Page 94 of Safe Place

Margot steps forward in a light pink gown so perfectly suited to her, you’d believe it if she were introduced as the star of the night.

“Micah,” she says with a small, practiced smile.

“Margot—good to see you again.” Micah nods politely, then gestures toward me. “This is my girlfriend, Sophie.”

His father clears his throat, still not looking at me. “Margot, I heard you’re studying to be a nurse?”

“Well, I’m actually hoping to become a doctor,” she says, correcting him calmly.

“Ah, that’s right. My apologies.” He then turns to Micah. “I believe you two are in the same year, correct? Though I hear Margot happens to be at the top of her class at Stanford.”

He finally gives me a glance that lasts all of a second, but it hits like a slap.

Micah’s hand tightens around my waist. “That’s great, Margot. I’m sure Westcliffe will be lucky to have you.”

He then guides me slightly more forward. “The three of us should have lunch sometime.”

I smile politely. Margot smiles politely. Everyone smiles politely.

Ignoring what Micah just said, Mr. Vale adds, “Make sure to give Ms. Whitmore a ride back to her hotel after the gala. Maybe show her around The Haven too.”

It’s phrased like a request, but it doesn’t sound like one. “I’ll leave you two to get reacquainted.”

He turns to walk away, then pauses and looks back. “And Micah, please come find me later. We need to talk.”

The moment he’s gone, Margot lets out a sigh. “God. Sorry about that, guys. I have no idea what our fathers are trying to orchestrate.”

“Well, I told him I’m not interested,” Micah says, pointing at his father, his tone sharper than usual. “I wonder why he keeps pushing.”

“What are you implying?” Margot huffs. “That I’m the one who’s pushing for this or something?”

Micah shrugs. “If you’re not, maybe you should let your dad know.”

“You think I didn’t already?” she shoots back. “Honestly, I figured you were the one obsessed.”

“Why would I be obsessed with you?”

She smirks. “Still a sore loser, I see.”

Then her eyes land on me, and something changes in her expression—softer, more human.

“Hi, Sophie. I’m Margot. Please disregard anything Micah or his friends might have said about me,” she says, looking at me, then back up to him. “By the way, Vale, she’s definitely too pretty for you.”

Before I can say anything, Micah gives a low laugh, tightening his arm around me. “Something we finally agree on, Whitmore.”

“Sophie, I really am sorry. I had no idea they were still trying to make this—” she gestures vaguely between her and Micah, “—a thing. And don’t worry, I’ll find another ride to my hotel.”

“It’s completely fine,” I say, smiling. I can’t stop staring at her. Her perfectly wavy, long blonde hair, her confidence, the way she commands space. “We’ll give you a ride. It’s not a problem. She can come with us, right Micah?”

Micah leans in slightly. “Uhm. No, she can’t come with us, Sophie.”

A familiar voice cuts in. “I can take her.”

Grant, of course. Appearing out of nowhere, but always conveniently.

“I’ll drive Barbie back to her hotel,” he says casually.

It’s funny because Poppy and I have an inside joke that Grant is exactly what we think a Ken doll would look like in real life.