“Where’s Ovie?” I ask Mama as she slips on a light coat.
She shakes her head. “She wasn’t feeling well.”
I drag my teeth over my bottom lip, contemplating what to say. After a moment I spit out, “I saw Charlie here the night of the ball. He was talking to a woman. Like he was…”
“Flirting?”
I nod.
Mama sighs. “That’s Charlie for you. Thank you for letting me know.”
“Are you going to tell Ovie?”
“No.”
My jaw falls. “What? Why not?”
“Because I didn’t see it, so it’s not my story to tell. It’s yours.”
Wait. “I can’t say anything.”
“Because you don’t want to hurt her? I understand that, but sometimes you have to do scary things.”
Don’t I know that? I just married a stranger.
Did Ovie feel this way when she married Charlie? This hopeful? This certain he'd be different?
And look how that turned out. My eyes find Eryx across the room, laughing at something my father said. He catches my gaze and his expression softens.
Eryx isn't Charlie. I know that. But how did Ovienotknow? How do you ever really know?
Mama gives me one last hug. “Maybe you can bring your husband by for Sunday dinner.”
I force a smile. “I’ll see what I can do.”
My family leaves and I turn to Eryx, who stands just off to the side, his hands in his pockets.
His blue eyes are fixed on me. His gaze feels like a caress.
“How do you think that went?” he asks.
“Good. My family likes you.”
He nods. “And you?”
“I think you’re all right.”
He huffs a laugh. “Time for bed.”
Echo follows us through the manor, and even though I’m tired, the urge to soak up as much Eryx as I can makes my stomach flip. “The food was amazing. And that cake! How did Darla find time to make it?”
“She’s incredible.”
“She really is. How long has she been here?”
“Since before I was born.”
Our footsteps bounce off the gray stone walls as we slowly walk. I wonder if Eryx is thinking the same thing I am, that I hope this night never ends.
