Tongue Tied

Chapter 13

I arrived around eight o'clock, thirty minutes after the band began playing and the alcohol started flowing. Several black and white limousines lined the street outside the convention center where the event was taking place, making it difficult for me to find a parking spot.

In the center of the room sat a large chocolate fountain, as per usual, and beside it began a line of buffet tables until you reached the bar where the bartender was showing off his bottle tossing skills for easily-amused party-goers. I recognized a few of my coworkers and agents from competing agencies. Michelle had been unable to attend but I spotted Renee across the room downing what was probably her third glass of champagne. She never seemed to limit herself at community events and we always joked that someday she would end up reenacting parts of the movie Blind Date in a drunken blur.

I sauntered up to Renee. She was dressed in a simple, yet elegant dark green velvet dress, putting my classic little black dress to shame.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here!" she said dramatically, accidentally spilling some of her alcohol on the floor. "I don't know a single person in this room and I was getting so sick of smiling at random people passing by."

Classic Renee. She was never one to mingle. If she couldn't find someone she was friends or with, her inner introvert would take over. Rarely did she attend any events. But her father had been a patient at Hawthorne Hills for three years before he lost his battle with lymphoma. This event was special to her.

"Have you seen-"

"Alec Shaffers?" She raised her eyebrows in amusement, interrupting me.

I nodded sheepishly. I felt stupid for scanning the crowd for him, though I knew he would be there. Hawthorne Hills Gala was an event he never missed, for the same reason many of us attended the fundraiser in Raleigh every year. It was a good opportunity to market yourself and your work, and of course, try to steal ideas from other companies.

For the past three years, Corbin and Hilliard had been conducting the advertising for Hawthorne Hills Hospital. The last year's advertisements for the event, as well as the hospital itself, were headed up by me. It was part of the reason we'd become such a well-known and accomplished agency. Before landing the deal with Hawthorne Hills, hardly anyone knew what Corbin and Hilliard was. Now everyone in North Carolina had heard about our success.

Hawthorne Hills was the first of many huge advertising deals that put us on the map. It was also half the reason Troy Devereux despised us so much. Harper Media had originally been at the top of the list to handle all the ads for Hawthorne Hills, but I'd come in at the last minute and persuaded them to go with us instead; similar to what I was about to attempt with Rutherford Laurence. Troy still held a grudge over that day. It was a huge factor in his reasoning for promoting mine and Alec's competitiveness. He always wanted Alec to outdo me.

"Yeah. He's right over there by the bar," Renee giggled, raising a perfectly filled-in eyebrow.

She'd always suspected there was something going on between Alec and me, even though I insisted we just enjoyed tormenting each other over work. She obviously wasn't buying that excuse. I was pretty sure she was the only person who'd noticed how many times Alec and I had left events within minutes of each other, and occasionally returned with messed up hair or less-than-perfectly-tailored clothing. She never commented on it though.

I turned to see Alec leaning against the bar, clad in one of his usual sharp black suits. His hair was combed back neatly and he was sipping on a glass of red wine, talking to the man beside him. I didn't recognize who he was speaking to and I planned on making my way over there to talk to Alec once the guy left. However, my attention was diverted to a tall blonde in a short sparkly dress, way too much diamond jewelry, and stilettos. She sashayed up to Alec's side, linking her arm with his and showing off her perfectly bleached teeth. She looked like a runway model. Hell, she probably was. Alec never had trouble getting any woman's attention.

I could feel my face heat up in anger. We hadn't even discussed whether or not our sex-capades were going to be kicked to the curb and here he was already moving on to the next girl anyway. I had to remind myself that all we'd been doing was fooling around. We hadn't been dating. It was strictly sex. I felt stupid telling myself that. It seemed like I was trying to convince myself of something I already knew. Though it was beginning to feel like it, based on how jealous I was looking at Blondie, I didn't want to believe that I had actual romantic feelings for Alec. He was just a friend. Ex-friend.

Alec's eyes met mine and he could tell I was angry. I couldn't read his expression though. It looked like a mix of pain, anger, and sadness all at once. Maybe if Blondie hadn't been hanging all over him and making a spectacle, he might've come talk to me.

"Who is that?" Renee faked a gagging sound, looking at the woman clinging to Alec.

I shook my head, turning back to her. I didn't want to look at them anymore. "I don't know. Probably his next fling."

Renee and I spoke for another five or so minutes about work and my proposition to Mr. Hilliard. Her jaw nearly hit the floor when I told her my plan to win back Rutherford Laurence. Before I could finish explaining, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Renee's eyes widened and I assumed it was Alec, though I didn't understand why he'd want to break his own rule again and let people see us conversing in public. People were still gossiping about our slow dance at the Sheraton a couple weeks back.

When I turned around, however, I didn't find Alec. Instead, before me stood a handsome young man, probably a year or two older than me. He was wearing gray slacks, a black button-up that wasn't buttoned all the way, and his white tie was undone, hanging loosely around his neck. I could tell his blonde hair was dyed. His dark roots were showing. His hair was shorter than Alec's and he had brown eyes. He was certainly good looking, but not near as jaw-dropping as Alec.

"Hi," I managed. Why was he tapping on my shoulder? I held out my hand to shake but he boldly raised it to his lips and kissed the back of my hand. My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Do I know you?" I asked. I didn't think I'd ever seen him before.

A bright, cheery smile rose to his lips. "No, but I know you, Brittany Laughlin."

"Please, just Bree," I forced a smile, blinking several times. "And you are?"

He nodded, still grinning. "Darin Forbes."

Something about him seemed familiar. Once I heard his name, I knew what it was. He worked for the agency I'd been dreaming of working for since even before I'd been with Parker and Associates.

"You're the vice president of Abernathy Advertisements in Columbus." It dawned on me.

I suddenly felt self-conscious, hoping I wasn't making an idiot of myself in front of the man I could potentially call my boss someday if I ever got a chance with Abernathy.

He glanced down to his shoes and back to me, his smile growing. "Guilty as charged. And you're the woman responsible for the brilliant advertising behind this event."