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With a sigh, I looked out over the yard into the fading sun as Lee’s long legs ate up the distance between us. “A call came in. Oakey is sick and they asked me to cover.”
The tension in the group was immediate. Lee’s eyes shifted to Duke’s. “You can get Dad back?”
Duke’s face remained stern. “Course.”
“Sorry to bail on your birthday, Annette. Duty calls.” Lee’s cool green-slate eyes looked down on me, but his smile was tense. Unexpected calls always set him on edge, and that tension pulled on the invisible tie between us.
“We’ll finish celebrating. The night’s still young.” Kate smiled at me in reassurance.
She was the only one who knew what I had done. How Margo had begged and pleaded. How I had thought I was helping her and being a good friend, before it morphed into something else entirely. But an emergency call, just like that one, had changed all our lives forever. Not only was Margo taken from us, but my opportunity to tell Lee the truth had died too.
I smiled tightly at him and waved a weak goodbye.
It was clear that if Lee wasn’t willing to move on from her, then I had to. I would go to the gala with an open mind and an open heart.
But one horrifying thought burrowed its way into my mind and ran itself on a loop.
If Lee ever finds out, I’ll lose them all.
TEN
ANNIE
Lee was nowhereto be found and, for once, I breathed a sigh of relief. It would be far easier to relax and try to make the best of the Matchmakers' Gala without his handsome face muddying the waters.
I’m here to have fun.
The words raced through me, over and over, like a mantra.
For a name as fancy as Matchmakers' Gala, there was not a ball gown in sight in Outtatowner’s high school gymnasium. I did, however, put some effort into leaning into my feminine side with the mid-length chiffon party dress. It was a blend of green and gray—a color that always reminded me of Lee’s eyes.
Shit.Scratch that.
Asmoky, sageygreenish gray that had absolutely nothing in common with my best friend or his eyeballs.
The dress was sleeveless with a high neck, but a keyhole scoop hinted at cleavage. I’d even scrubbed my nails free of pottery clay and painted them a complementary blush pink. My hair was unruly, so I’d pinned the sides behind my ears and let the rest flow down my back.
“Looks like you could use this.” Lark appeared with two flutes of bubbly wine.
I immediately scooped one up and drained it before letting out an audible sigh. “Thank you.”
Her eyes were wide.So much for harnessing that feminine energy.
“Sorry. I’m nervous.”
“Don’t be.” She leaned in. “I’ve already got this under control.” When her grin widened and her shoulder lifted, panic danced beneath my skin.
“What are you talking about? What did you do?”
Lark laughed. “Nothing, really. I just made sure Wyatt kept Stumpy Larson in check, and I may have dropped a fewverysubtle hints to charming Mr. Attwater regarding the date auction.”
“You didn’t.”
She grinned. “I did.”
My eyes searched the crowd, and my palms grew sweaty. Sure enough, in the corner, Wyatt was waiting to get a drink, but shooting daggers in Stumpy Larson’s direction. The man shrank back when he caught Wyatt’s glare.
A laugh bubbled out of me. “Oh, Lark.” I squeezed her shoulder. “Thank you.”
