That shouldn’t matter.
She isn’t obligated to wait for me.
She isn’t anything to me yet.
And still...
I look toward the table.
Theo is there. Elliot. Rowan. Harper. Caleb.
Lucy’s chair is empty.
I frown slightly, more irritation than concern at first. She probably stepped away. The restroom. Fresh air. A conversation with someone.
She’s capable. She doesn’t need to be monitored.
I start back toward the table, and Theo’s eyes meet mine before I even get there.
Not teasing.
Not amused.
Not relaxed.
Sharp.
Alert.
Angry?
The way he looks when something has gone wrong, and he hasn’t decided yet whether he’s going to be furious or protective.
I stop beside him.
“Where’s Lucy?” I ask.
Theo’s mouth curves into something that is not a smile.
“Oh,” he says. “Now you care.”
That feels wrong. Heat churns in my gut that I don't understand, and I try to push it down. Push the uncomfortable feeling away.
Caleb straightens beside the table, his gaze steady on mine. Not judgmental. Just… present. Watching.
“I asked where she is,” I say.
Theo crosses his arms. “You were a little busy.”
“What are you trying to say?” I snap.
“Does it matter?” he shoots back. “You couldn’t tell me the name of the last woman you were dancing with if your life depended on it.”
I open my mouth to respond... and realize he’s right.
There’s nothing there.
No faces.
