27

Clearing my throat, I tap on Joel’s shoulder. “Care to introduce me to your friend?”

“What?” He spins around and his eyes go wide in surprise. He even has the nerve to look me up and down, undress me with his eyes while another woman’s lipstick stains his mouth. “Ella, hey. Wait. Ella?”

“Yes, dumbass,” I say.

He gapes at me for a few more seconds. “Wow, you look—”

“Who’s this?” the woman asks. She doesn’t use a mean tone of voice; she just sounds curious. She probably has no clue that Joel is already seeing someone. Or that he was seeing someone.

“I’m his girlfriend,” I say.

She winces. “I’m so sorry—I had no idea. He gave me the impression he was unattached.” To Joel, she says, “See ya, asshole.”

As she walks away, Joel scowls at me. “What the fuck, Ella?”

“You invited me to the gala,” I say. “Or don’t you remember?”

“Oh, right. I didn’t think you were coming.”

“We talked about it,” I said. “Then you left the ticket on my cart.”

“I didn’t leave you a ticket,” he says, looking puzzled