“Oh, you should try one of the drinks Bethaney gave me. They’re so good. Doesn’t even taste like there’s alcohol in them.” She holds up a glass with the same pink liquid that Bethaney had earlier. “I forget what they’re called though, so I’m hoping the bartender will know.”

“Well, I’ll step aside and let you get to it then. It was good to see you.” I give her a nod and disappear into the crowd.

It’s much busier in the room than when I first arrived, and it takes my eyes a moment to locate Kenzie again. I need to go tell her how beautiful she looks. But when I spot her, my stomach sinks, followed shortly by my viselike grip on the glass in my hand.

She’s on the outskirts of the dance floor, chatting with Tom Harding—my biggest competition for partner. He’s clearly into her. It’s obvious from his body language and the way he’s leaning into her more than is polite when she speaks.

For her part, Kenzie would have no idea who he is, and more than that, she has a smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes the way it does when she speaks with me.

That knowledge doesn’t stop the jealousy from flaring up inside me or my feet from moving in their direction. I push through the crowd, not stopping to talk to the handful of people who say hello until I reach them.

“Evening. What’s so funny?” I take a sip of my scotch and narrow my eyes over the rim of the glass at Tom. Corporate law isn’t exactly a riot, and that seems to be all Tom ever wants to talk about regardless of his audience.

“Hey, Wainwright. I just came over to tell our party planner here what a great job she did. Way better than years past, am I right?”

I sort of grunt and nod, then finally dare to look at Kenzie. She’s looking between the two of us with a sort of amused expression.

“Well, I see Simons over there. I’d better go tell him what a great job Bethaney did on all this.” Tom clamps me on the shoulder. “That partner position isn’t going to fill itself.” He gives me a cheesy wink that makes me want to punch the look off his face. That feeling intensifies when he turns to Kenzie and says, “Save a dance for me tonight, okay, beautiful?”

She blinks a few times. “I don’t think I’ll be dancing tonight. I must stay on top of things and make sure everything is going smoothly.” Then she takes a big swig of her drink.

Tom shrugs and walks off.

Though jealousy burns like a hot coal in my chest where my heart would normally be, I make what I think is the mature decision and decide not to mention it.