Page 125 of Love Me

“I understand, but we have come too far to let anything jeopardize our plan. Especially when we’re so close. We have a meeting tomorrow.”

My phone pings and it’s a message from Dane. I need a favor.

I tell him that I’ll meet with him when we are done with dinner.

They wait for me downstairs. Abigail appears her old self, styled and dressed impeccably in a tweed suit, her hair and makeup done gracefully.

We head toward our respective cars, and I ask Abi, “How are you?”

“I don’t know…”

I place my hand on hers, giving it a little squeeze.

“Just a warning,” Abigail says. “I’ll be all over Kaden tonight because you two fools shine like a beam in the dark.”

“Thank you.”

We reach the mansion, and Thomas lets us in, one after the other.

While Abi and Kaden have their elbows looped together, I imagine how I will be at his side one day. One day, this will all be a part of our past, which infuses me with strength.

They walk inside first, and the wench looks at them with sheer delight. Abigail puts her left hand on his chest, and he kisses her temple. Grandmother’s eyes seek mine, searching, but I smile right back. You won’t find a damn thing on my face. I rejoice knowing that she’s in the dark. When everything crashes down on her, I will smile at her demise from above.

We take our seats around the dinner table and Abi lays it on thick with the wedding plans. Kaden nods at her every word. Grandmother shoots Blake a displeased glare as he sits with his second glass of wine.

“To the happy couple,” he says.

I don’t get smart with him.

I cut through the filet mignon and chew each piece slowly.

“Next time, bring your boyfriend with you, Celine.”

“Of course, Grandmother.”

“No one told me you all moved in together.”

“Ah, Grandmother, you know Celine, always needing people to coddle her,” Kaden says.

Our gaze finds each other, and it’s hard to hold on to the pretense when his eyes say a hundred different apologies.

“You’re one to talk. I hope Abigail doesn’t wear white on your wedding day. That would be blasphemous.”

Blake spurts in his glass, eyeing me with pride.

Bailey mouths. “That’s good, keep it up.”

“At least I am doing it with my fiancé. What about you?” Abigail says.

Grandmother clutches her pearl necklace. “She’s right, Celine. Now, I don’t particularly wish to hear more about your personal lives.”

We fooled her. That’s all that matters. In my ear, I hear Mia say, “I really want those pearls.”

“Don’t you dare,” I whisper through gritted teeth.

“Oops, too late. I don’t like being left in the trunk.”

I smile and pretend my best friend is not in Grandmother’s room, snooping around.

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