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“Wait, don’t I know you?” she asked. “You’re that sweetheart girl, right?”

I tried to smile.

“She’s our sweetheart,” Nessa said, threading her arm around mine.

Laney eyed that action, then turned toward the Shepherd men, seeming to understand she’d get a better reception there. “Anyway, I just got back from our private cruise in Alaska. You know, the one I told you about?” She grabbed Cam’s arm as if imparting words of great wisdom. “Did you know there are, like, roads and stuff in Alaska? I thought they all got around on dogsleds.”

I blinked several times, then turned to look at Cam like Seriously? You used to sleep with this moron? To which he responded with an air of, We all make mistakes.

“That’s fascinating,” Cam said.

“I tried to call you when I got back. Did you get my messages?”

“I—uh⁠—”

“Miss Delacroix, would you favor me with a dance?” Shep asked, rescuing us all from the awkwardness. He held out a hand.

She stared at it in confusion for a moment, then let her well-bred manners take over. “I’d love to.”

He escorted her to the dance floor, and the three of us breathed a sigh of relief, though I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth. Laney, unintelligent as she was, was the type of girl who belonged here.

I was just playing dress-up.

“Bless that man,” Nessa muttered. “Really, Camden. What on earth?”

“I know.” He seemed just as perplexed as Nessa sounded. “The unsound decisions of a confused man. Dad appears to like her well enough.”

Nessa frowned and patted his cheek. “Dance with this girl here before someone else snaps her up.”

Cam’s gaze drifted to me, a small smile playing at his lips. He held his hand out to me, palm up. “Do me the honor?”

I set a playful hand on my cocked hip. “You always do what your mama tells you to?”

“It’s best to keep her happy. And I believe you promised me a dance.”

Nessa beamed as I accepted his offer and handed her my champagne flute. I wanted to shake her. What are you doing? Your husband hates me! But then I lost myself in the warmth of Cam’s skin, and the sparkle in his eyes. It was so easy to forget that I needed to cut this tightening cord between us. Amidst a crush of glittering bodies and the tinkle of soft music from the live band, Cam took me in his arms. It was so much like the last time we danced—overwhelming and right—that I had to swallow against a lump in my throat, my gaze lifting only as high as his bow tie.

“Do you think we’ll get to meet Ms. Foundation?” I asked to ease the tension.

He gave me a sarcastic laugh.

Above us, a constellation of chandeliers twinkled like stars, and enchantment floated in the air.

“This is magical,” I said. “I feel like Cinderella. Like I need to get it all in before midnight.”

He dipped his head, trying to meet my eyes. “The magic doesn’t have to end at midnight.”

I smiled, but it lacked sincerity. This was his world, where he grew up, where he felt most comfortable. I was a mere visitor, peering through a crack in the looking glass, searching for the light. Seeing Laney Delacroix was a potent reminder of that.

“But it does have to end at some point,” I said.

“Why?”

I shot him a cynical expression. “You know why. I don’t belong here.”

He said nothing for a long moment, taking the time to analyze my face.

After a while, the quiet between us grew oppressive, and I was driven to fill it. “I’ve always just been this…novelty to these people. The girl from the other side of the river, who grew up in a broken home, but escaped her unfortunate circumstances.”