L
e red gown I wore, my eyes catching th
Shawn wasn'
eriously
uled to start around 5:30 p.m. We
clutch purse, uncrossed my
iranda over his own grandfat
er the first time
h my skin. I got to my feet, my fingers tightening around
ng room, and I couldn't help but smile at the transformation. I wondered
think thing
dying embers of love that tried to swamp me. I didn't need
ong. For me. An
nswered on th
awn
ll. Laughter. Then his mother's voice drif
?" A pause, followed by a conspiratorial hiss. "I have told you to di
en as my chest tightened with a cold ache. So they al
without waiting f
lled back
you?! Did you forg
The fool didn't even suspect I might have overheard.
oing together," I said c
's sickly sweet voice floated into the
see Grandfather. They're alre
aw
ame for a lapdog-which, frankly,
osity thriving over my common sense. I wanted
of a man caught in a web of his own making. "We met at the off
I had started avoiding her months ago, ever since my instincts began
turning dismissive and cold. "Grandfather is getting
the party. I'll be there
call, leaving me w
ffly into the purse, strolled to the dining area, and collected the meticul
basket of keys in the hallway, and picked the
well conf
There wasn't a single place to park, but because the Porsche gleamed, one of the security guar
azes as the guests turned to see
ted me toward a parking spa
was fully aware of the attention-on the car, on the flash of red,
the entrance, her spine stiff, preparing to act like
ould b
urse in my right hand, I pushed
s turning a bright pink as he hurrie
gnized me. Non
rest
ally looking beautiful in her own way as she
e that slithered across my li
ation happen in real-ti
her. I watched the confusion taint her face as her gaze dragged over me from head to t
la
ly, then looked past her at the w
reaching my ears like the
Elara L
. Has she always be
? And those killer hee
this beauty at h
.. from the countryside. What'
started toward the heart of the party, where I was s
er daze. She reached out and grabbed
oing? Why are you coming at
ly, staring at her inte
she blurted out, "Do you think dressing to the nines will change who
wondered, looking down at her hand on my
lared at her-smiling faintly when she took a step back, shock flas
way. I had to s
guests stepped forward to present their offerings. When he saw me, he
you look
e rest of his judgmental family. I was aware of Linda stepping into the canopy behind me, her fac
amps. Happy
anda closed the distance between us, her arms
ng her dead in her track
oud enough for everyone nearby to hear
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