Anna sidles up beside him, looping her arm through his with a playful smirk. “So smooth,” she says, resting her head dramatically on his shoulder. “That’s how he got me.”
Mason looks at her adoringly, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. I smile seeing them together. They make it look so easy.
“You’ve got a good one, Anna.”
“I know,” she says, grinning up at him.
Gemma scrunches her nose in mock disgust. “Ew. Go be cute somewhere else—you’re making me queasy.”
I sip my drink, staying quiet as Anna and Mason flirt and giggle. They’re so wrapped up in each other, it’s genuinely sweet. That’s what I want—what I’ve always wanted, really—a love that’s all-consuming. And the fact that I’ve found it with Lucas, that our life together is unfolding for real, fills me with so much hope. I really want this to beit.
Gemma catches my silence and narrows her eyes at me. “You good?” she asks, leaning in a little closer.
I nod, forcing a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
She gives me a sceptical look but doesn’t push—at least, not directly. “Lucas glued to his phone again?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.
I wave it off, trying to sound casual. “It’s nothing. He’s fine, Gem.”
She raises her hands in surrender. “Alright, I won’t say another word about it. By the way, we saw Bridget making a move on James. She didn’t waste any time, did she?”
I swallow, keeping my tone as even as possible. “Yeah. She’s persistent, I’ll give her that.”
“Jealous?”
“Of course not,” I say too quickly, earning a smirk from her. Why on earth would she think I was jealous of James and Bridget? This ismyengagement party with Lucas, for crying out loud. She taps a manicured nail against the rim of her glass. “He didn’t seem too interested, though. Did you notice the way he looked at you? It was like Bridget wasn’t even there.”
“Gem, really not appropriate,” I scold, shooting her a warning look.
“Fine, fine,” she says, rolling her eyes and setting her glass on the counter. The sharp crack of shattering glass snaps my attention back to the living room. Bridget stands frozen with ahand over her mouth as everyone stares. Her eyes lift to meet mine. “I’m so sorry,” she mouths.
I offer a reassuring smile and wave it off. “I’ve got it,” I mouth back, hoping to ease her embarrassment. I scan the courtyard and living room quickly, but there’s no sign of Lucas. What the fuck is he doing?
James sets his beer on the coffee table before making a beeline for the utility room. I follow him, watching as he pulls open cupboard doors. I step in, reaching up to open the top cupboard next to him where the dustpan and brush are kept, standing on my tiptoes to grab them.
“Here, let me,” he says. Warmth encases me as James steps in close, pressing his chest lightly against my back. His woodsy scent drifts between us, and with an easy stretch, he snags the items from the shelf above, brushing my arm in the process. I quickly pull my hands away and pivot to face him, but he doesn’t step away. Instead, he stays close, his eyes trained on mine.
My skin burns at his proximity, and, for reasons I can’t quite determine myself, I feel … nervous. The fact that he’s been watching me all evening has been distracting, not to mention hard to avoid, and being this close to him feels like a slow burn—a heat builds in the pit of my stomach that I can’t control. For a moment, I lose track of everything around us. It’s just me and his commanding presence, looming like a shadow.
Blinking, I shake myself out of my daze and try to focus on the task at hand. Clean the broken glass. Because being this close to James feels like standing on the edge of something I’m too afraid to acknowledge, let alone dive into.
“I’ve got it,” I say, holding out my hand for the items. “Thank you.”
“Where’s my brother?”
“I’m sure he’s just using the bathroom upstairs,” I say, attempting to sound unaffected.
“Mmm.” He opens his mouth to say something when?—
“Oh, James, there you are!” Caroline says as she sweeps into the room, startling us both. James exhales, as if he’s frustrated, before he steps back, creating a sliver of space between us. “Good, you’re helping,” Caroline adds with a bright smile. She steps forward, reaching for the dustpan and brush in his hands. “Here, honey, I’ll take care of the glass. You both go enjoy yourselves.” She nods towards me. “Go and spend time with that fiancé of yours.”
If I can find him.
James hesitates, handing the dustpan and brush to his mother. He doesn’t spare me a glance or utter a word before striding out. Caroline turns and follows close behind, her heels clicking against the floor as she hurries to the scene of the crime.
I need another drink.
Clearing my throat, I smooth my dress and make my way back to the party, pasting on a smile, pretending this night is exactly as I imagined. Even though it isn’t. Even though, deep down, it feels like everything is starting to unravel at the edges. I just can’t figure out why.
