HE

canned the room for Charlotte. She was rea

at a table, chatting with one of the guest

moothly. "If you'll excuse me, I ne

the arm and pulled her away. Once we were far enough from prying ey

t into this pl

'll get to the bottom of it. I have no idea how he go

fidgeting with her clutch. M

ame with," I muttered. "We can't have uninvited guests walk

it right away," she said with a

owd. I hadn't meant to snap at her. Or maybe I had. Either wa

a carousel of practiced smiles, empty laughter, and champagne flutes raised in orchestrated toa

grand staircase, I forced myself not to look up. Yet I could feel him, like static in the air, like the shadow

was my world, and I refused to let a

all. I was just about to give the closing speech when

nstead, a man in a navy tuxedo was crumpled on th

e held their breath as a t

ly as I knelt beside him. He was older, maybe in his forties. He had graying hair, and a ref

otid and luckily, there was a pu

through the ai

1. Now,"

ing for obstructions when som

I started, a

ssa

he man and began chest compressi

Two.

ands, but there was no sign of life yet.

re's eyes sna

Now," he ordered,

piraled. I couldn't believe someone had collapsed-here, at my ev

dics burst into the hall. The man was stretchere

one of the paramedics clapp

der paramedic said. "Any later an

aid. "Miss Wren, here was the on

oday. Well done." And with that he jumpe

I felt disoriented and cold, still s

you o

vo

o

warm tan of his skin, those storm-gray eyes I once drowned

n my chest, something t

ee and I didn't answer him. I couldn't

a word, ignoring ev

me and placed a hand

this?" she aske

vent had been planned to polish my image, to remin

n't. Not

I strai

inally. "No, i

oft nod and

the polished floor. Dozens of faces looked up at me,

y voice clear despite the roaring in my chest. "But

hrough the motions like a pro. My words flowed and my gestures w

eeling his

g the way it felt to

t him once more

came, loud and warm, I

hind the mask, beneath the designer gown and col

like a screa

not