ROBIN slipped onto the patio. Inside, the dance floor was packed, the champagne flowing, and she had already danced three songs with Cruz. But her mind kept wandering back to another man, the one she would do anything to not think about.
She made an excuse about needing air, but as soon as she was outside she pulled her cell phone from her satin purse. She punched in the number for the nurses station at GH.
"Epiphany?" Robin asked when the person said hello. "It's me. Robin."
"You are supposed to be out on the town with that foxy cop. Why in the world are you calling work?"
"Is Patrick there?"
"Do I even want to know why you are asking that?"
"If he is there, he can't be here with Bimbo number five."
"She was dumped."
Robin's mouth dropped. "How do you know that?"
"She's blonde, right? All chest and teeth. She was here earlier and left pretty pissed off."
Robin smiled.
Epiphany continued, "After that Patrick got in a fight with Noah about who would do a surgery. Patrick won and he's operating right now."
"Good. Because I'm trying to get through this date and it will never work if he is around."
Someone cleared there throat behind her. Robin turned and saw Cruz, looking amazing in his black tux, the moon casting him in a sensual light.
"Got to go." Robin said into the phone and hung up.
"Get through?" Cruz asked, his voice soft but probing, sad and sexy at the same time."Don't tell me, I'm your rebound guy, aren't I?"
LAINEY sat beside Ned in the back of a limo, they were in a long line of cars that was moving toward the valet parking area in front of the Metro Court. The Charity Ball was the event of the year in town.
The CD player pumped through the speakers, " I need your grace, To remind me, To find my own.
If I lay here , If I just lay here ,Would you lie with me and just forget the world?" ( snow patrol)
"So, Ms. Winters," Ned started
"It's Lainey," she corrected him with a smile. "Come on, Ned. We know each other, right? I mean we both loved..." her words trailed off
He filled in, "Justus. Yes, we did. It's okay to say his name to me. He existed. He loved you."
Lainey looked down and murmured, "Maybe he did. We were just starting out."
Ned touched her leg, "That doesn't make it hurt less, thought, does it?"
"No." she whispered. When she looked up, he had a sad smile on his face.
Lainey made her voice light as she said, "I'm sorry. I'm killing the mood already. That's it for the sad talk tonight. From now on we just concentrate on having a good time, deal?"
Ned's words were low as he said, "You asking me out was the highlight of my year, how could it be anything but?"
A smile spread across Lainey's face.
LIZ didn't stop at the sound of her date's voice. She kept making her way to the elevator, mixing into the crowd, looking for a familiar face.
"Could you slow down?" Pete called
The crowd moved onto the elevator, filling it, leaving only Liz and Mike Corbin waiting for the next one.
Liz said to Mike, "The hotel is decorated beautifully tonight, don't you think?"
"Yeah, Carly did a good job. This high society stuff is not my usual scene but my son insisted we all come and support the cause."
"Elizabeth." Pete said, as he caught up, panting.
She ignored him and said to Mike, "Sonny had always given generously to fund AIDS research."
"All I said was that Picasso is highly overrated." Pete said "That was no reason to jump out of the car while I was still parking."
Elizabeth gave him a seething glare. "And you also said most modern artists are self involved slackers who are trying to imitate people who have been dead for hundreds of years."
The elevator opened and Mike stepped inside. "Coming?" he said to Liz
"Yes." she moved forward
Pete gently touched her arm to stop her. He said, looking at Mike, "We'll catch the next one."
When the elevator doors closed again Pete told Liz, "Listen I didn't know you were so into art. I am more a literature guy myself."
"So, you have no respect for artists?" She punched the button to call the elevator back.
"Of course I do. I just said all that to make conversation... I kinda have a confrontational personality and lots of opinions on just about everything, if you haven't noticed."
She crossed her arms over her chest. "I noticed."
"But if you can get past that, I can be a...decent date. If you will give me another chance?"
Liz didn't know why this guy could get her so riled up. One cocky statement from him and her blood pressure rose. Then he smiled, like he was now, his head titled, his eyes half closed. And she felt herself giving in, an inch.
"How about," she suggested "we go upstairs and dance, drink, bid on the silent auction and not talk about anything more than the weather, movies and music ?"
"Sounds good to me."
The elevator doors opened. They walked inside.
"So, who do you listen to?" Pete asked "Hopefully not anyone who was ever on American idol. All those people are no hack pop star wannabes who sing soul sucking songs that make my ears bleed."
Liz shook her head at his highbrowed judgmental take on another thing she liked.
But instead of telling him off, she saw a chance to mess with him. She dead panned, "My favorite artist is Clay Aiken. I'm part of the Clay Nation."
A horrified expression crossed Pete's face. "Really?"
She waited a moment then said, "No."
He smiled.
Liz looked at him, her eyes scanning his out of place jeans and top hat outfit, and wondered how in the world she had ended up on a date with this infuriating but gorgeous, annoying yet hot, sexy odd man.