A Cosmic Kind of Love(61)

“Hi.” Reese smiled sweetly. “George has told me a lot about you, Hallie. I like your hair. I’d never be so bold, but I wish I had the confidence to pull that off. And your dress. So cute. It goes with your hair. Is it a rinse?”

Hallie gaped at the rambling woman for a second and then gestured to me. “This is—”

“Oh, Hallie can get away with crazy hair since she works as a party planner.” George grinned like he’d told the best joke on the fucking planet.

I shifted toward him and felt Hallie squeeze my hand so hard it was almost painful. Looking at her, I watched her lift her chin and physically draw herself up.

“Actually, I’m an event planner for one of the most elite event-management companies in New York. And self-expression at Lia Zhang Events is almost a requirement. It’s important clients have a good sense of our creativity.”

“Lia Zhang?” Reese gaped, wide-eyed. “I’ve heard of Lia Zhang Events. Didn’t you guys plan Alicia Keys’s fortieth birthday?”

“I can’t talk about clients.” Hallie shrugged with an insouciant confidence that made my lips twitch with pride. “Anyway, George, before you rudely interrupted, I was going to introduce you to—”

“Her boyfriend,” I blurted before I could stop myself. I held out my hand to the prick. “Chris Ortiz.”

George frowned but shook my hand, and I dropped it immediately, feeling tainted. “Ortiz? Is that Mexican?”

“It is.” I narrowed my gaze on him as he smirked, as if this somehow pleased him. And that wasn’t me being paranoid. I could read this asshole like a book.

“And what is it you do?” George asked, his nose practically in the air.

“I’m an astronaut.”

His girlfriend’s eyes lit with recognition. “Oh my God, I thought you were familiar.” She hit her boyfriend’s chest. “George, this is Captain Christopher Ortiz! He’s famous on Instagram! I’ve never met an astronaut before.” She smiled flirtatiously at me.

Jesus.

George gawked at me and then Hallie as if he’d never seen her before.

“Well, we have reservations.” Hallie nudged me toward the restaurant. “See you around.”

While I was trained to compartmentalize and stay calm in any situation, the thought of this guy thinking he’d somehow been better than Hallie just stuck in my craw. I stopped and called back to George.

He stopped midturn and gazed back at me, looking like a petulant child who’d lost a game. “What?”

I sneered at his snippy tone. “You belittled Hallie, and I would never make a mistake like that. She’s amazing. She’s kind; she’s smart, loyal, creative, funny. Man, you were lucky Hallie even talked to you, let alone touched you.”

Hallie choked at my side as George turned purple with indignation.

“Well, as Hallie said, we have reservations. Enjoy your evening.” With my arm still around Hallie’s waist, I guided her away toward the restaurant entrance.

She didn’t say a word.

My reaction to George had been instinctual. I hadn’t thought beyond putting him in his place. Hoping I hadn’t embarrassed her, I glanced down and gave her waist a little squeeze. “Did I cross the line?”

Hallie looked over her shoulder to make sure George was gone and then turned to me. Laughter lit her eyes as we stopped at the restaurant door, and her body shook against me as she gave into her amusement.

Relieved, I grinned, holding her closer to me. I wanted to kiss the laughter off her lips.

She rested a palm on my chest, and I wondered if she could feel my heart pounding beneath it. With her free hand, she wiped tears of amusement from the corners of her eyes. “Seriously, that felt good to see him put in his place.” Her expression changed, softening to something I liked a whole fucking lot. “Also those were the nicest things anyone has ever said about me.”

I’m going to kiss her. “I wish that weren’t true,” I murmured, eyes dropping to her mouth. “You deserve people to say nice things about you all the time.”

“Chris . . .”

Her sad tone brought my gaze back to her eyes.

She stared up at me, looking guilty and worried. “I hope you don’t judge me for dating him. He wasn’t like that at first. His superiority kind of got worse over time. I thought it was just about me, but the way he looked at you when he asked about your name . . .” Anger flashed in her eyes. “I think I was so wrapped up in my own stuff while I dated him that I didn’t really see him. That’s not an excuse, I know. But I want you to know, I plan to do better in the future. To make better choices. To treat myself with more respect and surround myself with people I can respect too. Like you.”

This was it. I needed to tell her. “Hallie—”

The jarring burst of joy that was “Mr. Blue Sky” by ELO shattered the moment between us, and Hallie stepped away from me with a muttered curse. “That’s me, sorry.” She rummaged in her purse for her cell.

She’d had a different ringtone every week that I’d known her. I smiled at how loud this one was, despite being irritated it had interrupted us.

“It’s my mom.” Hallie chewed her bottom lip.

“Ignore it.”

“She’s called me eight times today. It isn’t like her.”