“Not at all. I was simply greeting guests.”
“He hasn’t so much as spoken to you this entire time, and the guests inside are saying he’s angry with you.”
“I don’t know how they’d know,” Rosalie says honestly. Sure, they’re not talking, but how different is that from their old normal, really?
“Well, fix it,” Mother insists. “Before that Pine girl reaches him.”
“I don’t think there’s any fixing it,” Rosalie hears herself say, watching the way Mr.Dean notices Catherine at the end of the line. That perpetual look of annoyance melts off his handsome stupid face. He’s standing straighter, his face brighter—
“Go,” Mother says, practically shoving Rosalie toward the doors.
Rosalie goes, slipping back in beside Mr.Dean. But he doesn’t even glance at her, or acknowledge Mr. and Mrs.Leon, thanking him and his father for hosting the event.
Rosalie’s relief curdles into dread the closer Catherine and her parents get to the entryway. Rosalie’s free of Mr.Dean, regardless of what happens next. But Catherine’s not free yet.
Whether she and Catherine figure out a way to live together forever, or for a time, or whatever they want—forever, Rosalie thinks, unbidden—Catherine surely cannot marry this man.
This man who so openly regards another woman while standing next to the one he’s courted for a year, grinning as Catherine and her parents step up to them, the last in line, everyoneelse already inside and seated for the concert. Given how smug Mrs. Pine looks, Rosalie wonders if that wasn’t her plan all along.
“MissPine, Mr. and Mrs.Pine, how wonderful of you to join us. Come, I have seats all saved for us,” Mr.Dean says.
“So lovely to see you,” Rosalie says quickly, smiling at Catherine.
“And you as well,” Catherine agrees, her smile forced but eyes bright. “Mr.Dean, thank you for the invitation,” she adds, turning her head a moment after her words, like she’s having trouble looking away from Rosalie.
“We ought to go in,” Mrs.Pine says. “Wouldn’t want to delay the performance.”
“Of course,” Mr.Dean says, stepping away from Rosalie to offer his arm to Catherine.
Catherine glances at Rosalie askance. He really is just going to abandon Rosalie in public like that. Walk into the hall with a different woman on his arm. A full, emphatic dismissal.
Rosalie wouldn’t mind. But Mother’s jaw has dropped.
“Let’s all go in together,” Catherine says quickly, stepping to the side to take Rosalie’s arm.
Mother’s jaw snaps up, Mrs.Pine glowers, Mr.Dean looks surprised and not much else. And Mr.Pine... well, Mr.Pine is chuckling into his handkerchief.
Catherine’s arm is warm against hers, skin to skin, both of them in small kid gloves. Catherine starts walking, forcing Mr.Dean to hurry ahead to lead them inside.
“Catherine,” Rosalie hears Mrs.Pine hiss as they follow him.
Catherine holds fast to Rosalie’s arm. “Can you believe him?” she whispers.
“You made a late entrance,” Rosalie hears her mother say.
“And you a very early one,” Mrs.Pine counters.
“Well, we arrived with Mr.Dean,” Mother replies. “He escorted my Rosalie.”
“Only because my Catherine is too polite to let him make his preferences plain,” Mrs.Pine says quickly.
“Dearest, let’s focus on the concert,” Mr.Pine pipes up as they walk toward the waiting sets of chairs facing an erected podium where a small string orchestra waits.
He really was planning to leave Rosalie to walk all the way through the audience after he’d escorted Catherine inside.
“What a jerk,” Catherine whispers as they sit down, Catherine next to Mr.Dean on the aisle, Rosalie on her other side.
Rosalie withholds a laugh, reluctantly letting go of Catherine’s arm so they can get settled. But Catherine stays close, their shoulders pressed together while Mother sits on Rosalie’s other side.
