‘Mary!’ Hannah said.
Mary had just taken a large sip of champagne. She lowered the glass slowly.
‘Dress catching fire,’ she said.
The table went quiet.
‘At the wedding,’ Mary clarified calmly.
Aria nodded solemnly. ‘It’s valid. All that fabric, candles…’
‘…Okay. Good,’ Hannah said quickly. ‘Kelly?’
Kelly smiled warmly.
‘Food poisoning all her guests?’ she said.
Maddy’s eyebrows flew together. ‘What?’
Kelly looked confused. ‘Well, it happens! I was at a wedding once where everyone was throwing up on the dance floor at 5 pm.’
New fear unlocked.Thanks, Mum.
‘Eva?’ Hannah said.
Eva looked directly at Maddy. ‘Being the centre of attention.’
‘Wow,’ Hannah said in pure astonishment. ‘Who doesn’t want to be the centre of attention?’
‘In my professional opinion?’ Eva said. ‘Plenty of people.’
Maddy didn’t understand how Eva kept doing this. It was like there was some little window into Maddy’s brain that only Eva could see. Maddy didn’t know whether to be terrified or happy about it.
‘Bride?’ Hannah demanded.
‘Eva got it again,’ Maddy admitted, trying not to look at the winner this time.
Mary, meanwhile, had quietly finished her champagne and was reaching for Hannah’s glass.
Hannah didn’t notice, waving her cards again. ‘Next question!’ she said cheerfully.
Maddy leaned slightly closer to Eva.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
Eva didn’t look at her. ‘For what?’
‘You know,’ Maddy told her.
Eva finally glanced sideways. Her expression was calm, but her eyes were warm in a way that made Maddy’s stomach flip unexpectedly.
‘It’s my job,’ Eva said.
Maddy hoped in her heart that it wasn’t only that. She didn’t understand the hope at all.
But before she could think about it too much, Hannah raised the next card. And Mary quietly summoned a waiter and asked for another glass of champagne.
Twenty-Two
