“No.”
“Julian—”
“I swear to you, I had no idea.”
Across the room, Mason was already coming toward us.
Fast.
Julian lowered his voice.
“I’ll explain everything. But not here.”
I should have left.
Any rational person would have.
Instead, I looked at Mason approaching with panic written all over his face.
Then at Vanessa, who looked like she’d seen a dead man walk into her wedding reception.
And something inside me said:
Not yet.
I slipped my hand into Julian’s.
“Then smile.”
He looked at me.
“You sure?”
“No.”
I smiled anyway.
“Let’s go ruin a wedding.”
Mason reached us halfway across the ballroom.
“Claire.”
“Mason.”
His eyes darted toward Julian.
“You came.”
“You invited me.”
“Yes, but…”
His gaze moved between us.
“I thought you were coming alone.”
I smiled pleasantly.
“I changed my mind.”
Julian placed his hand around my waist.
Mason noticed.
Good.
Then Mason looked directly at Julian.
“I didn’t realize you two knew each other.”
That caught my attention.
So Mason knew Julian.
Interesting.
I tilted my head.
“Apparently everyone knows everyone tonight.”
Before Mason could answer, Vanessa appeared behind him.
She wasn’t smiling.
Her eyes were locked on Julian.
“What are you doing here?”
Julian remained perfectly calm.
“Attending a wedding.”
“With her?”
Vanessa pointed at me like I was a piece of evidence.
I almost laughed.
“Yes,” I said. “With me.”
Vanessa looked at Mason.
“Why is Claire here?”
Mason rubbed his jaw.
“I invited her.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“You what?”
“I thought it would be mature.”
“You told me we weren’t inviting exes.”
“It’s different.”
“How?”
Mason glanced around.
Guests were starting to notice.
His voice dropped.
“Can we not do this here?”
Vanessa’s expression hardened.
“You invited your ex-wife to our wedding without telling me.”
“I just wanted her to see that everything worked out.”
Silence.
Even Julian looked impressed.
Vanessa blinked.
“You wanted her to see us?”
Mason realized too late what he’d admitted.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Vanessa—”
“No. You wanted her here so she could watch you marry me.”
Several nearby conversations had stopped.
Mason noticed.
His face tightened.
“Please lower your voice.”
That was classic Mason.
Not I’m sorry.
Not you’re right.
Just:
Don’t embarrass me.
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“Our wedding wasn’t enough for you?”
“Of course it was.”
“Then why did your ex-wife need to witness it?”
Mason looked at me like this was somehow my fault.
And suddenly I felt seventeen times lighter.
Because I knew that look.
I had spent years thinking I caused it.
Now I was watching him give it to someone else.
That was when Vanessa turned toward Julian.
“And why are you here with her?”
I smiled.
“My boyfriend?”
Julian glanced at me.
Something amused flickered in his eyes.
Then he drew me closer.
“Yes.”
Vanessa’s face changed.
“You’re dating?”
“That’s usually what boyfriend means,” I said.
