Would’ve been a lot more romantic if Felicity had said yes. She’d blurted out a panicked no and fled his parents’ lavish party.
Or Daniel could discuss how he was being considered for tenure at the university—never mind that he was up against three very qualified candidates all competing for the same vacated spot. Professional triumph would ease the sting of getting dumped, but even with tenure, he’d still be the underachiever in the Keegan family. His older brother was hoping to be the next governor of Georgia.
Fortunately, the opening trombone notes of a classic striptease score interrupted conversation. Men eagerly turned toward the makeshift stage. The chandeliers in the rented ballroom dimmed even further as a spotlight appeared. Leaning against a column toward the back, Daniel tried to look enthusiastic, but part of him would rather be at home in his Buckhead condo, grading papers. You’re the best man. Participation in the bachelor party is mandatory. Hell, he was just lucky Eli hadn’t asked him to plan it.
Tonight’s location-hopping party—dinner followed by a private burlesque show before winding down at a jazz club—had been part of a package deal with the same event planning service that was managing Eli’s wedding next Saturday. The company had even provided a luxury bus and chauffeur.
A voluptuous redhead in a rhinestone-studded mesh bodysuit sauntered onto the stage, asking where the lucky groom-to-be was and making jokes about the honeymoon. From there, she progressed to audience participation, gathering bits of trivia about Eli’s past. The spotlight followed her to the guest of honor, where she sat in Eli’s lap and serenaded him with an improvised song about his favorite childhood stuffed animal and the day he got his driver’s license. Her lyrics were met with laughter and applause, but the guests really went wild when she introduced the next act—a pair of dancers with large feather fans and teasing smiles.
“Get you another?” A petite blonde waitress, wearing not much more than the women on stage, nodded at the microbrew in Daniel’s hand.
“Oh, no thanks.” He’d been nursing the same beer since arriving, and it was only half-finished. Party animal. “I’m trying to set the record for how long it takes to finish a single drink.”
“Designated driver?”
“Nope, just really boring.” It was something Sean Clark, head of the university kinesiology department, heckled him about once a week. Sean was the poster child for impulsive fun—which was why Eli hadn’t asked him to be the best man. Sean was the kind of guy who would lose the rings. Or miss the wedding entirely because he’d skipped town with a hot bridesmaid.
“I’m sure that’s not true,” the waitress protested. She gave him a slow once-over and a mischievous smile. “You look like you would be very exciting under the right circumstances.”
“Maybe you’re right,” he agreed politely. “Maybe I’ll surprise myself.” Liar. It had been drilled into him from birth that he had a family name and image to protect; he’d repressed his wild side for so long it probably didn’t exist anymore.
Another lie. Daniel knew damn well he had a rebellious streak buried deep down. But after so many years censoring himself, if he ever gave in to it, how would he regain his self-control?
“I’ll be sure to check back with you later,” the waitress promised. “I like surprises.”
As she moved on toward the tables clustered in front, Eli Wallace appeared, clapping Daniel on the shoulder. “Did I see you flirting with the cute waitress?” His approving smile gleamed white against his dark skin. “Progress!”
“Just a bit of friendly conversation.”
“At least I can trust you not to get too friendly.” Eli’s smile vanished. “My dumb-ass cousin Terrence got a little handsy with the bartender. I questioned whether to even invite him tonight, but since both of his brothers were coming... Help me keep an eye on him? If he gets too obnoxious, we pour him into a cab and send his ass home.”
“Remind me, which one’s Terrence?” Daniel and Eli had gone to high school together before ending up as professors at the same university years later; Daniel had met many of the man’s relatives in passing, but only knew Eli’s parents well.
Eli pointed across the room to a man in a disheveled suit whistling at the dancers from his seat.
“I’ll keep an eye out,” Daniel promised.
“Thanks, man. If you’ll excuse me, I should mingle—and keep some distance between me and the performers. If anyone else ends up in my lap, Bex will kick my ass.”
Rebekah was tiny compared to Eli’s six-foot-five but the surgical resident was fierce. “Yeah, probably best not to piss off a woman with regular access to scalpels and bone cutters.”
Eli laughed, but his amusement gave way to sincerity. “All I want to do is make her happy.”
“You will. You guys are great together.” Daniel almost winced at the unintentional irony; Eli had said the same to him when Daniel was psyching himself up to propose to Felicity.
Sympathy flashed in Eli’s gaze, and Daniel waved his friend away. “Go. You’ve got other guests to talk to.”
Making good on his agreement to watch Terrence, Daniel glanced in the man’s direction a few minutes later, but his gaze snagged on the second waitress working the room. She had her back to him, her black hair swishing across her bare shoulders in a straight, shiny fall that reminded him of someone he hadn’t thought of in almost a decade. Mia Hayes. In college, she’d had hair like that, but streaked with turquoise.
Trying not to ogle, he resisted the urge to compare the waitress’s body to Mia’s. Déjà vu aside, they couldn’t be the same woman. Mia had been in the MBA program. With her intelligence and aggressive nature, she’d probably taken over a company by now. Or a small country. Seeing people from his past tonight had simply triggered a sense of nostalgia.
Still, details about Mia came rushing back with startling clarity. The flaming feather tattoo on the back of her neck, her lush curves, her husky laugh. Her utter disdain for him. Daniel had made a woefully bad first impression, and she’d been unforgiving. The few times they’d been forced to work together in class had only made the situation worse.
Putting aside the past, he checked again on Eli’s cousin, who was now stumbling toward the men’s room. Free to watch the show, Daniel turned to the stage. A tall woman was asking for volunteers. She and another performer with great comic timing did a parody of a magic act, full of tricks that “failed” and innuendo-laden explanations.
It wasn’t long before his undisciplined gaze scanned the crowd for the dark-haired waitress bustling between thirsty guests and the bar. He still hadn’t caught a clear look at her face, but her curves were evident even in the dim lighting. Black shorts cupped a generous ass, and although she was probably only average height, the seamed fishnet stockings she wore with sparkly stilettos made her legs appear endless. Anxious to see the purple brocade corset she wore from the front, he considered walking to the bar just to cross her path.
Don’t be sleazy. Let the woman do her job.
But then he saw Terrence approach her on unsteady feet. Daniel bolted toward them as Eli’s cousin gripped her elbow. Everyone else’s attention was on the stage. As Daniel got closer, he heard the man remark in slurred speech on how cold she must be in her outfit and offer a vulgar suggestion of how he could keep her warm.
“If my choices were you or frostbite,” the woman said in a low, don’t-fuck-with-me tone, “I’d happily freeze to death. Now let go of me before I knee you so hard your dentist will be giving you your next prostate exam.”
Daniel was struck by shock and recognition. “Mia?”