I swing open the front door of Vault, not at all surprised that it’s unlocked. Rex told me he’s in his office almost every day from eight until two, working on orders and managing the books. He also said I should stop by anytime I’m in the area. Therefore, I don’t feel bad about making an impromptu trip across town to run a few menu options by him for the anniversary party. Earlier in the week we settled on a date, and after his insistence that I make choices as I see fit, I’ve already booked a caterer and ordered the tables, chairs, and linens, as well as the drapes that will be used as walls. Essentially, I’m turning the inside of Vault into a beautiful, outdoor oasis. If you didn’t know you were in a club, you’d think you were standing in a gorgeous white tent in the middle of an open field. At least that’s the vibe I’m aiming for.
Vault looks different in the daylight, without the colorful glow of strobes dancing across the room. I close my eyes, remembering the lights that twirled around Rex and me at the skating rink last week. For as long as I live, I’ll never forget what he did for me that day, which was so much more than fulfilling a childhood dream. He gave me hope.
Hope that I can live a normal life.
Hope that there are still good, decent people in the world.
Hope for happiness.
And most importantly, hope for love.
I’ve held on to that hope—letting it guide me through each day, through every text and phone conversation with Rex, a reminder of how far I’ve come—and today, it has guided me here. With a deep breath, I open my eyes and finish taking in my surroundings.
Dark wood covers the floor. High tables with matching wooden chairs are scattered along the back wall while thick, tan leather booths line the side walls. A decent-sized stage is set up in the corner, and the entire middle of the club is open and ready for the next wave of writhing bodies.
But the best part about the club, in my opinion, are the exposed beams that run the length of the ceiling. They give Vault a rustic sort of country feel, and I’m going to use that for the party.
“Good morning, Shae.”
I spin around to find Dante striding across the floor. He looks different than last time I saw him. Gone are the sharp clothes, designed to impress, and in their place are a pair of low-slung sweats and a black T-shirt. He looks younger today, more carefree.
“Good morning. You look happy.”
“What man wouldn’t be happy to see such a beautiful woman?” He walks up and engulfs me in a bear hug.
“Get your dirty hands off my girl.” Now Rex is walking across the dance floor. The easy smile on his face does not match the menace in his voice, and Dante chuckles. I smile back at Rex. Without releasing me, Dante spins around to face his brother, and I squeal as my feet are lifted from the ground.
“What did you expect? Girls flock to me, you know that. Look, your girl won’t let go,” he teases, tightening his hold when I try to break free.
And did I just giggle?
Rex steps around Dante to look at me. At the sight of his soulful brown eyes, I can finally breathe again, and I’m certain the smile on my face matches his.
“I should’ve warned you about my brother.”
“I resent that,” Dante quips.
“That’s okay,” I assure him. “I like him. He’s funny, and I can use more humor in my life.”
“Hear that, Rex?” Dante goads. “Your girl wants me in her life.”
Whatever comeback I had dies on my tongue when Rex brushes his lips across mine.
“Did you two just kiss? Because that’s where I draw the line.” Dante sets me on my feet, and I laugh, smoothing out my shirt.
“I wasn’t expecting you. Is everything okay?” Rex asks.
“Oh. Uh, you said to stop by anytime.” I hold up the folder in my hand. “I was hoping to finalize the menu for the party, but if this isn’t a good time—”
“It’s a perfect time.” He glances down at his watch. “But I have a phone call scheduled with my beer rep in five minutes. Can you hang around for a little while?”
“Yeah, absolutely.”
“I’ve got nothing,” Dante offers. “I can finalize the menu.”
Rex lifts a brow. “Perfect. For once, my brother is being useful.”
“Fuck off.”
They share a laugh, and I hand Dante the file. He lays it open on the bar and starts flipping through the papers.
“I don’t care who finalizes it,” I say.
“Good.” Rex kisses my cheek. “Stick around, and after the meeting we can grab lunch.”
