I thought of Maggie on the porch of the Hampton house at sunrise with nothing but my tailored shirt on, and I smiled. “Promise.”
“When does the ballet season end?” Maggie asked Lily.
“At the end of May this year, sometimes at the beginning of June. We always perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream as the last show of the season. You guys should come.”
“I’d love to,” Maggie said. “Maybe West can be my date.”
“Or we could all go.” I took a sip of my scotch and glanced at her over the rim of my glass. A small smile played at the corner of her lips.
“We should definitely all go,” Rose chimed in. “We don’t go to the ballet together enough.”
Patrick smiled at her. “No, we don’t.”
“Well,” Lily said, “I’ve got tickets with everyone’s name on them.”
“Oh, Cooper,” Astrid said, “speaking of tickets — a courier dropped off my invitation to the Met Gala earlier today. Tell Jules I said thanks.”
“I’ll let her know you got them.”
Lily perked up. “I’d almost be willing to date Cooper if it meant getting to go to the Met Gala.”
I snorted.
“What’s the theme this year?” Lily asked.
Astrid leaned forward, looking like a girl. “It’s called Spellbound: From Fairytale to Fashion, and I have this idea for my dress, but I don’t know if I’m going to be able to talk someone into designing it for me.”
Maggie was drinking again. I watched her, hoping she’d look at me, but I had no such luck.
“Oh, man I want to go so bad. Some day.” Lily sighed. “I can’t wait to hear about the exhibits.”
Astrid grinned and touched her arm. “Come dress shopping with me next week. I’ve got appointments with Givenchy and John Galliano. You know you want to see the inside of their boutiques.”
Lily’s eyes stretched wide. “Uh, yes, please.”
Maggie set down her empty glass with a clink and dug her phone out of her bag. She glanced at it for a brief second and turned to the rest of us with a smile I didn’t buy. “My mom just texted me and needs me to call, so I’m gonna run.” She laid some cash on the bar and stood.
Lily frowned. “You just got here.”
West was frowning too. “Is Mom okay?”
Maggie waved a hand. “Oh, I’m sure she’s fine, just a dry cleaning emergency or something silly. I’ll see you guys later.”
Her eyes connected with mine only once before darting away, cheeks flushing as she turned and walked out.
My brow dropped, and I slammed the rest of my scotch. “I think I’ll head out too.”
“Good,” Astrid said with her eyes on me. “I’ll come with you.”
Lily huffed. “God, everyone wanted to hang out, and now you’re all leaving.”
Rose looked desperate as she pointed at Lily and West. “You two can’t leave too. What the hell will I do all night?”
“Don’t get into any trouble.” I chuckled as I stood.
“Have a good night, you guys,” Astrid added.
“You too, I guess,” Lily pouted.
“Bye, sister.” Astrid kissed her on the cheek, waving at Patrick and West before heading for the door.
I held it open for her, and we stepped onto the sidewalk as I texted my driver.
Astrid watched me. Eyed me, really. “What’s up?”
I shrugged and slipped my phone into my pocket. “Not much. What’s up with you?”
She rolled her eyes and smiled. “Nice try, asshole.”
“Nothing’s up.”
“I didn’t know you’d be at Habits,” she prompted as we passed under a street light.
“It wasn’t planned. I was at Maggie’s and ran into West and Lily on the way out.”
“Close call.”
“Not as close as when Lily came home and I had to hide in the closet.”
A surprised laugh shot out of her, and she gaped at me. “Dangerous, Coop.”
“Trust me, I know.” We stepped up to the curb where Bobby had just pulled up in my black Mercedes. I opened the door for Astrid. “Sometimes going over to her place is the only way I can see her, and I wanted to see her.”
She slipped into the car. “It’s not that simple. If Lily had caught you—”
“I know, Astrid.” I climbed in after her and closed the door with a thump. “Hey, Bobby. Could you take us home, please?”
He nodded at me in the rearview. “Sure thing, Cooper.”
Astrid dug around in her purse for her phone. “I mean, it’s not like I’ve never seen you act recklessly before, but this is next-level. Even for you. What’s it been now, two weeks?”
I leaned against the door. “Ever since we all went to Noir.”
“I don’t know how you ever convinced her. I was certain she was one hundred percent anti-Cooper.”
I smirked at her. “No one’s one hundred percent anti-Cooper.”
“Well, she was at least a steadfast eighty percent.”
I chuckled. “I don’t know how it happened. There was just this moment when Tricky was hauling West out of the club, and I just … I don’t know. It sounds crazy.”
She raised an eyebrow and folded her hands on top of her bag. “Try me.”
I thought back to that moment at the club, her small face turned up to mine, eyes wide and open. “When she looked at me, I just knew she was all I wanted that night. But it was more than just that …” I said, half to myself. “It happened that way the first time, too, at her reception. It was like deja vu.”
“I still can’t believe that you hooked up with her on her failed wedding night.”
My brow dropped. “She was hurting, put on a brave face and found a way to get through what had to be one of the worst nights of her life. She needed an escape. I was her getaway car.”
She sighed. “I know. I mean, I get it — I probably would have banged you too if I’d just caught my fiancé nailing my maid of honor. Rebound sex is satisfying in its own right.”
I shook my head.
“Sometimes you just need sexual healing. Does she know you’re seeing other people too?”
“I’m not.”
She gave me a look. “What do you mean, you’re not?”
“It’s part of the rules.”
Astrid pressed her lips together to stifle a smile. “How long have you been … monogamous?” She busted out laughing and waved her hand at me. “Oh, my God. I can’t even say that without laughing, Coop. What the fuck?”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s temporary.”
She let out a satisfied breath and shook her head. “I cannot believe you agreed to these rules.”
“She might have suggested I wouldn’t be able to do it.”
“I’m with her.”
“Clearly you’ve never seen me when I’ve put my mind to something.”
She watched me with a know-it-all smile on her pretty face. “So what I’m hearing is that it’s just a game to you.”
“I like playing the game with her. It’s not a big deal. I’m having fun. She’s having fun. Why mess with a good thing?”
“Because your best friend will murder you.” Her smile fell a hair. “Are you sure you can handle this?”
“Of course I can. I’ve got it under control.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Do you?”
“I do.”
She made a face like she knew better.
“West isn’t going to figure it out.”
“What if you end up liking her? What if she wants more? What if you want more? What then?”
I laughed again to cover for the fact that I didn’t have an answer. “What’s this more you speak of?”
Astrid rolled her eyes and looked out the window, smirking. “God, Cooper. Don’t you take anything seriously?”
“Not if I can help it.”