The Ex by Freida McFadden(41)

As Cassie looks into Lydia’s face, she realizes the truth. The suggestion of the Cleopatra costume was no accident or oversight. Lydia doesn’t want Cassie here. She wishes Francesca was here instead. Cassie’s not good enough for Joel, and she’s not good enough to be in their circle. This act was meant to sabotage her relationship and possibly remind Joel of his last girlfriend, who looked—let’s face it—a million times better in her Cleopatra costume.

Cassie’s eyes fill with tears. She is done looking for Joel. Before Lydia can get the satisfaction of seeing her cry, she spins around and marches out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

It’s only when she gets downstairs that she realizes how weak her exit was. She left without Joel, who is still up there, probably drunk, and will now only hear Lydia’s side of things—the crazy girlfriend who inexplicably dressed as his ex-girlfriend, started crying randomly, and left the party for no reason. Moreover, she forgot her coat. And it’s far too cold to be traipsing around the city in a sleeveless dress that may as well be made from tissue paper.

Damn it.

Cassie stands in the lobby, contemplating her next move as the doorman frowns at her. She can’t take the subway home because she’ll freeze to death walking there. She doesn’t have the money for a cab or Uber. Her only option is to text Joel and hope he comes down to save her. God only knows what he’s doing up there. Maybe if she leaves, they’ll invite Francesca and the two of them can have a grand reunion.

“Cassie?”

Cassie whirls around when she hears the voice call out her name. She notices the baby bump first and then the snowman face, and that’s when she realizes it’s Anna. The last person she wants to see right now. Well, not the last person, but certainly up there. Along with everyone else at that party.

Except then she notices Anna is holding her coat.

“You forgot your coat,” Anna says, holding it out to her. Now that Lydia isn’t with her, Anna seems much more innocuous. There’s something sweet about her heart-shaped face. Maybe it’s the impending motherhood. “I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold.”

“Thank you,” Cassie mumbles as she yanks the coat out of Anna’s hands.

Anna hesitates, chewing on her lip. “Don’t feel bad about the costume thing. It’s not that big a deal.”

“Yes,” Cassie says tightly, “it was.”

“Okay, fine,” Anna says. “It was… weird. I was shocked when I saw you. But in the scheme of things…”

“Lydia told me to dress as Cleopatra.”

Anna blinks, clearly thrown by this piece of information. “Oh…”

“She wanted to humiliate me.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.”

Cassie lowers her eyes. “I’m not so sure.”

“You have to understand.” Anna puts a hand on her round abdomen. “Lydia has nothing against you. She just hates seeing Joel with anyone besides Francesca. Lydia’s very loyal to people she cares about.”

“I’ll say,” Cassie mutters.

“It’s a good quality,” Anna says. “Except when it makes her act like a bitch.”

Cassie looks at Anna in surprise. She thought Lydia and Anna were really tight, and she didn’t expect to hear Anna badmouthing her friend. But it oddly makes her feel a lot better about the whole thing.

“Anyway,” Anna continues, “don’t concern yourself with Lydia. The whole world doesn’t revolve around her. You make Joel happy, and that’s good enough for me.”

Cassie manages a smile. “Thanks. You didn’t see Joel, did you? He sort of disappeared the second we got to the party.”

Anna throws her head back and laughs. “You don’t know? He and Pete got bored of the party, and they went to watch football in the bedroom. My husband’s probably in there too. Hell, half the men will be in there by the end of the night.”

“Oh…”

Anna raises an eyebrow. “Would you like me to get him for you?”

“No, that’s okay.”

“You can come back to the party, you know,” Anna says. “If you lose the makeup and the crown, you can be… um, a brunette Marilyn Monroe.”

Cassie laughs for the first time all evening. “If only I’d thought of that.”

“Come on,” Anna says. “It’ll be fun. And I told Lydia she had to quit being a bitch. She’ll be nice to you now. Nicer. She’s never nice—I’ve given up on that one.”

“I think…” Cassie pulls on her coat, grateful for the warmth. “I may head out, actually.”

Anna’s face falls. “Well, okay. I’m sorry to hear that.”

Cassie looks at Anna and decides she means it.

“You work at a bookstore, right?” Anna says. “Or… you own it?”

Cassie nods. “A used bookstore.”

Anna grins. “You got any books for freaked out mothers-to-be?”

“I think we’ve got a few,” Cassie laughs. “I’d be happy to put some aside for you.”

“That would be great.” Anna beams at Cassie. “I’m glad Joel started dating you. Not that I didn’t like Francesca, but… well, it’s nice to have someone new in our group, that’s all.”