Page 79 of Ballrooms & Blackmail

Not my fault.

And yet, I still feel guilty for not noticing she wasn’t feeling well.

A flicker through his eyes I can’t read. “She’s back to normal. We’re taking it easy and she’s still on some steroids to help boost up her immune system, but she’s herself again.” Half his mouth curves up and, God, that hurts. “So much so she conned me out of a half-dozen salmon treats this morning.”

“I’m glad.” I look under the towel again.

The loaf is the exact same size.

Dammit.

“River,” he says softly and my heart pulses.

But he doesn’t go on. And I wait, hoping he’ll talk to me. Explain. Share.

He doesn’t.

And against my better judgment, I push. “Talk to me,” I whisper. “I know you liked what we were building as much as I did. Tell me what happened. What changed. Why…” My words stopper up in my throat.

Because he’s not going to explain.

I can see it in his face.

Disappointment nearly sends me to my knees, but I just check on my bread again, mutter, “Never mind.”

“Little—River,” he corrects.

“Are you going to tell me what’s haunting you?” I ask, my gaze flicking to his, searching his. But even though he doesn’t reply, I know it’s a no. Sighing, I shake my head. “Go talk to Brooks and leave me alone.”

Leave me to heal.

To get over him.

I’ll be okay. I always am.

But it aches to have him near, to have had a sliver of what might be…and the harsh reminder of what won’t be.

The front door opens and closes, and female voices echo through the hall.

God, I can’t have the girls see him here with me, can’t have them think…things that aren’t true, that won’t be.

“Go.”

He lingers for one more second. Then Briar’s voice rings out, “River! Where are you?”

Thankfully, that prompts Thorn into action and he moves through the kitchen, disappearing into the hall just as Briar and Marie come in through the other opening.

“Hey,” I say, tucking the towel back around my unrisen loaf of bread. “What’s up?”

“Look what we saw is coming to town!”

Rory holds out her phone, and I squint at the screen as the Reel starts playing. Immediately, my lungs hitch at the sight of a huge ballroom full of women in ballgowns and men in suits, and there are twinkly lights everywhere, and swathes of fabric draped, and...

I sigh softly. “That’s beautiful.”

“It’s a fantasy ball,” Rory says excitedly. “It’s themed around…” She names the book series I’ve been obsessed with. “Please tell me that you’re down to get a fancy dress and go to it with us. We’ll find our very own sexy fae male?—”

“You’re married,” Briar points out.