CHAPTER 166: DINNER PARTY

Emily stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom. She stepped back slowly, one heel at a time, and looked at reflection in the mirror.

Her skin was still glowing from the pampering section. Her long black hair had been curled and pinned up softly. A few loose strands framed her face. Her makeup was light, but pretty. Her lips were pink, her gray eyes looked warmer and a little bold. The spa lady had called it a "soft glam."

She turned to the side, then back to the front, then turned around again.

The dress she wore was black, hugging her body in all the right ways. It had thin straps and a low back. Her gold sandals were shiny.

She couldn’t remember the last time she had worn something like that.

Was it prom? It had to be, courtesy of Mari.

She smiled at the thought of Mari.

Emily glanced at the time displayed on her phone. It was almost 7 p.m, and Dan would be there soon.

Callan wasn’t at home, not that she cared.

It was even better he wasn’t at home, she told herself as she picked up her tiny black clutch from the dresser and looked at herself one last time.

But something poked her in the chest. A tiny feeling she hadn’t invited.

She would have liked him to see her looking this way. More like those girls he liked to date.

But then she shook her head and whispered aloud to herself, "Nope! We are not doing that tonight, Emily. Not tonight. Not ever."

She said it again. Firmer.

"I don’t care if he sees me. Or what he thinks."

She stood tall, took a deep breath, and walked out of the room to go wait for Dan in the living room.

At exactly seven, her phone rang.

She picked up quickly when she saw it was Dan.

"Hey!" she greeted cheerfully.

"Hi, Emily," Dan’s voice was warm. "I’m at the gate. But the security guys wants to speak to you before letting me in."

Emily smiled. "Okay. I’ll talk to them."

After a quick call with the guards, she gave the go-ahead.

Two minutes later, she opened the door and stepped out to meet Dan when she heard him drive in.

She did not want to invite him into Callan’s house. It just didn’t feel right.

The moment Dan stepped out of his car, he stared at her for a moment like he’d forgotten how to speak.

"Hi," she greeted with a little laugh, already feeling her cheeks warm at the way he was staring at her.

"Emily..." he finally said. "You..." Dan stepped back and looked at her again. "You look amazing. Like— like really really beautiful. I don’t even have the words."

Emily laughed. "Thank you."

"I mean it. You look like you should be on a magazine cover. Or walking the red carpet. I wasn’t ready for this."

"You’re far too kind," she said lightly.

Dan opened the car door for her like a gentleman. As she slid in, he walked around and got into the driver’s seat.

As he started the car, he glanced around the neighborhood.

"So... is this where you will be staying or do you plan to move into the resident lodge?" he asked.

Emily adjusted her dress and looked out the window. "Yeah. I’ll be staying here when I’m off duty. I love to have my space."

"I guess your guardian lives here?" Dan asked slowly. "Callan?"

"Yes," she said simply. "Please let’s not talk about him."

Dan nodded, reading her tone. It didn’t take a genius to know that the two didn’t get along so well.

There was a short silence.

Then Emily turned and asked, "I was expecting to share a cab not you driving. Do you live in Husla?"

Dan laughed. "No, I don’t live here."

"Then how did you get this car?" She asked curiously since the car looked pretty expensive.

"I borrowed it from a close friend," he said with a smile. "Didn’t want to show up in a cab. I figured... you deserved a little effort."

Emily smiled. "That’s sweet."

Yes, she did deserve a man who was intentional enough to put in effort, not the kind of treatment she always got from Callan the jerk.

They drove through the calm, evening streets of Husla as the city lights began to flicker on like stars coming out early. The car was warm, the music soft, and Dan’s presence was easy as he kept the conversation light.

When they arrived at the venue, Emily looked up at the tall, shining building with wide windows and gold light pouring out from inside. People were stepping out of cars, smiling and laughing as they walked in.

"You ready?" Dan asked gently.

Emily gave a nod and drew in a deep breath. "I’m ready."

He held out his arm, and she looped hers through it.

Inside, the room buzzed with chatter and soft music. Strings of lights hung from the ceiling. The scent of wine and flowers filled the air. Everyone looked classy, friendly and curious.

Dan got them two glasses of wine from a nearby waiter and handed one to Emily.

Soon they were mingling with the other guests. Emily smiled, shook hands, listened and asked questions. She laughed at clinical jokes and memorized names.

Dan stayed close to her side the whole time.

She laughed and leaned in when someone told her about their clinic setup. She shared a few ideas about therapy groups. People nodded. They liked her.

Then, from somewhere behind her, she heard a change in tone.

The ladies near her stopped talking. One of them whispered something, and another nudged her elbow.

Emily turned to see what the issue was, and then she froze when she saw him.

Callan stood at the entrance.

He was dressed in a tailored navy-blue suit. His shirt was deep charcoal, no tie, top buttons open just enough to show a little skin.

His jaw was smooth. His hair brushed back. His green eyes were narrowed as they looked around the hall like he was searching for something... or perhaps someone.

He looked... Dapper.

Emily’s treacherous heart skipped a beat before she could stop it.

What was he doing there? Emily wondered.

He hadn’t seen her yet.

But she saw him. And suddenly, she wasn’t sure if her dress was tight enough. Or if her lipstick was still in place. Or if her hair was properly arranged.

Her heart skipped again when his gaze landed on her from across the room, and she swallowed hard.

Then she lifted her chin, refusing to fall back to the same cycle. She didn’t care what he was there for. Tonight, she was here to move forward.

She wouldn’t let the past pull her back. Not even if he looked so damn attractive.

With a smile on her face, she looked away from him and turned her attention to Dan.

Callan could go to hell.