well.

"Jamie, you're nice, witty, and drop-dead gorgeous, how did you end up in the suburbs?"

"You New Yorkers," I laughed. " I actually went to college here."

"Really?" Excited, he guessed, "Brown? No, no, Columbia? You definitely give me that vibe."

"Neither, I'm a proud NYU alum." Even if I do throw away our alumni donation letters. "I lived here several years after."

He gasped, "Those are my old stomping grounds!"

"You went to NYU?" Neal and I are about the same age, and there is a high possibility that we were there around the same time.

"Well, no. But I had an apartment down the street and I would throw parties there all the time, maybe I saw you there."

"Doubtful." I've never been much of a partier. My ideal Friday night, then and now, is dinner and a movie. The only parties I ever went to are the ones Jackson and Tony dragged me to and you can hardly call Tony's a party. His law school friends were so boring I would fake an illness just to get out of going. "I didn't go to many parties."

Neal hummed as we completed our circle around the room. "You're probably just being shy. I bet you were wild."

"Trust me, I wasn't." I brushed my hair over my shoulder, as we walked around the room I felt the tension slowly ease from my shoulders and I truly began to enjoy myself. It helped that wherever I went in the room, I could feel Cole's eyes on me. If he didn't realize Neal's plan to sweep me away to question me before he definitely does now.

"Wait." Neal stopped in his tracks and turned towards me. "If you and Cole have known each other since you were kids, that means you must have some pretty embarrassing pictures of him, right?"

"Definitely." There were several Reebok boxes in the back of my childhood closet full of photos of us from middle and high school. "I'll have to dig them up."

A sneaky smile spread across his handsome face. "You have to bring them to the next party."

"I'm invited to the next party?" I asked, taken aback.

"Duh," he chuckled. "I'm going to tell Cole not to come without you. You're a much better date than Julian."

"Can I get a recording of you saying that?"

"I'll write you a letter."

"Don't get me wrong Julian is great, one of the only people I know who can party just as hard, if not harder, than me."

Julian can definitely hang with the best of them. When he told us he wasn't coming to the gala as well I was disappointed, I love being able to have one on one time with Cole's other friends but I was looking forward to having an extra security blanket.
Neal playfully bumped my shoulder. "I like you better though."

Suddenly Neal grabbed my hand and pulled me to the middle of the dance floor. There were a few couples swaying to the classical tunes on the outer perimeter, but that wouldn't do for him. No, he had to be front and center, and under the grand chandelier in my red dress and satin gloves, I felt glamorous.

"You're a very good dancer," I complimented him, as he twirled me around.

"Thanks, one of my private school tricks."

As we did our sweep across the dance floor my eyes caught on a familiar face. One I'd never seen in real life but had stalked enough on social media to pick her out of a crowd.

Bella Ricci stood across the room surrounded by men and women who were dying for her attention. Understandably so, she looked stunning. Tall and poised, the fitted black gown enhanced her every curve. The dark hair I'd seen in so many ads fell around her shoulders, all luscious and bouncy. Her facial features were just as soft, big round eyes and heart-shaped lips. She was like a doll. A doll I was incredibly jealous of.

I had no reason to be. I hadn't found a shred of evidence proving she and Cole were ever romantically involved, and even if I did who am I to feel anything about a relationship that he was in before he was with me? My stomach churned nevertheless. 

If Cole cared about his rumored ex being in the room he didn't show it. His back was turned to her as he spoke with Mike, Ramona, and Rose.  And Bella didn't seem to interested in him either.

I need to get a grip.

"On three, I'm going to dip you," Neal whispered in my ear.

"Huh?"

He clarified, "I'm going to dip you, so don't tense up."

It clicked the second time around, and my body immediately tensed up. I had let Neal lead the whole way. He was a great dancer, but the fear of being dropped was greater.

"Jamie, you're clamming up," he whispered in my ear.

I exhaled trying to loosen up my shoulders. "I'm sorry, I just--I don't think it's a good idea."

"No, no, we have to," he insisted. "Everyone is already looking."

Exactly! "Neal, I really--"

"One, two..."

"No, no, no," I chanted, but it was too late. 

"Three." As he dipped me backward, I had no choice but to comply or risk complete embarrassment. My heart beat so fast I was afraid it would come out of my mouth, now that would really be embarrassing.

The room broke out into a loud round of applause. Hopefully, I didn't look as embarrassed as I felt. I didn't even chance a look around the room or I might get light headed and faint.

Neal smirked above me. "See? Not so bad."

"Yeah, yeah, let me up," I said between clenched teeth. My neck and face burned with embarrassment from all the attention.
I let out a shaky breath as Neal lifted me back upright.  My eyes connected with Cole's across the room, and I could just tell he was trying his best not to laugh. For all the love he says he has for me he has not made one step to rescue me from Neal.

Reading my mind, Neal whispered in my ear, "He's not going to rescue you."

"Who says I want him to rescue me?" I huffed.

"That sad look on your face does."

I glared up at his smug face. "Shut up."

This only brightened the smile on his stupidly handsome face. "You know, I think I'm going to like having you around."