Focus on Simon, Penelope. Focus on Simon.

“You’re being awfully quiet tonight.” He kissed the shell of my ear. “Are you having a good time?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to come over my place after we leave?”

“Absolutely.” I looked up as I said those words, catching Hayden staring at us from afar.

His eyes were focused on my hands, so I threaded my fingers through Simon’s hair. Then I trailed them down to his neck.

Hayden’s face reddened, and I finally looked away from him.

“You want to try a few things from the inspiration bar?” I said to Simon. “That’s always the best part of this event.”

“I’d love to.” He let go of my waist and clasped my hand, leading me over to the side of the room that was partitioned by the twenty-foot ice sculptures.

He took his time making us a plate of appetizers, but before we could taste them, the CEO of Tinder—Tim Lassing, stepped in front of us.

“Well, look who it is.” He smiled. “Hayden Hunter’s partner in crime. You look stunning as always, Penelope.”

I didn’t bother saying, “Thank you.”

“Are you ever going to admit what he did to me, or are you going to forever cling to his bullshit lies?” he asked.

“Could you like, not?” I rolled my eyes. “I’m shocked Hayden even put you on the guest list.”

“Me too.” He smiled. “But he knows how to throw a damn good party and you’re always around, so I’ll never turn down the chance to get to you. Is this suited guy next to you your date?”

“Simon Gaines.” Simon extended his hand to him. “Nice to meet you.”

Tim didn’t shake it. Instead, he patted Simon’s shoulder.

“You’re wasting your time on this one,” he said. “Get out while you can before the coincidences start piling up.” He snatched one of the strawberries off our plate and walked away.

“I don’t even want to know what the hell he was talking about.” Simon laughed.

“He does that all the time.” I shook my head, suddenly needing a breather more than ever. “Can you give me a few minutes? I need to run to the restroom.”

“Take your time.”

I walked away and headed upstairs to the bathroom that few guests knew existed.

I needed to be alone.

“Mints, spritz, or napkins, Miss?” The attendant smiled at me once I pushed the door open.

“Water, please.”

“As you wish, Miss. What type of—”

“We need to talk.” Hayden was suddenly behind me. “Now.”

“I’m not in the mood to talk to you.”

“I didn’t ask if you were.” He stepped around me. “Can you leave us alone for a few minutes, Martha?”

The attendant nodded and left the room.

Hayden walked over to the sink, but I remained still against the wall that was closest to the door.

I waited for him to come clean, to throw himself at my mercy, and apologize for being an utter jerk these past few weeks, but he didn’t look remorseful in the slightest.

“For the record,” he said, his eyes meeting mine, “you’re fucking beautiful.”

“Thanks. You’re fucking avoiding me.”

“I vividly remember speaking to you a little over an hour ago.”

“You know what I mean.” My chest ached. “Call me before you leave the gala? That’s the only text you’ve sent me for the past couple of weeks, Hayden.”

“Is coming up here your way of telling me that you’re about to leave, then?”

“No,” I said. “I’m trying to tell you that you’ve been a terrible best friend.”

“Really?” He raised his eyebrow. “That’s what you think?”

“I can repeat it if you like.”

“Look,” he said. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with your boyfriend.”

“Yeah, that’s how relationships usually work.”

“He isn’t who you think he is,” he said. “Simeon has some shady shit going on, and I think you should know.”

“His name is Simon.”

“His name depends on what state he’s living in,” he said. “Nonetheless, he’s not Prince Charming in the slightest and I need you to know that now before you make a huge mistake.”

“You mean, before I fuck him tonight?”

“You’re not fucking him. Ever.”

“Why are you acting so jealous, Hayden?”

“Let me finish talking.” His voice was terse.

“After you stop acting jealous.”

“I’m not acting.”

Silence.

“Your boyfriend is a con artist,” he said. “He’s pretty much Jay Gatsby on steroids, and he’s been cheating on you this entire time.”

I crossed my arms, saying nothing.

“He has a different woman in six different cities, and that doesn’t include you.” He looked into my eyes. “As for his place on the Forbes 500? He paid for a journalist friend to place his name on the website for a day and he took a screenshot before the editor in chief corrected it.”

“How do you know all of this, Hayden?”

“That Ferrari that he’s been driving you around in for weeks is a rental and he hasn’t made the payments in two months.”

“How do you know all of this?” I repeated, my voice cracking.

He still didn’t answer that question. “I think you should break up with him. The sooner, the better.”

“You haven’t talked to me in weeks, and now you’re asking me to dump my boyfriend?”

“Yeah,” he said, his voice deadpan. “I wanted to tell you sooner, but you wouldn’t have believed me,” he said. “And you know it.”

“I don’t believe you now.” I shrugged. “Two weeks ago, you said that he was your favorite out of all my boyfriends.”

“I have never said that about any of your boyfriends.”

“You implied it. You also implied that you’d be there for me, but you seem to have dropped the ball on that one lately.”

“I stalked your boyfriend every day for weeks, okay?” He glared at me. “And I had Sarah do some advanced digging. That’s where the fuck I’ve been. Looking out for you.”

I swallowed. “You know what? I regret ever asking for your help on this.”

“I don’t regret giving it to you,” he said, moving closer. “The next thing you need to do is break up with him and start dating the better guy.”

“Oh?” I glared at him. “So, while you were out galvanizing and stalking Simon, you also managed to find me a replacement boyfriend? How generous. Will he be arriving to this gala anytime soon?”

“He’s standing right in front of you.” He hissed. “And I want you to break up with him, for me.”

Silence.

I blinked a few times, and he took a few more steps forward.

“I fucking want you, Penelope,” he said. “You belong with me.”

Tension hung in the air; neither of us said a word.