the sky too cheerful for what felt

ng slightly as she adjusted the earrings James had delivered that morning

look screamed eleganc

de her whispere

arryin

da

ex-f

tt

s, letting the silen

e," she

's Ar

me at exactl

black tie, and a subtle pocket square that matched her dress exactly. His hair wa

over her slowly

cleared his throa

. "Is that your pro

y pers

changed. Grew thicker.

dding starts at noon. The reception's at the Terranova Hote

h to make a splash, late en

stay within the bounds

ou've got this do

softly. "To a s

Car

t, tension riding between t

t her window, heart pounding. E

reflection in the glass more

back out," he

"Why do you keep

this for show. You're doin

tightened. "A

idn't r

ling. "You know the w

wai

the ordinary, everyday, dependable way. I thought we'd buil

ou don't look like the

was. I molded myself in

ce dropped.

. "Now I'm showing

gered, sharp and

. "He deserves

ding Re

littering, champagne flowing, laughter too loud and too forced. The garde

licking against the stone as whispers rippl

s exited

fident. U

his hand. S

n like a scen

hampagne glasse

aw her im

ride-Olivia-followed his gaze

red, "Eyes up. Back straig

he cameras, not for re

Enco

before Matthew cor

, voice lower th

d slowly.

k... dif

an?" she said,

expect to see you here.

olly. "Thought it'd be rude not

er hand, still restin

d h

ed a hand. "

didn't

ed. "He's m

ws lifted. "B

t miss a be

them then, her

ly. "Agnes. I love y

" Agnes

ked to James. "And

aire boss-turned-lover. Bit

kled under

's jaw

he guests," Olivia mutt

her go with

tayed a b

o come here just t

ed. "I came because I

Afte

the edge of the garden, pretending to enjoy

well," Jame

pagne. "I didn't slap

He looked at her, serious.

irst time in days, she let the

said. "This was neve

a brow. "Then

tated. "

d you g

e admitted. "But I

s no

ached up and tucked a loose

?" he ask

ed. "What d

eal's

stif

s

ld i

over. The goa

a little too fast, and his g

she didn't w

"we go back to pretending

idn't l

ou do

her mouth

words

realization that this-this-this lie-had starte

Night – The

to the hotel s

lking barefoot to the balcony, the

ed her from

to be fake," she sa

s," he

unreadable. "Then why do

tepped

n't k

lowed. "We

roke

d n

nt of her, his hands by

nt to prete

every defense crumbli

ed," she

am

finally-his han

aned i

ed her, it wasn'

't for

been running from since th