“I’d love that.”
“I have some of your birthday cake left over in my refrigerator—”
Dante makes a gagging noise. “Get out of here. You’re going to be late for your phone call.”
With a final peck on my cheek, Rex crosses the floor and disappears around the corner. I turn toward Dante. One hand propped on the bar, the other looking through the folder, he’s whistling an unidentifiable tune.
“What’s her name?” I ask, pulling up a barstool so I can sit down.
Dante grins, his eyes still scanning a paper. “Fiona.”
I open my mouth to ask what happened to Felicity, but he shakes his head.
“And that’s all I’m going to tell you, so don’t even think about it. This,” he says, tapping the folder, and changing the subject, “is impressive.”
I’ve got everything for the party sorted and color coded, along with a final spreadsheet of prices.
“I didn’t realize how much goes into throwing an anniversary party,” he says, shaking his head.
“It’s been surprisingly easy. The Ambrosi name must be wildly popular around here.”
Dante freezes, a paper gripped between his fingers, and he looks up at me, his smile gone. “Why do you say that?”
“I—” I shake my head. “I didn’t mean anything bad by it. I just meant it should’ve been more difficult to book some of these vendors on such short notice, but as soon as I mentioned who the party was for, most people were bending over backward to accommodate me.”
He nods, his eyes darting to something over my shoulder. “You don’t know who my parents are?”
“No. Rex has told me a little bit about them, but not much.”
“Probably for the best,” he says, his eyes finding mine. “My father can be…difficult. It’s probably a good thing we’re having the party here. This way Rex and I can escape to our offices if we need a break.”
Cocking my head to the side, I ask, “Why would you need to escape your parents’ anniversary party?”
I can’t put my finger on it, but something flickers behind Dante’s eyes. Does he regret his words? Or maybe he wants to tell me more? For whatever reason, it seems he can’t.
Or won’t.
The uncertainty behind his gaze disappears. “I bet you have great parents,” he says smoothly. “They probably tucked you in every night and went to all of your little league games. I bet they call at the same time every week just to check on you.”
If you only knew.
I’m usually good about staying tight-lipped, but this time I give Dante a fraction of the truth.
“That depends on which family you’re asking about. My biological parents, yes, they were perfect. At least in my eyes.” Others might not feel the same way. “Unfortunately, they died when I was a young. My adoptive parents, now that’s a story for another day, and yes, I would need time away from their party. But I highly doubt I would’ve been invited to begin with.”
The air around us is calm, much different than the war raging inside of me. I’ve never spoken ill of my adoptive parents out loud, and it feels good. So damn good. Like a weight has been lifted. The way they treated me is a burden I’ve carried for years. Not even Erin and JJ know how horrible the Blacks were. For the longest time, I felt bad that I hated them because they’d given me safety when I should’ve been dead. But when they walked out on me on my eighteenth birthday, I let whatever guilt I had go.
“I’m sorry,” Dante whispers. “About your parents. That must’ve been hard, losing them as a child. I might have issues with my parents, but at least they’re here, and they care…in their own unique way.”
“Shae?”
Dante and I turn at the sound of Rex’s voice. He’s standing in the mouth of the hallway, hands stuffed in his pockets, and I wonder how much of my conversation with his brother he heard.
“Can I borrow you for a second?” he asks.
“Yeah, sure.” Glancing at Dante, I nod toward the bar. “Pick out which menu options you like, and I’ll make it happen.”
He smiles. “I will.”
I slide off my stool and make my way across the floor.
“Shae?”
I look over my shoulder at Dante. “Yeah?”
“You’ve done a really great job with the party. Thank you.”
Offering him a smile, I nod.
His appraisal shouldn’t mean anything to me; he’s no different than any other client, but for some reason it does. Maybe it’s because of Rex, or maybe it’s this weird kindred-spirit vibe I get being around him. Either way, it’s a feeling I’ll have to explore at a different time.