Landlord Wars(64)

We settled in the limousine, and Jack popped the cork of a champagne bottle. “Another of Max’s orders—Dom Perignon.” He poured a glass and handed it to me, then poured one for himself.

The car was enormous, with supple cream leather upholstery and a bar along one side, where two more champagne bottles were chilling. It was glamorous and exciting, but I wished Max were here too. No matter how thrilling, the experience wasn’t as fun without him.

Traffic to downtown was heavy, and it took at least half an hour to make it to San Francisco City Hall. I’d thought it strange to host a ball there—until we pulled up.

The dome was lit in blue, brightening the darkened sky and taking my breath away.

Jack helped me out of the limousine, and we got in line with other elegantly dressed people making their way up the steps to the entrance off Van Ness. If I thought I was nervous at the apartment before, the sensation now grew tenfold. But as soon as we entered the building, some of my nerves dropped away, because holy shit.

We passed the pink and ecru marble vestibule and entered what could only be a fairytale. Marble arches along the entire lower level were draped in two-story velvet lilac curtains with gold frill along the edges, while royal-blue velvet drapes covered the arches of the second level. Roman columns and marble statues were carved into the walls of the top of the Grand Staircase, with seven-foot floral arrangements strategically placed on either side. The lower and upper levels were lit by pedestalled chandeliers and the light coming in from the dome at the center of it all.

When I thought about it, Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe had gotten married here, so yeah, even without the grand ball décor, the place was spectacular.

“I hate these things,” Jack grumbled, tugging at the sleeve of his tux.

I swiveled my head to him in surprise. “Then why do you come? Max says you go to all the events.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “I work with a lot of these people, and it’s the one time I get out and mingle. Gotta put in face time.”

He worked with these people? “I thought you designed video games, and your law degree was an added bonus.”

“I do, and it is, but I run a few businesses as well.”

Okay, maybe Max had mentioned something about Jack having his fingers in multiple businesses. I clearly needed to pump him for more information on the topic when we weren’t at a gala.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” he said, peering across the room to a corner where the glitter of barware and staff was set up. “At the very least, these things have great food and drinks.”

The people surrounding us were incredibly glamorous, and my nerves kicked back in. “Yes, please. Make it a stiff one.”

“Martini?”

I bit my lip. “Maybe not that stiff. Glass of red wine?”

He laughed. “So not stiff at all.”

“What?” I said, laughing as well. “I’m a lightweight.”

“One glass of red wine coming up.” Jack weaved his way across the crowd, and that was when it dawned on me.

I was alone. Like, alone alone.

Gah! Why hadn’t I gone with him?

I turned and looked for something to do while I waited for Jack. Spotting an object that was right up my alley, I meandered over to a floral arrangement that had a plant sprouting from the center.

Had to give the designer props on originality.

“Sophia?”

My shoulders tensed, and I spun around.

What the hell was my ex doing here?

Paul was dressed in a deep red velvet tuxedo jacket that complemented his hair, which he’d darkened to its natural black. The woman Elise and I saw him with at our favorite dim sum restaurant was on his arm, and she was wearing a light-rose gown with large ruffles along the asymmetrical hem and collar line that looked like something from a runway. She was also glaring darts at my head.

Running into Paul again was shit-poor luck. Couldn’t he pretend to not know me? “Hi, how are you?” I said, trying to keep things casual.

He looked annoyed. “Why are you here?”

Heat rolled up my chest, and it was a good thing my dress came to my neck with only the arms and shoulders exposed, because I was pretty sure I’d turned red. Only not with embarrassment but anger.

It was one thing for me to feel I didn’t belong at the ball, and another for my ex to assume I had no business being here. “I’m with my boyfriend.”

Well, not technically. Max still hadn’t shown up, but Paul didn’t need the dirty details.

He chuckled. “Your boyfriend? Who might that be?”

This was where things got sketchy, because no one outside of our small group knew Max and I were dating. But Max was about to announce it to his parents tonight. How bad would it be to mention it first to my ex? “Max Burrows. Do you know him?”

Paul’s fiancée laughed. As in, bent at the waist, honking loudly in mirth. But Paul didn’t flinch. His jaw tense, he said, “Is that so?” He looked around dramatically. “Where is he? I don’t see him with you.”

I caught sight of Jack dodging bodies and carrying two glasses of wine, and I’d never been more grateful. “He’s taking care of a few things. I’m waiting with his friend Jack.”

“Hey,” Jack said, sidling up and handing a glass of wine to me. “Sorry. Long line.”