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“Mary and I were just talking about Annalise’s wedding next month,” Yvette said, pressing her hand to her collarbones. The way she laid her wrist caused her diamond bracelet to catch in the light, just as I knew she’d intended. “You’ve RSVP’d, right? And you heard about the change in destination, right? Because Ms. Nancy’s been… well, on the decline.” She gave apoor little birdexpression.
I drew in a slow breath that no one noticed.
“What a nightmare!” one woman in our bubble said. “And to give up Hawaii? Oh, I’m not sure I could!”
Yvette nodded with the woman’s sympathy. “Yes, well, it’s very important to Annalise for Ms. Nancy to be able to come comfortably.”
More like it was important for Annalise to get Nancy’s wedding gift. I stared at the drink tray of the waiter, fingers itching for another flute. Once more, he glanced over, and our eyes locked for a beat before he rushed to look away.
“Of course, I’ve RSVP’d,” my mother answered good-naturedly, mellow to the animated eccentricity. “She booked atourclub, after all. How embarrassing would it be if I’d forgotten to respond to the invitation?”
Our club. She made it sound as if she owned the place. She didn’t. While my parents might’ve been on the board of directors, and they might’ve owned the hotel next door, the Alderton-Du Ponte Country Club was not hers.
If my mother could’ve heard my thoughts, she’d no doubt have tacked “yet” on the end of that sentence.
Yvette’s eyes slid to me, the excitement dimming. “And you, Margot?”
It wasn’t lost on me that her voice had completely changed when directed in my direction. My mother was a welcome presence. She wasn’t a celebrity, but among the high society of Alderton-Du Ponte Country Club’s best—and richest—my mother was quite close. Perhaps everyone clustered around her now because of her prolonged absence while we’d been away to New York, and they never wanted to go back to that. Perhaps it was because when my parents achieved their lofty goals of broadening their hotel chain to the west coast, everyone wanted to be in their good graces to catch any scraps.
Even though I was the daughter of such an influential woman, they treated me as a pariah, a title I’d learned to welcome with open arms. “I’ve already sent my regrets,” I told Yvette.
“Of course, Margot is coming,” my mother immediately replied for me. “The Astors will be in town then for the wedding, of course—you knew the groom was a familyfriend of theirs, didn’t you?—and it’ll be Margot’s first event she attends with Aaron.”
In response to the expensive name, everyone gasped. I hadn’t thought it possible, but my sour mood reached an all-time low.Aaron Astor. The name alone was similar enough to fingernails on a chalkboard. I didn’t think someone’s name could elicit so much disdain in me, brewing hotly in my chest, but his did so.
“Oh, goodness!” Yvette’s tipsy smile grew wider, though more plastic-like, and she pressed a hand to her mouth to smother a tittering laugh. “I didn’t realize you were still trying to win Aaron’s affections for her, Charlotte. And that’s going… well?”
She sounded surprised. She most likely was surprised. None of them could fathom a man as influential and well-off as Aaron Astor to like someone such as me.
“Verywell,” my mother assured. She lifted her chin, looking down her nose at the drunken Yvette. “He’s expressed his interest many, many times. He’s been patient while she’s been away at college, but has made it clear he’s eager to meet her. So much dedication. Kind of you to be so interested, though, Yvette.”
She turned an ugly shade of pink.
Aaron Astor. I didn’t even know what he looked like. Someday soon, I’d have a face to the name, but for now, I could make him look however I wanted in my head.
Giant forehead. Bucked teeth. Upturned nose. Balding.
Apathy sunk its teeth into me, just as it always did, dousing the derision.You shouldn’t think of ways to insulthim, the placating voice in my head mused.Not when you’re more than likely going to marry him.
I never understood how Aaron could be so smitten with me, given that we’d never officially met. My mother had brought me along to a holiday event for travel empires in New York City, though I’d stayed out on the rooftop the entire night, freezing. My black suit had easily disguised me in the cold and shadow, and I thought I’d gotten through without catching anyone’s attention.
Aaron had been present that night, apparently, and despite not having the guts to come up and talk to me—and not even hearing me speak once—he had fallen in love. Perhaps he was more so smitten over the amount of assets I had as an extension of my parents. The only daughter of two millionaire parents who owned an east coast hotel empire was attractive, indeed. Who cared about looks when someone had deep pockets?
The Astors themselves, of course, had money. The rich flocked to the rich.
“We’re anticipating something big when he comes into town,” my mother murmured in a hushed sort of excitement. She pressed her fingers to her lips. “Something with a fewcarats.”
The two women Ms. Jennings brought over all but giggled while Ms. Jennings smirked a little. “How exciting. A weddinganda proposal.”
“Surely he wouldn’t propose at someone else’s wedding.” Yvette’s pink shade turned red as she imagined the possibility. “Surely. You think… you think a proposal isthatimminent,Charlotte?”
My mother winked. “You should see the emails he sends Margot. I think it’s coming sooner than later.”
I’d never received any emails. I wondered if it was a lie, or if she and my father had decided not to show me the drivel lover boy wrote up.
While Yvette tried to weasel my mother for more information, Ms. Jennings mimed ever so discreetly to Dr. Conan’s lips. He wiped everywherebutat the mauve smudge. When Ms. Jennings peered around our group to check if anyone noticed, I didn’t bother averting my eyes.
“M-Margot,” Ms. Jennings said quickly, nervously, though everyone else would’ve mistaken it for tension over interacting with me in general. “How do you feel about the engagement?”