Lauren felt one breath away from exploding. She drew in one more lungful of fresh air before committing to entering the Mansion. Trent’s hand in hers made her feel like a real princess, because he was all dressed up like a dashing prince. If she’d thought he was handsome in jeans and a T-shirt, she was utterly drooling at him in his full uniform, complete with the hat that made his jaw look even more square.
The music inside the building was loud but classical, creating an ambiance that invited polite chatter and laughter, casual dancing, and light snacking on the hors d’oeuvres.
Lauren didn’t take anything from the tray as it went past, as knotted as her stomach was. Trent bypassed the drinks and one-bites as well, and he instead steered her over to another cop.
“Lauren, this is a frie
