Page 60 of Don't Be in Love

Pushing myself out of the crack of the cushions and putting my slippers on, I opened the door.

“James?” I asked, perplexed. He had sage green suit on, and his hair was pushed back. He always looked dapper, but he managed to upstage himself now.

For his party. That he was supposed to be at right now.

I turned for an explanation, but my roommates had disappeared.

James took in my appearance with a confused look. I brushed down my hair with my hand. “Where is your dress?”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“The masquerade ...” The space between his eyebrow crinkled with confusion. “I came to get you all.”

“Did Dorian not tell you I wasn’t coming?” I whispered, gripping the door as I leaned forward.That stubborn, persistent, rigid man.

“He did. But I thought Mia had convinced you to come.”

“She didn’t.” The energetic look on his face slipped. “I’m sorry. It’s really better if I stay back.”

“That’s ridiculous. You have to come.”

Mia shouted from down the hall, “Addy, you turn twenty-two in two weeks! Havefun,live your life. We’re in London!”

“What Mia said,” he agreed.

“Even if I wanted to come, I don’t have anything to wear.” I turned to walk away but was stopped by Sabrina and Mia.

“So … we did a thing. It doesn’t exactly match the theme, but we thought you’d look beautiful in it.” As she finished, she pulled her hands from behind her back, revealing a dress. It was a floor-length silver gown made of silk. Almost like something out of a Roman museum. It looked like stone with the bateau neckline and a completely open back.

I looked to Mia for help. I couldn’t accept this.

Say yes, she mouthed. Her eyes creased at the sides with care.

“Go get dressed,” Sabrina said lovingly, handing the dress off.

The skin on my back was left entirely exposed, from the nape of my neck to the bottom of my spine. The cold leather of James’s car seats chilled my shoulder blades for the entire drive.

I anxiously adjusted the strands of hair hanging outside my low bun. This was a horrible idea. A dreadful idea. It was being jotted down in the book of poor decisions. Right beside dying my hair blond when I was fifteen and returning Dorian’s kiss.

“Wow,” Sabrina and Mia sighed harmoniously as we pulled up to the property.

When Dorian said the masquerade was taking place at James’s mother’s home, he had failed to mention that the home was not a house.

We were pulling up to a mansion that was surrounded by acres of rolling grass and a driveway that ran the length of the home.

We followed a line of cars that were dropping guests off in jewel-toned gowns and velvet suits, all donned in masks.

My heart pounded louder each time a new guest stepped out. My eyes scoured every head of hair and jawline, questioning if Dorian would come.

“Adelaide.” James’s voice cut me off. He was holding my door open, giving me his hand. His green mask was already in place.

I pulled the small silver mask over my face and took his hand. “Thank you.”

“You alright?” he whispered.

I nodded. I needed to get my eyes on Dorian before I could relax.

“You never mentioned that you lived in castle,” I commented.