Charlie had fallen asleep in my arms that night without making it to the end of the movie. I’d carried her to my bed and tucked her in beside me. She’d been gone when I awoke, but the dress box had been missing as well. It had given me hope. Between my work schedule and hers, we hadn’t managed to see each other again until tonight. We’d spoken briefly last night, but the conversation had been awkward and stilted. Both of us dancing around the subject of tonight, and neither of us having the balls to bring it up. But she was here.

“You’re very welcome. Can I get you a drink?”

“Open bar?” she asked.

“Cash bar—it’s a fundraiser, babe.”

“Then you’re buying.”

“Done.”

We ate, mixed, mingled, and bid on silent auction items. Charlie charmed everyone she met. She had a knack for small talk and putting people at ease I’d never noticed before. If I was still considering a life as a politician, I couldn’t have picked a better conversationalist. It was like she was born to work a room. But I didn’t give a fuck about her ability to make small talk; I was just happy that she seemed to be enjoying the event and had instantly connected with Kingman’s widow. Although I guess I should call her Carina. Her husband was another active duty sailor. I gave her credit for taking the same risk again. Not everyone would be quite so brave.

I purposely maneuvered us away from my parents, not because I didn’t think Charlie could handle my father, but because I didn’t want him to piss me off and ruin the night. I’d say what I needed to say to him tomorrow. It would be soon enough.

Then I saw a familiar head of blond hair in the crowd. Vanessa. She had accompanied her father this evening, and I could hear his booming laugh from across the ship. He was a bull of a man who liked to keep everyone and everything under his thumb.

Charlie must have recognized Vanessa bearing down on us, because she said, “Should I be concerned that the claws are going to come out since I stole her man?”

I frowned. “Vanessa’s not like that. At all. So sheathe your claws, babe. She’s good people. I think you’ll like her.”

With the mask obscuring her face, I couldn’t exactly see Charlie’s skeptical expression, but I knew it was there all the same.

My brow creased as I studied Vanessa. She was wobbling on her heels and her cheeks were flushed. She was drunk. Which was completely out of character. I’d never even seen her tipsy in public. Ever.

I reached out an arm to steady her. Charlie seemed to pick up on the unusual nature of the situation and held out a hand. “I’m Charlie. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Her words weren’t snide; they were sincere and genuine, and I loved her for that.

“I’ve heard so much about you, Charlie. I’m so glad to finally meet you too.” Vanessa’s words slurred as she shook Charlie’s hand. “You’ve found yourself a good man … don’t let him get away.”

She stumbled, and the clear liquid in her glass sloshed onto the deck, just missing Charlie’s shoes. Another thing I’d never seen Vanessa do was drink hard liquor. Something was seriously fucked up.

“What’s going on? You seem a little…”

“Drunk?” she finished for me. “Then mission accomplished.”

Charlie and I worked as a unit to maneuver her into a corner.

“What the hell is going on, Vanessa?”

She downed the remainder of what smelled like a gin and tonic. She threw the glass over the railing into the river and wiped the back of her hand across her mouth. Her actions were all wrong. “Nothing you need to worry about, Simon.”

I opened my mouth to continue questioning her, but Vanessa was looking over my shoulder at Royce Frost as he crossed the deck, presumably heading toward us. She leveled a relatively sober stare on me and said, “I think I’ve had enough festivities for the evening. It’s time for me to go. Especially if you don’t want my father to think you’re still potential husband material.”

Charlie and I exchanged a confused look.

“Let’s get you cab then. Unless you want us to see you home,” I offered.

“No, a cab is fine.” She turned to Charlie and spoke softly. “Treat him right; he’s one of the good ones.”

Charlie glanced up at me and nodded. “I know.”

We helped Vanessa down the gangway, across the private section of dock, and then through the masses of people filling the streets. After Vanessa climbed into the back seat, I paid the driver and gave him directions to take her home.

“I’ve never seen her like that. Something’s definitely off,” I said to Charlie, as we turned away from the street.

“Maybe you should check on her tomorrow? See if you can get a better sense of what’s going on after she’s had a chance to sober up?” Charlie suggested.

I squeezed her hand, happy that she’d not only sheathed her claws, but was concerned about Vanessa, a woman she’d previously considered a threat.

“That sounds like a plan.”

We pushed through the crowd, but a fat bastard of a man shoved between us, breaking my hold.

“Charlie!” I spun, looking for her red dress as the mob of people carried her away from me like a riptide. When I finally caught sight of her, she was elbowing her way through the crowd, and her mask was gone.

I made my way toward her, and when I finally reached her, I swung her up in my arms.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Jesus, it’s a freaking riot out there. You’d think it was Mardi Gras,” she said, sucking in a breath. She gestured to her face. “Lost my mask. The elastic snapped, and I didn’t want to risk looking for it. It’s not worth getting trampled.”

“Good call.”

I hoisted her up higher so she had a better vantage point to see over the craziness, and we made our way back to the private dock. When we reached the less crowded space, I set Charlie down, and we both paused to right ourselves. A ginger-haired guy tried to follow us, but was stopped by an Orleans employee at the gate. He gestured wildly, but the security guard wouldn’t let him pass. I hoped he wasn’t a guest who’d misplaced his ticket. When he backed away and faded into the crowd, I assumed he was just another partier, wanting to get out of the craziness for a minute.

I watched Charlie as she shook her head—black, red, and purple waves falling into her face. She brushed them away as the first barrage of fireworks ripped through the night sky.