To give Mom a break, Konni talked Kaya into a dance.When he asked Mom to dance next, she offered me in her place.I couldn’t tell if it’d been pre-planned or if Mom had guessed his real intent.Either way, he swept me onto the dance floor, and I forgot everything within seconds as the hand on my bare back melted logical thought.
Flecks of gold flickered in and out of existence as he gazed at me.
Afterwards, he led me back to Kaya, who said she was tired and wanted to leave.I could have hugged her for that.
Konni didn’t steer me toward his car like I knew he wanted to.The reporters were still watching and taking pictures.
Neither of the moms brought up the Stonestocks on the way home, sticking to investment talk instead.Unfortunately, the disgraced were determined to demand their due, and Kaya’s phone rang five minutes from home.
She clicked her tongue when she saw Christine’s name.
“Christine’s choice to support Lianna wasn’t meant to devalue your shared history or humble background, Kaya,” Mom said from the front seat.“It’s simply a mother’s blind love.”
Kaya sighed and answered on speaker.
“I’m sorry, Kaya.Lianna shouldn’t have said what she did.You’re right.You and I aren’t any different than Sophia.Will you tell her I’m sorry?”
“No,” Kaya said.“Lianna can apologize to Sophia herself.”
A pause.“You’re right.Whatever it takes to mend this rift between our families.Are you free tomorrow night?Come have dinner at our estate.Bring the Elmantases with you.”
She glanced at me.I shook my head.
“Another time,” Kaya said.“We both know Lianna isn’t ready to apologize, and I think it’s time we stopped trying to smooth things over for our children.They’re adults.They can handle their own business.”
Silence stretched.
“What about us?”Christine asked.
I didn’t know her well enough to guess whether the hurt in her voice was real or not.
“I think some distance would be healthier while Lianna and Konni find their footing separately,” Kaya answered.“For Lianna’s sake, I sincerely hope she scents her mate soon.Goodbye, Christine.”
She hung up and looked at Mom, who’d turned to watch her.
“Whatever it takes to mend the rift?”Kaya repeated with indignation.“Does she honestly think that’s the foundation for an apology?”
“If Sophia did something to upset you, I’d tell her to do whatever it took to gain your forgiveness so I could keep my friend, too.”
“You’re a better person than I am, Abbye, and I’m not sorry your house burned down.Your loss was my gain.”
Mom busted out laughing, and Kaya grinned.
We sat around the table,each of us reading a different article about last night’s gala.
As I’d guessed, I’d made several headlines in some regard as the news outlets tried to leverage my notoriety.The approaches varied.Some still speculated negatively about my relationship with the Steeles, which sparked a lot of debate in the comments.Some reported my attendance impartially.
One stood out.
They fawned over my dress and even featured a photo of me dancing with Konni.The way he was looking at me fueled the comment section with wistful envy and supportive speculation regarding how long readers would need to wait before a more-than-professional relationship was announced.
“It looks like our plan is working,” Kaya said.“I think it’s time for our next step.”
“What next step?”I asked, looking away from the article.
“So far, you’ve been a guest in our house.We need to show more family integration.”
“What do you have in mind?”I asked since we’d just posted pictures of Mom and Kaya cooking breakfast together.
