The room responds the way he knew it would—murmurs, soft gasps, scattered applause, Celeste with tears already rolling. A beta I’ve never met touches my arm and whispers, “You are solucky.”
But I am not smiling.
I agreed to hold his hand and be pleasant for the weekend. I didnotagree to let him pitch a fictional apartment to a room full of relatives.
“That’s—really sweet, Derek, but actually—”
“She’s overwhelmed,” Derek says, walking back to me and clamping his fingers down on my shoulder, a hard, warning squeeze as he steers the moment back to the room. “She always gets like this when I surprise her. But I promise not to steal any more of the spotlight from the bride today.”
A few people chuckle, and Mira waves him off with a good-natured smile from the head table.
“Great timing, looks like the food is ready,” Derek adds, raising his glass. “To Mira and James!”
Applause ripples. The attention drifts, guests pulling out chairs as the first course arrives. I’m left standing with his fingers digging into my collarbone, a plastic smile pasted on my face. The only thing keeping it there is Mira looking our way.
He knows this. He’s counting on it.
I head to our table and sit down. Derek leans in close, his voice just for me.
“By the way, my family was asking questions,” Derek murmurs, buttering a roll for me. “Why we weren’t sharing a room, why you seemed distant. So I took care of it.”
“What does that mean?” I drop my cloth napkin, my hand balling into a fist beside it.
“I talked to the front desk this morning. Moved your things under my reservation. One room, king bed. It just makes more sense, Luna. And it’s only two nights.”
Cold dread locks behind my ribs.
“You canceled my room.” I push my chair back, the legs scraping against the hardwood.
“I consolidated our rooms.” He picks up his fork. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Get my room back, Derek.” I lean in, refusing to break eye contact.
“Keep your voice down.”
“Get it back.”
“Don’t be hysterical, Luna. You’re going to cause a scene.” He reaches over to pat my hand.
“I don’t have a room tonight. You made that choice.” I yank my hand away.
“People are looking.”
“Let them look,” I say, planting my palms on the tablecloth.
He reaches for my wrist. I pull it away and close my eyes for half a second.
I’m sorry, Mira.
I stand up.
“Luna—”
“No,” I say, frowning.
“Babe. Sit down.” His eyes are darting. Calibrating. “People are—”
“People arewhat,Derek? Watching? Good. You wanted an audience two minutes ago. You’ve got one.”
