Renee was elated to spend whatever time she could with David, even if it was a short time. She thought of him like a grandfather and he was always there for her no matter what, whether to give advice, a hug, or to sit quietly and enjoy a movie together. Dancing with him was something she always enjoyed; after all, he was the one who had taught her.
“I was watching you earlier,” David said, nodding in the judge’s direction. “You did very well. I’m proud of you.”
Renee smiled. “He was just eager to start his own party. Many of our clients are going to rebel against having a sixteen-year-old taking over their services, and I have to put that rebellion to rest quickly. Give it a few months and everything will be just fine.”
David placed a kiss on her forehead. “You never cease to amaze me.”
In her peripheral vision, Renee caught a glimpse of a young man with dark hair weaving through the multitude of guests, eventually making his way behind them and slowly continuing around the room. She tried to get a better look but suddenly he was gone, like he had vanished into thin air. She turned back to David, obviously having missed a question. “I’m sorry?”
David had followed her line of sight, knowing what distracted her. “I asked if you have already moved into the hotel.”
“Oh, yes. Last night.”
“And you’re okay not living in the same house as your father?”
“I’m perfectly fine with it.”
Renee saw the mystery guest moving along the back of the room again. Snapping her head around to try to look at him, she found he was still obscured by guests.
“Everything okay?”
Renee shook her head as if to clear it from a bad dream. “Yes. I just thought I saw someone.”
As they continued dancing in silence, Renee was scanning the room, looking for her girls, Sasha, and that unknown figure in the crowd. She noticed Michelle sitting at a table talking to Sasha, and wondered why Michelle wasn’t with her client.
When the song ended, Renee kissed David on the cheek. “Thank you so much for the dance. I have to go talk to Sasha but we will see each other later.” She said it in the form of a question.
“We will definitely see each other again before Sasha and I leave tomorrow. In the meantime, have fun.”
“Are you having fun?” Sasha asked, tapping her feet to the music as Renee approached their table.
“I’m tired.” Renee turned to Michelle. “Did something happen with your client?”
Michelle and Sasha laughed lightly then Michelle answered while handing Renee the man’s lapel pin. “He couldn’t stay. His wife called.”
To Renee, Sasha said, “You are going to be spending weeks opening all your gifts.”
“Well, on the sixteenth birthday, there’s only one gift that truly matters,” Michelle said. Renee looked at her, confused, and Michelle laughed. “A kiss, of course.”
Sasha nodded in agreement. “Definitely. Every girl should be kissed on their sweet sixteen.”
Renee didn’t know the first thing about boys, dating, or kissing, and had no idea how to respond to the statement. Michelle nudged Renee with her elbow. “Hey. When you meet the guy, you’ll never want him to stop kissing you.”
Renee was rescued from the conversation as the lights went down and the band changed songs while her cake was being wheeled into the room. Cameras flashed and threatened to blind her as she began walking toward the cake cart, when she caught sight of the mystery guest once more. This time, he didn’t disappear. He was standing next to the stage and staring directly at her, making her stop in her tracks. Her breathing seemed to stop and she stared back in stupefied silence. He was the most stunning human being she had ever seen; his eyes sparkled in the light, as green as the emeralds she wore. He was smiling at her. She was so transfixed on him that she had no idea if she was smiling back. As she stared at this handsome stranger, her stomach turned, her mouth went dry, and her palms suddenly got clammy.
Did the room just go silent, or am I going deaf?
The flash of cameras reminded Renee of what she was supposed to do as she approached her destination, forcing herself to focus on the crowd. She cast a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure this man wasn’t a figment of her imagination—he was still there, still watching her. He made a gesture like a cowboy tipping his hat and she smiled stupidly at him, like in a daydream.
Turning her focus to Matthew as he proudly approached, she couldn’t understand why she was anxious. She casually turned her head back to the stage and felt her heart crush. The mystery man was gone.
When the show was over, Renee made her way back to the table, disappointment written all over her face.
“It’s okay, honey,” Sasha said.
Exasperated and confused, Renee turned to Sasha. “You don’t know that. If I don’t know what’s wrong with me, how would you?”
Sasha gave Renee a motherly smile. “He’s a very attractive boy.”
Renee let out a sigh. This was a foreign feeling to her and she wasn’t sure how to handle it, but she knew she had to control it. Logic above all else, emotion just got in the way.
Sasha spoke with softness and complete understanding. “His name is Christopher Reynolds, and as of the day before yesterday, he is in your father’s employ. And believe me when I tell you that he was watching you more than you were watching him.”