No children.
And the girlfriend? Fake.
My head is still spinning.
I fix my mascara. Freshen my lipstick. And swipe the last smudge of eyeliner from beneath my eye. Squaring my shoulders, I head back downstairs.
As I step into the soft buzz of the reception room, the scent of wine, candle wax, and some kind of roasted meat hits me all at once.
I’m barely three steps inside when Carter intercepts me.
“There you are,” he says. “I was about to send out a search party. You missed dinner.”
“I know,” I reply, trying to sound casual. “I—it’s just harder than I thought. Being away from Esme.”
He pauses, studying me a little more closely. “You okay? You look…”
“I know,” I say with a short laugh. “Tired. Weird. Emotional. All of the above.”
But even as I’m talking to Carter, my eyes are moving.
Searching.
And there he is.
Spencer.
Near the bar, in conversation with someone - maybe a college buddy. He’s leaning casually against the counter, one hand tucked in his pocket, his expression open, engaged.
I take a breath.
“You go rub elbows,” I say, nudging Carter lightly. “I’ll be fine.”
He gives me a curious look, but nods and heads off.
I walk to the bar and order a glass of courage. Butbefore it arrives, before I’ve worked up the nerve to approach him, Spencer’s already here.
Right beside me.
“Hey,” he says gently. “I was hoping you might resurface.”
I nod, really looking at him for the first time today. His eyes—dark and endless. That dimple in his chin. A smile that is somehow both a question and a reassurance at once. The same easy grace I remembered from that night.
And now—something else. A softness around the eyes. The tilt of his mouth when he smiles. For the first time, I see it.
Esme.
She’s there, in the angles and echoes.
“Isabelle stopped by my room on her way out,” I offer.
He pauses, like he’s considering how much to explain. “It’s weird. I know it is,” he says, apologetically.
I chuckle. “Interesting setup. I can’t afford a fake date, but honestly, I can see how it might have some upshots. Probably even tax-deductible.”
He laughs. “It’s not as glamorous as it sounds. But Isabelle’s great. Having her along… it just makes things easier.”
I nod and take a sip of wine. “I’m surprised they let you attend the gala unguarded.”
