There were already four people at our table and one empty seat. A distinguished-looking man in maybe his early fifties sat next to a woman about the same age. She was elegantly attired in a long-sleeved black gown with aVthat showed off a hint of cleavage and a diamond choker. She smiled. “Hi, I’m Rosemary, and this is my husband, Marvin.” He smiled and gave a polite nod. Rosemary inclined her head to the young man next to her. “This is my son, Mike, and his wife, Sophia.”
I smiled. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Faith. I’m here because my amazing friend is getting an award.” I put my hand on Amy’s shoulder.
Rosemary gave me a quizzical look, and Amy laughed and turned to me. “I’m not sure everyone knows I won. I was given a heads-up to make sure I came.”
Oh. Trust me to put my foot in it.Way to go, Faith. “Oh no. I’msorry.” I looked at Rosemary and Marvin. “Just ignore me. I have no idea what I’m talking about.”
Marvin’s brow furrowed, and then he grinned. “I didn’t hear it from you.”
The lights dimmed further. A spotlight bloomed into existence, illuminating the lectern on the small stage and the blank, white projection screen hanging higher on the wall above it. Kayley and Amy shared a look across me, both of them nervous. Was that screen supposed to have Amy’s name or something? Maybe they were going to show pictures of her journey at the firm. I put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s going to be fine, Ames. Stop worrying.”
She swallowed, then forced her lips into something that resembled a grimace rather than happiness. “I’ll stop worrying when tonight’s over.” How strange. The vibes she was giving off didn’t track with winning an award. Maybe I was just reading things wrong. Whenever Amy spoke about work, she’d seemed confident, but who knew how intimidated she actually felt while trying to impress her exacting bosses. Maybe this award was even more important than I thought it was.
Her nerves seeped into me.Argh. I should’ve had more than one glass of champagne in the limo. I could also add that to the list of things I never thought I’d say. Look at me, living in a dump in a shitty town in the middle of nowhere, yet I spent a night living like a rich person. Life was strange.
Speaking of strange, the skin on my arms pebbled. The sense of being watched took over—the same sensation I’d feel when Curtis stared at me, his undivided attention peeling back my layers one by one until it seemed as if he was staring into my very being, adoring me for who I was. I’d never had that with anyone else, and I doubted I ever would again.
I looked around, my heart beating double time, expecting to see him, but before I had time to search the crowd, Amy grabbed myforearm. “What’s wrong? It’s too late to go to the bathroom. I think someone will start the proceedings any moment.”
“Oh, ah, that’s okay. I’m fine.” I willed my heart to slow.
Coming tonight was a bad idea. I was probably going to age ten years by the time I went home from the almost-heart-attacks from expecting—hoping—to see Curtis around every corner. Argh, why couldn’t I just be cool and get over him quickly? It wasn’t as if he’d even tried to message me. He clearly didn’t care nearly as much as I’d thought if he was so quick to believe other people’s lies or forgive me my mistakes and fight for us. He’d let me down just as much as I’d let him down.
Remember that, Faith.
I kicked myself under the table. “Ouch.”
Amy stared at me. “Are you okay?”
“Yep. Fine. Never better.” I bared my teeth like a crazy emoji. Great, I’d waited till now to lose the plot. Just what Amy needed on her big night. I took a deep breath. “Seriously, I’m okay. I think I need another drink or some food. But probably another drink.”
She chuckled. “Here you go. You poor, parched princess.” She poured me some white wine from one of the open bottles on the table. This would go down well, considering I hadn’t eaten since lunchtime. I took a sip and noticed someone standing on stage.
The woman’s assured voice rang out over the sound system. “Good evening, everyone. If I could have your attention.” The quite murmuring died down to nothing. “Thank you so much for coming tonight to celebrate with us.”
Air torpedoed down my throat, and I choked on it. I tried to cough quietly but it was impossible. Amy shot me a sympathetic look and rubbed my back while everyone at our table stared at me.
What. The. Iced. Donut.
The woman on stage was Stephanie, as inCurtis’sAunt Stephanie.ThatStephanie. She was the only Stephanie I knew, andhere she was. Standing there in all her Stephanie-ish glory. My brain clearly needed a moment.
I placed my glass on the table, torn between wanting to down the contents in one gulp and not wanting to drop it from my suddenly weak hand.
My wide eyes fixed on Amy. I hoped she understood they were saying “What the actual fuck?!”
She rolled her lips in, pressing them together, one eyebrow raised like she was conveying an innocent “What?”
I turned my head again, trying to focus on the people at the tables around us. Many were strangers, but oh my God, there was Destiny. She gave me a small smile and wave. I blinked.
Before I could ask Amy to please explain, Stephanie continued. “But as some of you know, especially the press we’ve invited, this is more than a celebration. I won’t spoil the surprise for those who don’t know. I’ll leave that to the man of the moment, a man I’m afraid I let down in the past few months. A man who has acted with integrity but who has been much maligned recently, both in the press and at home by those who should know better, me included.”
Would it be bad form if I vomited at the table?
My nerves were dialed up to eleven, and my stomach heaved as if I were on a cruise ship in the middle of a storm. The tables and chairs would be sliding across the room at any moment.
And then it happened.
What I’d been both dreading and hoping for since agreeing to this trip.
