Looking Real Good by C. Morgan

Author:C. Morgan [Morgan, C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BrixBaxter Publishing
Published: 2020-10-28T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Lukas

The Monroe ballroom was as beautiful as ever.

I’d been to my fair share of weddings in this ballroom, all of which had been overdone, tacky, and obnoxious. But tonight?

The place was perfect.

The lights were dim and candles flickered on nearly every surface, creating a warm ambiance and inviting atmosphere. White plates sat on gold saucers, framed by gold cutlery upon burnt orange napkins. The centerpieces were elegant floral displays of rich fall colors: red, copper, gold, orange, and hints of yellow. The place had the feel of extravagance and minimalism all at once, and I knew immediately that Kayla had a hand in the decor.

Had she hired someone, it would have been as over the top as usual.

I stood in the entryway for a brief moment to get my bearings. There, across the ballroom, was the bar. Above it hung a long crystal chandelier which had been fed through with more floral arrangements that matched those on the tables, creating a woodsy aesthetic. The bar itself was elegantly appointed, and each and every stool in front of it was full.

The night was already in full swing.

The guests milled around in their best dresses and suits. Women walked arm in arm with their husbands, who stopped to discuss business with other men whose wives hung off their arms. The women would smile pleasantly but never open their mouths. Their heads would turn on swivels as they looked around and studied the crowd for familiar faces. Diamond earrings caught the light and glittered in competition with diamonds draped around necks and wrists and fingers.

Peacocks, I thought morosely. They’re all damn peacocks.

“I need a drink,” I concluded.

I began making my way through the ballroom toward the bar. On my way, I was stopped several times by the businessmen and their wives.

“Mr. Holt,” a familiar and stout man with a bald head said, stepping in my path to the bar. “It’s good to see you, young man. How have you been?”

“Doing well, sir,” I said. His name was lost on me. His eyes, friendly and brown, were familiar, but I could not recall how I knew him. “And you?”

He ran a hand over his concealed belly beneath his suit jacket. “Quite well, quite well. This is a function and a half you have on your hands tonight. I must admit I’m a little surprised.

“Surprised?” I asked.

“Well, this hardly seems like your neck of the woods, son. A fundraiser? For a non-profit?” The man chuckled knowingly, and his brown eyes slid across the ballroom toward the stage on my left. “Perhaps there are other factors at play here?”

I followed his gaze until I saw who he was looking at.

Kayla.

She stood up on the stage by the podium. She was speaking to a hotel employee in black pants and a crisp white suit. He was a young man, probably no more than twenty-four, and whatever she was saying to him was making him smile.

She had a way of making everyone smile.

The stage lighting shone down on her and lit her up like she herself was part of the ballroom decor.

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