We were just getting dressed when there was a knock on the door. It was a big thumper of a knock, and my heart leapt into my chest with the crazy hope that it was Nick, that he’d changed his mind, that he’d be there for Lexi’s big night regardless of his stupid pride. I yanked the door open. It wasn’t Nick.

Jackson stood there, looking amazing in a tuxedo with his beard trimmed and the smell of bergamot pouring off him in waves like he was a walking air freshener called scent of man.

“Hey,” I said. I’m a dazzling conversationalist, I know.

“Hi, Annabelle. I’m here to drive you and Lexi to the gala.”

“You are?” I asked. I did not know about this. I turned toward the bedroom, where Lexi was getting ready. Did she know about this? “Lexi, your driver is here!”

She came out of the bedroom with her newly highlighted and curled hair, carrying a flirty pink lipstick that she had applied only on her upper lip so far, and wearing her body-hugging sky blue trumpet gown, which plunged in the front and had a slit up to mid-thigh on the side. It showed off all of her curvy assets to their best advantage. Soph had picked it out, natch.

“My what?” she asked.

“Driver,” I said. I gestured to Jackson, who was standing there in his tuxedo, a stunned expression on his face as if I’d just smacked him upside the head with a rolling pin. It wasn’t a great look.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Lexi asked.

“I’m your escort,” he said.

“Says who?”

“Says Nick.”

“The same Nick who’s not going tonight?” she asked. She held up her hand. “Forget it. I changed my mind.”

“What?” Jackson and I asked at the same time.

She looked at us, and her pretty hazel eyes were anguished. “I can’t do this. The New Dawn development was never supposed to be about me. It was supposed to be about me and Nick, about the two of us doing something together, but he just keeps pushing me away. This whole thing has been for nothing and I . . . I just can’t! I’m sorry!”

She whirled around, her skirt flaring, showing off her long lithe legs, as she dashed back into my bedroom and slammed the door.

Panic began to thrum through me. Everyone who was anyone was going to the gala tonight. The freaking mayor would be there! If Lexi didn’t show, we were so screwed. Damn you, Nick Daire! As if I wasn’t mad enough at him on my own behalf; now I was devastated for Lexi and everything we had worked so hard for over the past few months.

“Do you mind if I . . . ?” Jackson gestured to the closed door.

I waved him on. “Go for it.”