Ainsley had always been the protective sort, but I wasn’t sure who she was guarding in this situation—Patricia or me. After all, Ainsley was one of the few allowed to call Patricia by her endearing nickname, as her mama and Patricia were close friends.
Patricia smiled a genuine smile, and it transformed her whole face from pinched prune to Southern beauty. She grasped Ainsley’s hands. “It definitely is.”
Longingly, I glanced toward the ballroom. I didn’t want to stand here under Patricia’s scrutiny. I spotted my daddy standing in a corner, a cocktail gripped between his hands.
He was a man after my own heart.
I squeezed Dylan’s arm and glanced around the small group on the landing. “I’ll catch up with y’all later. I see my father.” And the bartender.
The blessed bartender.
“Lovely,” Patricia said snidely.
Dylan sighed heavily. Or maybe that was me.
I made cross-eyes at Ainsley and turned to go. I’d taken only two steps before I was jerked backward. I’d have fallen flat on my rear if not for Carter catching me, his strong hands grabbing hold of me just under my rib cage. He carefully set me to rights, and I glared at Patricia.
Whose stiletto was firmly planted on the train of my gown.
“Oh my! Look at that. I’m terribly sorry,” she trilled with a malicious gleam in her eye as she removed her foot from my dress. “What an unfortunate accident. I hope the dress isn’t torn.”
I clutched my locket and clenched my jaw. Hard.
“It’s okay,” Ainsley said, crouching down to inspect the dress. “No rips. You’re good to go.” She smoothed my hem and gave me a little push forward.
Trying to get me to go before I said or did something I’d regret.
I took a step, caught Dylan’s gaze, held it.
He must have seen the about-to-snap look in my eye because he cupped my face in his hands, leaned in and whispered, “Love you, Care Bear,” just before kissing me.
I heard Patricia suck in a breath and resisted the urge to turn around and stick my tongue out at her. Instead I headed through the wide entryway that housed a coatroom and a hallway that led to the restrooms, and straight across the dance floor to the bar. Buffet tables lined a long wall, and I noticed silver candlesticks of varying heights had been used as decorations. Seeing them increased my anxiety over Delia’s dream.
At the bar, I ordered a drink. A strong one.
My father sauntered over. “After what I just witnessed, you might want to make it a double.”
“Already did,” I said, thanking the bartender when he handed me the glass.
Daddy curled an arm around me, pressed a kiss to my forehead, and threw Patricia a weary look. “Are you still considering marrying into that family?”
My father, Augustus Hartwell, was an astute man who tended to cut straight to the chase on important matters.
“There’s been no mention of marriage,” I said, watching Patricia laugh it up with Ainsley.
Daddy harrumphed. “We both know it’s only a matter of when, but I do say that Patricia should be right glad your mama hadn’t witnessed what just happened.” His voice dropped to a deadly serious tone. “She might have pushed Patricia straight over that railing.”
He sounded like he shared those same vengeful thoughts, which wasn’t like him at all. Daddy was a peaceful sort of man. Patricia’s spitefulness toward me had clearly worked its way under his skin.
A surge of love for him swept over me, and I leaned up and kissed his cheek. “That would be quite the ruckus.”
He patted my cheek. “That’s a fact. You know, part of your mama’s crazy plan for me to infiltrate the Harpies is to soften up Patricia with my abundant charm.” Puffing up, he straightened his bow tie. “Smooth waters for you to sail on into her life with Dylan at your side. I’m not sure your mama is aware what a challenge that might be.”
So that’s how my mama had spun her scheme to him. No wonder he’d agreed to put himself through this humiliation. He’d do anything for me.
I sipped my drink—an act of great control because I wanted to slam it back—and looked up at my father. “As charming as you are—and you are—smooth waters are not in my and Patricia’s future, Daddy. She just made that quite clear. So save yourself. Run. Run far away from this group and don’t look back.”
His gaze softened. “Running isn’t going to solve anything, my darlin’ girl.”
I knew. Oh how I knew.
Daddy said, “True love is worth fighting for. If you want Dylan you have to figure out a way to make nice with Patricia. We all do.”
It was something much easier said than done.
I was still pondering that when Haywood Dodd strolled over and shook Daddy’s hand, then turned to me. “Aren’t you a sight to behold, Miss Carly. Much too beautiful to be wearing that frown. Is the drink not up to your liking? I can get you something else if you prefer . . .”