Page 118 of Queen of Nothing

Only two remain, standing against the wall.

I take my glass of red and sip, when all I really want to do is down it just to help me get through the thick atmosphere.

Amelia cuts a small piece of the smoked salmon on her plate. “How was the flight?”

I blink at her, almost with a fright, since no one has spoken since we took our places at the table.

She presses, “How did you like the new airliner?”

I nod. “It’s much bigger.”

And my cheeks heat.

Nerves have me fumbling my words, and I’m apparently not very eloquent anymore, if I ever was.

Mother saves me. “It has to be. With our families expanding, we require more space—particularly for the longer journeys.”

Amelia adds, “We do keep the smaller jet for shorter flights and parties.”

The families are expanding…

It’s a jarring reality check.

Things really have changed in the years I’ve been gone.

I knew it wouldn’t be the same, but I don’t quite like how it feels.

I glance at Asta, the mother of one child and another on the way.

She doesn’t look up from her plate. But she is the one expanding the Craven family.

And I wonder if anyone is expanding the Sinclairs.

I am blunt. Too rough around the edges, according to grandmother.

I just ask it—

“And Dray?” I look at him, directly opposite me. “How is your wife? I didn’t catch her name.”

A stillness spreads over the table.

Father slowly lifts his chin. His eyes are steel—and aimed right at me.

But I stare at Dray.

His trickery. His deceit.

How easily he slips back into old patterns with me. Or how easily I fell out of them, and trusted words too much.

He willingly misled me about Asta. He knew what I assumed, and he went along with it, probably enjoyed it, too.

He brings a small piece of asparagus to his bite. He takes his time and chews, then swallows, and the whole while, I hold him to my question, I stare, and wait.

The chandeliers above cast a gentle light over him.

Still, the sandiness of his hair is darker, his complexion paler, and there’s less of a glint in his eyes.

It doesn’t just look like he’s had no summer holidays of late.