Page 98 of Resurgent

“Now you have to be Emily—” she says, pointing dramatically. “And you must be Matt.” Her eyes shift toward Antonio. “Which makes you our sweet Sasha’s beau, Antonio.”

Antonio barely has time to stand before she’s already pulling him into a hug that makes Sasha smile ear-to-ear.

“Sorry, I’ve heard so much about this crew for the last few months, I feel like I already know you,” she says, before looking to my dad and Theo. “And who might y’all be?”

“Theodore, Ma’am,” Theo says, his fake voice still in full effect. “And this here, is the renowned sheriff of South Hollow,” he says proudly, pausing for effect, “…and Annalise’s dad.”

And just like that, every conversation at the table dies instantly.

Sasha’s parents and my friends all glare daggers in his direction as Theo continues recounting the stories he’s only just heard from my dad as though they’ve been friends for a lifetime and he experienced each one at his side.

My dad, of course, eats it up, laughing—actually laughing—more than once.

Matt looks one starstruck story away from strangling Theo with his own tie.

And me?

I’m counting down the minutes until I can be locked behind the safe gates of Scion—well, safer than I feel sitting so close to my father.

Far longer than it should have been, the MC steps on stage, mic in hand and ready to begin the formal portion of the night.

Just like Bravo's gala, the listing of each name and waiting for that person to walk clear across the room to take the stage individually, leaves a lot to be desired.

Thankfully, it's not too long before my name is called to come up and receive my only half-true track announcement.

“Well, as many of you can imagine, Tyr threatened to end the party early if I didn’t thank him first,” I joke, grinning as a few people laugh. Across the room, Priscilla visibly cringes, her eyebrows only just recovering from her last unfortunate encounter with the riding grounds. “Kidding—mostly.”

“But truly, thank you to the instructors who have gone far beyond what was ever required of them, and to the friends who stood beside me through every hard moment this year.” I take a slow breath, glancing toward my table. “And most of all… to the man who helped shape me into the person I am today—”

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch my dad sitting a little straighter, pride already settling across his face before I’ve even finished the sentence.

“Mattey.”

All of my friends are standing when I make it to the table, pulling me in for quick hugs before I slide back into my chair, the temperature instantly dropping ten degrees as my fathers arm drapes casually over the back of my chair, posture relaxed enough to fool anyone not paying attention.

But I can feel the barely-restrained anger radiating off him.

Feel the way his jaw flexes every time someone says Matt's name.

“You forgot someone there, Lee” Theo says as my dad's eyes bore into the side of my head, though his smile never wavers as the crowd listens intently to the next recruit.

Looking straight ahead to Antonio, I'm comforted by the knowledge that I'm surrounded by people who care about me.

“No,” I reply just as softly. “I didn’t.”

Dad's fingers tap slowly against the back of my chair—slow, controlled fury, but I don't miss the smile and nod of approval from Antonio.

When it gets to Matt’s turn, he chooses to do the same thing I did, though his list is even shorter than mine. His dad, however, is waiting arms out, and a big grin on his face expectantly as Matt rejoins us…but Matt pointedly side steps him, only stopping to kiss my cheek before falling back into his chair for the remainder of the ceremony.

Chapter twenty-eight

Annalise

Matt's dad and mine stalk off together as soon as the last name is called, and as concerning as that probably should be, I’m thankful for the extra air that seems to fill the room in his absence.

Taking turns during the slow songs, Matt and Theo spin Emily and me around the dance floor as Sasha looks adoringly up at Antonio, song after song.

Theo catches me smiling back at Sasha, before pulling me in closer, only semi-attempting to whisper.