la

ng sky. I had barely turned off the engine befor

. Didn't even g

the entrance and hugged him with the kind of ease that di

Her hands at his collar, his arms pullin

he car slowly. Wal

sidewalk , the woman leaning toward h

cute c

e corrected it. And I kne

d towar

nan turned to me with a smile t

like a tease. "I thought you'd still be

" I said. "So you d

ifted in his

ion, the apology, the careful management

at. Always softened the edges. Always made

ource of conflicts despit

eone more manageable. Someo

e you and Vivienne ca

king my hand with a little squee

. "I know today was tough, having been scolded

hand from her

in front of Ronan, in front of a

e knew. To make sure I walked int

" I said. "I don'

them into the restaura

on me. My behavior

, I thought, straightening my back as I approa

endgame. This

ad

while Vivienne led the conversation the way

her. Attentive. Practical

t her. The way people gravitated toward Vivienne without being

dark hair framing her face perfectly, her eye

ing myself I wasn't je

urself, I though

through my thoughts. "Did

Sorry could yo

s. "Such an airhe

ips together a

e going wedding dress shopping this weekend. He alre

sive?"

inched s

mbered

used

is. M

wanted, so he had quietly, casually used my money and never mentioned it and I

to move

"Vivienne you have to come you al

"Of course! It'

hifted with that particular edge he used when he was asserting a

orry." I sm

them b

ess for me." I looked at Ronan directly.

s softened. He leaned forward slightly, tilti

cross the table, fingers brushing my h

the urge to

ed at V

her lips had pressed into a thin line and her han

thought. You

ng on Ronan's arm, subtly pulling his attention ba

gala in a few weeks. Some serious investors and industry names in the room." He was already rea

d. Glanc

ou, Isla. You know

my head a

ember

that plan and known immediat

ons that wouldn't survive ten minutes of serious questioning.

at me with the specific coldness of

're better than everyone. Know your place, Isl

apol

building his entire pitch from the ground up. Fixing the projections. S

work in his hands and walked out with

his natural intellig

and passed th

he table, he looks confident

send me

ld re

would say abso

. Not a single word of the help he was

him across

o take a lo

and a second later mi

opened the document

read it to know

s on me as I pretende

she asked lightly, leaning

nce thing." He waved his hand dismissivel

of si

tly in place but something beh

ompletely unbothered, already w

I

urning to me with that warm

id warmly, almost fondly. "Isla's always b

ferent kind of thinking. Some people are just happier keeping things simp

t like a c

what was un

n. You are not the kind of

ely right," I s

ed to

ong. You're a big thin

omething behind his eyes stayed uncer

heck it properly?" he asked.

e it

He had alway

ath the ego and the p

led a

id simply. And set my pho

r a moment longer

g, touching his arm, redirecting, but I caught t

quiet ca

down at

bleed. The spreading warmth through my limbs that

been in my system befo

anned it. I was

n't know w

e