Chapter Twenty-Two

“Whoa, there,” Christopher says, catching my arm and keeping me upright. “You haven't even had anything to drink yet.”

My hand goes to my chest, my palm shaking against my skin. The sudden rush of adrenaline has me trembling, and it's combining with the adrenaline of walking a red carpet. I take a shaky breath.

“You okay?” Christopher asks. He still has his hand on me, keeping me from tipping over. I'm glad, because I feel like I might fall without him there.

“Just embarrassed,” I tell him. I give him a unsteady smile. “What a way to make an entrance, right?”

“Don't worry. No one saw a thing,” he assures me. He moves my hand to his elbow. I remember practicing walking with him like this when we were younger. Learning how to properly escort a lady into a dance was part of his dance lessons.

The hotel is grand. The party is lavish, and the guests are all rich. There are senators and movie stars mingling with drinks in their hands. I swallow hard. I've seen this world from the outsi