Page 60 of Loving You Always

For the first time Kerris realized what an accomplishment he considered it. That she had worked hard and propelled herself into a future of her own making. She hadn’t grown up with the grooming or the opportunities most people in this room had, but she had made the most of every chance.

“Yes.” Kerris gave her smile and full attention to Walsh, wanting this moment for them. “Kristeene interviewed me herself.”

“And she loved you,” Walsh said, his eyes as fixed on hers as hers were on him. “You were always one of her favorites. If not her favorite.”

“Surely her favorite would have been Cam,” Sofie said, interjecting for the first time, her perfect white teeth camouflaging the fangs Kerris knew lay behind them. “Have you met Cam, Paul? He’s Kerris’s husband.”

Had the music stopped? Had all conversations ceased? Sofie’s voice fell into sudden quiet, and it seemed the silence swelled with the curiosity of everyone within hearing distance.

“Sofie,” Ernest Baston rebuked, his eyes uncomfortable as they shifted between Walsh and Kerris.

“Well, he is her husband, Daddy.” Sofie took a swig of her champagne, but Kerris knew the other woman was nowhere near drunk. She knew exactly what she was doing. “Not like I made that up.”

Walsh’s hand tightened around Kerris’s fingers and he cleared his throat. Kerris knew he was about to defend her. Make excuses. Anything to save face. For her. Because she knew he didn’t give an actual damn what anyone thought.

And now, neither did she.

“Sofie’s right, of course,” Kerris said before Walsh could start. “I am married to Cam, but we’ve been separated for more than a year. Our divorce will be final soon.”

Kerris looked back to Walsh, layering meaning in her voice that she hoped he heard.

“He’s a very good friend to both Walsh and me, and we wish him only the best.”

Walsh brought her fist to his lips and nodded.

“Kerris is right. Cam is a great friend to us both.” Walsh spread his grin around to everyone but Sofie. “Now what were you gentlemen saying about the sheikh? I need all the pointers I can get.”

Sofie huffed a disgusted breath and stalked off toward the restrooms. Oh, no. Not this time.

“Walsh, I’ll be back.”

He paused to cast a worried look in Sofie’s direction.

“Baby, maybe you should—”

She reached up until she could pour the words in his ear without anyone else hearing.

“Now it’s time foryouto trustme.”

She pulled back and raised her brows, silently asking permission to go after the woman who had, in many ways, been such a thorn in her side. He brushed his fingers across the orchid charm she wore.

“Okay, but hurry back. I want to show you off.”

Kerris gripped the charm between her fingers as she walked, growing more confident the closer she got to the bathroom. Kerris saw Ardis, Rivermont’s mayor’s daughter and Sofie’s friend, as soon as she entered. Both she and Sofie were freshening their makeup in the mirror, and again Kerris felt like this night was a do-over cosmic joke. This had happened before. Only it had been Kristeene Bennett’s birthday. Kerris had huddled in a stall, hiding from her feelings for Walsh and wrestling with her answer to Cam’s proposal. And these girls had talked about her like she was not much of anything. Sofie had said Walsh would marry her.

Kerris looked at Ardis, not even bothering to smile.

“Would you excuse us…Ardis, isn’t it?”

“I don’t have to leave.” Ardis settled onto the counter, defiance painted on her face along with the heavy makeup. “If we—”

“Get out, Ard.” Sofie’s eyes never left her own reflection in the mirror as she ran her hands through her trademark silver-blond hair.

Once Ardis left, Kerris wasn’t sure what to do with the lying, narcissistic bag of model bones in front of her.

“You wanted me, so here I am.” Sofie turned from the mirror, facing Kerris for the first time. Her eyes weren’t hard. They were hot and angry. “What the fuck do you want, little maid?”

There was a time when this woman’s words had cut her down, had reiterated all the lies Kerris had told herself and bought lock, stock, and barrel all her life. But something had changed. Was it Dr. Stein, excavating her hurts? Was it Walsh’s unconditional, enduring love? She’d been unsure that she was ready for this alien planet of plenty Walsh occupied, but she would go wherever he went. She would hold her own against the bitches Jo had said were out there. And certainly against this bitch in the bathroom.

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