Page 70 of Expecting an Argument
I turned back when I spotted Tiffany and her friend sitting at a table. They whispered to a woman with golden hair twisted in an elegant chignon and all three women glanced at our table.
The blonde woman’s eyes widened as she looked past me to find Beau and—oh.
Oh my God, it was Katie.
I stared down at the black tablecloth and sucked down my drink, wishing more than ever that I could have actual alcohol.
Of course Katie would be at the gala. Of course she was still interested in Beau. Of course she was wearing a slinky periwinkle dress that showed off just how slim and perky she still was.
If I wasn’t sure Beau and I weren’t going to end up together before, I was absolutely certain now. The man still kept photos of Katie in his room, for God’s sake. He could lament over her breaking his heart and having no integrity, but he’d been secretly wanting her to come back all along.
I swallowed my last sip. There was no way he hadn’t seen her by now. I had left him to drink his whiskey and let his eyes wander. The strange relationship purgatory that Beau and I had lived in for the past few months would end tonight. In fiveminutes, he would make an excuse to get up and go find her.
No, I couldn’t wait five more minutes. If I saw him looking at her the way he used to, I’d know where his heart was.
I took in a deep breath and held it, refusing to let myself breathe again until I took the plunge and confirmed my suspicions. As my lungs tightened, I forced my eyes to flick to the side and I caught him.
Beau had his hand wrapped loosely around his drink. His eyes were soft and his jaw was relaxed—like he was gazing at the moon.
It was the exact look he had given Katie in their engagement photos, only he wasn’t looking at Katie.
He was looking at me.
My cheeks flushed as my eyes met his, but I turned my head to the stage as the music changed from soft jazz to a gentle, romantic beat.
Beau got up and held out his hand. “Time for your exercise for the day.”
I held my breath as he helped me out of my chair and led me to the dance floor to begin a slow waltz. I followed his lead, just like when we had practiced back at home, but I couldn’t focus on dancing.
Why had he been looking at me? Were his paternal instincts just that strong? Everything Beau had done for me was to keep me happy and healthy for the good of the twins, but Annie and Brady gave him no reason to look at me like…likethat.
Beau slowly spun me and I forced myself to come back to earth as he pulled me into his chest, the front of my belly resting against him.
I looked up at him. “You paid the band for this, didn’t you?”
He smirked. “Of course I did.”
“Do you even know this song?”
“No. Do you?”
I shook my head. He glanced back at the band before looking down at me. “We’ll just call this one ‘ours,’ then.”
Other couples joined us on the dance floor as I retreated into myself.
What didourseven mean?
Ashley and I had anthems we would belt in the car, songs that I would definitely call ours. The time we both went viral in college was ours. We had jokes that were ours, memories that were ours, and sacred gossip sessions that were undoubtedly ours.
Beau and I had spent so much time together that we would inevitably have things that were ours, too. I supposed a slow waltz was just the first one either of us would name.
Beau was my friend, just like Ashley was.
But Ashley had never looked at me like Beau just did.
And as Beau gently led me around the dance floor with my pregnant belly pressed against him, I didn’t think anyone watching us would say we were just friends.
My back started to ache, giving me the perfect escape that I needed.
