Zander

It was finally time for the Cor-Tec gala. The rest of Zander’s day had passed in a blur of chaos as he answered questions for staff and vendors, but the end result was perfection. Megan had been right; hosting the party at the James’ Estate was a brilliant solution.

The ballroom looked spectacular. Zander took his final walk through, signing off on the catering order and leaving the bartenders to finish setting up their stations. Relief swelled inside Zander for the first time in months. Things were going well. He’d pulled off the venue switch, he’d made up with Devon, and things with Megan couldn’t be better.

Last night Zander was torn between whether or not letting things go further with Megan was a good idea. But with today going so well, he found himself hopeful.

Megan

Megan was a ball of excitement when Zander knocked on her bedroom door. He’d texted her earlier and insisted on making a real date out of the gala. He said he’d pick her up at her door and drive her around front so they could make a grand entrance together.

“Coming!” Megan yelled when Zander knocked again. She was just strapping the last buckle of her patent leather Mary Jane’s. They were the tallest heels she owned and she hoped they’d help make up the height difference between her and Zander. Although she certainly didn’t mind when he pulled her off her feet to kiss her.

She glanced quickly in the mirror one last time—her black hair was pinned up, her pink dress pressed, her makeup flawless. She grabbed her little black clutch and trotted over to the door. When she pulled it open she squealed with delight.

“You look like James Bond!” Megan exclaimed taking in Zander wearing a classic tuxedo.

“I’ll take it,” he said giving her a smoldering grin. “Ye look stunning, doll face.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

“I told Sam you’d like my dress.”

“It’s a bold choice,” Zander added. “But that’s how I like my women.” He held out his arm to Megan. “Ready, love?”

“I was born ready!”

“I was serious about making a grand entrance. Ye need a coat.”

“I’d rather you keep me warm,” Megan said cozying up to Zander.

He smirked and wrapped an arm around her. “Have I ever told ye I like the way ye think?”

“Maybe, but I could get used to hearing it.”

Zander led Megan to a side door, where a limo was waiting for them. The air outside was stunningly cold, but Megan barely felt it with Zander’s hand pressed to her back as he helped her into the car.

The limo joined the processional of cars lined up at the gates to the James’ Estate and Zander uncorked a bottle of champagne. He poured them each a glass and held his up for a toast. “To our first date,” he said, clinking his glass against Megan’s.

How long had she waited to hear those words? Megan was practically glowing as she drank her champagne. The bubbles danced through her chest, doing the tango when they joined the butterflies in her stomach. As Zander pulled her close, the butterflies morphed into bats. He tucked her under his arm and kissed her lightly.

“Maybe we should just stay in here?” Megan teased, wishing she could climb into his lap and kiss him until she was breathless again.

“And miss the party ye planned? I don’t think so.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

Zander snorted. “Don’t get modest on me now, doll face. I never would’ve been able to pull this off without ye standing up to Rita.”

Megan smiled. “She’s a bit of a troll.”

“Ye have no idea. Do ye know this is the first real date I’ve been on in years?”

“Oh poor baby. Pretending to date all those gorgeous women Rita sets you up with must be pure torture.”

“Ye joke, but it really isn’t as fun as it seems.”

Megan crossed her arms. “Zander, you know you lived a charmed life, don’t you?”

“I know, but—”

“But what?”

“Sometimes I wonder what I gave up to have all of this.”

“You mean, like college?”

He shrugged.

“I thought Cor-Tec was what you wanted.”

“It is. But I sort of skipped over the university experience and went straight to the working-yourself-to-death experience.”

“Well you’re not missing much,” Megan said. “It’s mostly studying, with a few drunken parties thrown in for good measure.”

“So high school, then?”

Megan laughed. “Basically. Just less parental supervision.”

“Sounds like high school to me.”

Megan paused hoping Zander would go on. They’d talked about nearly everything in the time they’d been getting to know each other, but Zander always changed the subject whenever his parents came up. All Megan knew was that they weren’t around and his older sister Cara pretty much raised him.

When Zander didn’t offer anything more she shrugged. “If you want a frat party experience all you have to do is ask.”

“Ye go to frat parties, do ye?”

“Have you met me?” Megan asked. “Unless there’s some film nerd frat I don’t know about, that’s not really my scene. But I am ridiculously good at drinking games.”

“Now that’s something I’d like to see.”

Megan stuck her hand out. “You’re on, handsome.”