“Trust me. From women like that, excellent is basically a standing ovation.”
Stella’s laugh breaks free properly then.
I watch her because this matters too. Not just that my parents approve. That she sees I wanted them to meet her without needing them to validate what I already know.
I lean closer and lower my voice.
“They’re in town,” I say. Then, because there is no reason to make it sound smaller than it is, I say, “They asked if you’d want to have drinks later.”
Her whole body stills.
For one second I think I pushed too fast.
That I should have waited.
That maybe this is the exact kind of high-society pressure she never asked for and never needed.
So I say it before she has to.
“You do not have to.”
She looks at me.
Really looks.
Then glances at Jade, who is suddenly pretending intense interest in buttering toast, and Leo, who has failed completely at pretending not to listen.
Then back at me.
“Are you serious?”
I nod once.
“Only if you want to.”
Her breath catches.
Just a little.
I can see the nerves now.
The calculation.
The questions.
And beneath all of it—curiosity.
Jade reaches over and taps Stella’s wrist once. Quietly, for her alone, she says, “You’ll be fine.”
Stella lets out a breath that sounds half laugh, half surrender.
Then she looks at me and says, “Okay.”
My chest goes hot.
“Okay?”
She nods once, eyes still wide.
