Landon laughs too, squealing as I smack him.
An hour later, the kitchen is in full swing. Tina, our boss, a really nice woman in her fifties with a head full of frizzy blond curls and a great laugh, has greeted all of us and is helping load the trays. She owns the catering company, and is a great boss, fair and helpful, with a great, witty sense of humor.
I walk the floor of the ballroom, offering appetizers to the decked out guests, women in long, beautiful evening gowns, men in tuxes. This event is a benefit to help raise awareness about autism spectrum disorders and so I can't help but to have a soft spot for these party goers. I smile extra big as I offer Tina's delicious appetizers, moving around the room from guest to guest.
I've been around the room with three trays, when I rush back into the kitchen to fill another one.
Landon is next to me at the long stainless steel counter, filling his own tray. "Girl, did you clock hottie in the far corner by the bar? Serious meltdown every time I catch a glance. True story."
I laugh. "I don't think I've made it that far. I keep running out of food mid room. I’ll start over there this time though." I wink and he grins.
I walk back out on the floor and head over to the bar area, so that I can report back to Landon later. I stop at a small group, smiling as I offer them napkins and hold my tray out to them. It's filled with thin wafers, each holding a glob of black caviar. It looks dreadful to me, but these people are clearing my tray so what do I know?
As I move away from them, I see the man Landon must be talking about. He has his back to me, but even from this viewpoint, I can tell that he's good looking. All broad shoulders, slim waist and excellent backside. Too bad for Landon though, there's a blond in a red dress glued to his arm. I make my way closer and as the couple turns towards me, I inhale an audible gasp. It's Jake. Oh No!
Damn! Shit! Shit! Shit!
My heart plummets to my feet and I stand stock still for a minute, weighing my options for escape. Too late, Jake spots me and his eyes are surprised for a second and then this unbelievable warmth floods them and he smiles like I'm an old friend he hasn't seen in a decade.
God! I am such an idiot. I close my eyes very briefly and try to rally, shooting him a smile that I really hope looks as fake as it feels.
"Evie," he says, disengaging himself from red dress and coming towards me, a look of concern on his face. "I didn't know you’d be here." His eyes are wide and glued to me.
God, he's gorgeous.
He's also a playing, lying asshole.
Before I can utter a word, red dress follows him saying, "Jakey, do you know her?" And it must be said, she says this pissy.
Jakey? Shit! Shit! Shit!
I glance at red dress and it sucks that despite the fact that she is pissy, I can't deny that she is stunning. Her dress looks like it cost more than my entire wardrobe put together, including my shoes and jackets. Then I look back at Jake and whisper stupidly, "Hi." God, I am such an idiot!
Jake clenches his jaw, and although he is talking to red dress his eyes are still riveted on me as he says, "Yes, I do know her. This is Evie Cruise." Almost as an afterthought, he cocks his head at red dress and says, "This is Gwen Parker."
My eyes cut back to Gwen and I whisper, "Hi." And again, I whisper it stupidly.
Gwen crosses her arms in front of her large, plastic looking breasts and says, "I don't need an introduction, Jakey, I was just surprised that you know her." Then she hooks herself back onto Jake's arm and glares at me.
Jake takes a deep breath, his jaw ticks again, and he does not look happy.
I am shaking now and I need to get far, far away from Jake and Gwen. And by far, I mean like, Mexico.
"Right." I say. "Well, have a nice evening." And then I start to turn away from them, but because I am shaking, my tray tips forward and one wafer slides off the edge before I can right it and said wafer, full of an extra large glob of black caviar plops loudly onto Gwen's beautiful, silver, strappy sandal.
For a second, no one makes a sound and I am frozen in horror. Then, Gwen screeches, "Oh my God! Do you know how much these shoes cost? No, of course you don't! These are $1400.00 shoes!"
And oh my God, I'm frozen, but it registers that I didn't even know $1400.00 shoes existed and that my estimation about my entire wardrobe equaling the cost of her outfit was way, way off. And not in my wardrobe's favor.
Landon rushes up to us seemingly from out of nowhere and takes my tray out of my hands, putting his face close to mine briefly as he leans in to take it, eyes wide, and says while barely moving his lips, "You okay, Fancy Face?"
I nod slightly to him and then bend down with Gwen where she is using a napkin to try to clean the caviar off of her shoe, swearing under her breath. "I'm so sorry," I say, "Please, let me help you clean it off. If you'll come with me to the ladies room, I can use a cleaning cloth on it. I bet it will come right off."
She glares back at me but she starts standing anyway and says, "Fine!"
Jake is standing there watching this, his jaw clenching and if that goes on much longer, he's going to need a mouth guard because TMJ is no joke.
Landon rushes up again, offering Jake a glass of champagne from a tray of glasses and I lead Gwen towards the ladies room.
Once we're there, I motion for her to sit on the chaise lounge, and she removes her shoe and hands it to me with a scowl. I open a small Bounce packet from the complimentary guest basket on the bathroom counter and wipe the top of the shoe off completely. I also offer Gwen a baby wipe from the guest basket so that she can thoroughly clean the top of her foot.