I nod. “I think I’m gonna throw up.”
“Breathe,” he says. He sweeps my hair off my shoulder and presses a quick kiss to my neck just above my collarbone. “You’ve got this.”
“We’re rooting for you!” Anna whispers, then I leave them and move to the door to welcome Calista.
“Sarah,” she says warmly. “I’m so sorry I’m late. It’s a ridiculous story that doesn’t bear repeating. But trust that I’m so happy to be here now.”
“It’s lovely to see you, Calista. Truly, it’s an honor you would take the time to be here at all.”
“Are you kidding? I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks. Now, I won’t make you endure the awkwardness of staying with me while I peruse your work. So you just leave me to it, and I’ll be back in a bit.”
“That sounds perfect,” I say. “I’ll be here.”
“How’s the wine?” she asks before moving away.
“The white is terrible,” Carter says, stepping up beside us. “But the red is good.” He offers her a glass, and she takes it, giving him an appraising look.
“Calista, this is my husband,” I say. “Carter Williamson.”
“Charmed,” she says, and she really looks it. “Thank you for the wine.”
As she moves into the gallery, I breathe out a sigh, and Carter slips his arms around my waist from behind. I let myself sink into him, not realizing that I need the support until I have it. I press my arms over the top of his and look around the room. The crowd is finally starting to dwindle, but there’s no way to call the night anything but a success.
I catch sight of Anna out of the corner of my eye. She’swatching us, clearly waiting to finish the conversation that was interrupted by Calista’s arrival.
I’m reluctant to let go of Carter, but I do want to know what Anna was going to say. “Hey, can you let me talk to Anna for a sec?” I say, giving his arm a quick squeeze.
“Of course,” he says, letting me go.
“Don’t go far,” I tell him.
Miles is on the opposite side of the gallery now, talking to the same two men who stopped Carter earlier. After the chilly conversation I watched them have right after Miles arrived, I’m not surprised when Carter steers clear of my brother, heading the opposite direction to talk to Emerson.
Anna comes up beside me, one hand pressed against the bottom of her belly.
“You gonna make it?” I ask, and she nods.
“I swear, just walking makes me tired these days.”
We’re quiet for a beat before I say, “So you were going to tell me why our husbands don’t seem to be friends anymore.”
She breathes out a sigh. “I don’t think that’s it.”
“Then what is it?” I ask. “He was so excited about Carter—so sure he was the perfect guy to do this.”
“It’s not really about Carter,” Anna says. “Not entirely.”
“Then tell me what it is about.”
She glances over at Miles like she wants to make sure he’s not heading this way anytime soon. “Miles told me about your conversation after the wedding,” she says.
At first, I’m not sure what part of the conversation she’s talking about—Miles asking me not to tell Carter about our dad or Miles trying to force a teaching career down my throat. I’m not excited to talk about either subject.
“He says you really don’t want to do the teaching thing.”
“I really don’t,” I quickly say without a shred of hesitation.
She holds my gaze, like she’s considering my words. I know her loyalty will almost always be to Miles first—but I appreciate that Anna always listens and tries to be a voice of reason for us both.
