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“Happy New Year to you, too.”
When she releases me, Marius envelopes me in his embrace. “I’ve missed you.”
I sigh against him. “I’ve missed you, too.”
It feels like I haven’t seen my friends in ages. Between resuming my duties, going on the goodwill trip in my brother’s place, flying to New York before heading to Paris in the hopes of rekindling what I once had with Tristan, then coming back to Belmont for the traditional holiday events, the past few months have been a whirlwind.
While I’ve seen Harriet and Marius on occasion, it’s typically been at a formal event. Not when I could relax and be who I really am. Even when they visited me after the attempt on my life, I didn’t feel like I could be myself, not with Tristan lingering nearby.
That should have been the only sign I needed to realize it would never work between us.
“Where’s your plus one?” Marius glances over my shoulder for any sign of Tristan.
I push out of his embrace, taking off my coat and draping it over a barstool. “He won’t be making it.”
“Is he still filming?” Harriet hands me a glass of champagne.
“I’m not sure.”
This piques Marius’ interest and he darts his furrowed brow my way, studying me for several long moments.
Then he exhales, “You broke up.”
It’s not even a question. He knows without me saying anything.
I force a smile and shrug. “We did.”
“Oh, Esme.” Harriet pulls me into her arms, her hug nearly suffocating me. “I’m sorry. I thought you were happy. You always told us how perfect he was.”
“He may have been perfect,” I begin as I extract myself from Harriet. “But he wasn’t perfect for me. It just took…” I trail off, not wanting to go into all the details right now. “Well, it took me a few years to realize that perfect doesn’t mean it’s working.”
“Did something happen with Creed?” Marius asks in a hushed voice, even though we’re the only ones here, at least for now.
“It doesn’t matter.” I wave him off. “Can we not talk about this tonight? Tristan and I have agreed to keep it quiet until after the holidays. We plan to inform our publicists next week so they can put together a joint announcement. For now, the world thinks we’re still together, so I’d like for you both to conduct yourselves tonight as if we are. I just didn’t want you to learn the truth from the bloody tabloids.”
“Your secret’s safe with us.” Harriet gives me an exaggerated wink, then pretends to zip her lips together.
Despite the fact she’s had a bit to drink, I know she’ll keep it to herself. They both will.
“Thank you. For everything.”
“You know we love you.” Marius envelopes me in a hug once more. Harriet joins us, all our arms intertwined in a group hug as we bask in this friendship that’s survived the past three decades.
And I have a feeling it will survive the next three decades, too.
“I do believe this calls for shots,” Marius announces as he steps back, a mischievous grin on his face.
“I’m not sure I can do shots anymore.” I playfully grimace. “Not now that I’m in my thirties.”
He rolls his eyes as he heads toward the kitchen island where a makeshift bar has been set up. “If there’s any time shots are called for, it’s when you’re nursing a broken heart.”
“And if I’m not heartbroken over this break up?”
He hands me a glass filled with clear liquid. “I didn’t say you were.” He gives me a knowing look.
It doesn’t matter that I haven’t mentioned a single thing that’s happened between Creed and me these past few months. Marius senses something. He’s always had an uncanny ability to read between the lines.
“A toast.” He clears his throat, handing Harriet a shot before raising his own in the air. “Here’s to good friends. Never above you.”
