Page 235 of Power Play

My mother nodded. “Good.”

I put my fork down. “I’ll be bringing my boyfriend.”

My mother laughed automatically, as if I had made a joke. I didn’t smile, and the sound slowly died as she realized I was serious.

My father looked at me. “What?”

“I said I’m bringing my boyfriend.”

My mother’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re serious.”

“Yes.”

My father leaned back in his chair. “Who?”

I could have lied or softened it. I could have said he was someone from school and bought myself another ten seconds.

“Ryan.”

My mother went still, but my father’s expression didn’t change.

That was when I knew.

“You already know.”

Neither of them answered.

My heart began pounding hard enough to hurt. “You know about Ryan.”

My mother reached for her wine while my father looked toward the other guests in the private room.

“Charmagne.”

“How long?”

“This isn’t the place.”

“How long have you known?”

My mother exhaled slowly. “Since the fair.”

The blood drained from my face. “What?”

“One of your father’s colleagues has a son at Kimball Falls.”

My father’s jaw tightened. “He saw you together.”

“With Ryan,” my mother added.

I stared at them. “You knew this whole time.”

“We knew you were spending time with him.”

“I was dating him.”

My mother’s mouth tightened. “We hoped it was a phase.”

Something inside me cracked. “A phase?”