Say the Word(89)

A soft knock sounded at the door.

“One second!” I called, grabbing one of the white disposable towels from the basket on the marble vanity and dabbing at my face. When I’d wiped away most of the moisture, I smoothed a hand over my errant waves and took a final glance in the mirror.

Three more hours. I could do this.

I steeled my shoulders, took a deep breath, and turned to pull open the door.

“Hi.” He was leaning against the wall directly across from the bathroom, grinning at me with a warm look in his eyes.

“Hi,” I returned, grinning back at him as I moved a step forward into his space.

“You hiding out in here?” he asked. Both of his arms came up to circle my waist and tug me against him.

Pressed close, I propped my chin against his chest and tilted my head up to look at his face. “Only for a minute,” I admitted, my lips twisting in a sheepish expression. He leaned down and kissed the tip of my freckled nose.

“I know this isn’t your ideal night. It’s not mine, either,” he said, hugging me tighter. “Thanks for helping me endure it. You have no idea how much better it is, having you here with me.”

The warmth in his eyes melted away all of the discomfort I’d felt since stepping through the massive oak front doors in a hand-me-down dress Minnie had scrounged from one of her daughters’ closets.

“It’s your birthday,” I said, rolling my eyes at him. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Plus, have you tried those mini quiche things? They’re pretty fantas—”

“Lux.” Bash leaned down and brushed his smiling lips against mine. “Shut up.”

“Shutting up,” I promised, grinning as I lifted onto my tiptoes and kissed him back.

The downside of being the guest of honor at an event?

You can’t just disappear to make out with your girlfriend for an hour, or make an early escape if things get boring. So, after a few, too-brief stolen moments, we were eventually forced to tear ourselves apart and head back to the party.

“Come on.” Bash sighed resignedly, linking our hands together as he led me down the hallway to the main room. “My dad wants to meet you.”

His words made my stomach churn with nerves, but I said nothing as we entered the main room and approached his parents. Judith’s clear blue eyes narrowed as soon as she spotted my hand entwined with her son’s, but her Botoxed smile didn’t waver. My eyes skittered away from her to take in the man on her left.

I’d seen him in pictures, of course, but they hadn’t done Senator Covington justice. He was classically handsome in the way that benefitted the most memorable politicians. He could’ve passed for a Kennedy with his broad white smile, boyish charm, and sandy blond hair. His eyes were a startling shade of green, but they were wide and full of welcome — a total contradiction to his wife’s icy stare.

“Lux!” He stepped forward and grabbed my free hand, cupping it within both of his. With a gentle tug, I was pulled away from Bash and into his father’s space. “So nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you and your interesting little family from Sebastian.”

“Dad.” The warning in Sebastian’s tone unmistakable.

“Oh relax, son. I’m not going to embarrass you.” The senator pulled me against his side and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, squeezing lightly. His enthusiastic greeting made me feel infinitely more welcome than Judith ever had, but a creeping sense of unease was stirring to life in the recesses of my mind. That unsettled feeling only magnified when I looked at Bash and saw how tense he was — his pulse throbbed in the protruding vein on his neck, his jaw was tightly clenched, and his eyes were locked on his father.

“So tell me, Lux,” the senator said, loosening his hold on my shoulders so he could peer down at my face. “What are your plans for next year?”

I swallowed roughly. “Well, Senator, I—”

“Andrew,” he corrected, beaming at me.

“Okay, Andrew,” I repeated, feeling an uncomfortable blush spread across my cheeks. “Hopefully, I’ll be at UGA.”

“She received a full academic scholarship,” Sebastian offered, still staring at his father. His expression was entirely closed off — nothing I’d ever seen from him before — and though his words were supportive, his voice was defensive.

“How wonderful,” Andrew said in a happy tone, staring back at his son with smiling eyes. When he turned his gaze on me, I barely stopped myself from taking an involuntary a step away from him. It was like looking into two empty glass orbs — up close, I could see that no genuine emotion or affection filled his stare, no warmth or welcome suffused their depths. He was hollow.

“Lux, tell me,” he continued, squeezing my arm tightly. “Has Sebastian given you the good news yet?”

My eyes darted to Sebastian, unsure of what to say and afraid to get in the middle of whatever was happening here.

“Dad.” Bash glared at his father, his reprimand even chillier than before.

“But I’m so proud!” Andrew gushed, his spirited laughter filling the room. “See, Lux, he’s been accepted to Princeton in the fall!”

I stilled, forcing a happy smile onto my face and avoiding Bash’s stare, which I could feel scanning my expression. “That’s fantastic,” I said, my fake enthusiasm discernible even to my own ears. I’d never been a very good actress.