Page 126 of Your Fault

Raffaella seemed out of sorts. She hardly touched her food, and she looked tense every time she took a sip of her champagne. Noah, in the meanwhile, talked cheerfully with Grandad, who seemed to have a good impression of her. Now and again, she turned to Briar, who had showed up a bit late with glassy eyes and pink cheeks. The alcohol she’d drunk was leaving visible marks on her, and that only made me more anxious.

When we were done with dessert, my mother’s elegant, svelte figure made an appearance. I grew tense as I watched her stop beside Noah.

Everyone fell silent, and Noah stiffened like a corpse when she heard my mother’s voice behind her.

“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Leister and the rest of you. Congratulations on the anniversary.”

51

Noah

My heart stopped when I heard that voice. For a moment, I thought I was imagining it, but a quick look at Nicholas sufficed to confirm that what I’d heard was real.

Anabel Grason was there.

I turned in time to see her stop next to me, and I felt every ounce of air in my lungs vanish.

“I’m so happy to see all of you, especially you, Andrew. You must be very proud to be the founder of such an empire.”

Nick’s grandfather, who had just been talking to me about English literature and what a disaster America was, now smiled, stiff but friendly, his thin wrinkled lips slightly pursed.

“Very nice to see you, Bel. It’s been years.”

My eyes were struggling to decide whom to look at: Nicholas, who appeared to be on the verge of committing murder, or my mother, who suddenly captured all my attention. She was as pale as the white linen napkins on the table, and her posture was as tense as a violin string.

Before Anabel could tell some cold lie, William scooted his seat back and took the reins, his eyes fixed on his ex-wife.

“We should talk. In private would be best.”

Anabel turned to him, her tight body squeezed into a bloodred dress, and with a studied smile, she said, “I’m sure Raffaella would like to be present as well.”

My mother looked up at her in a way that was plainly threatening. “I would recommend you leave. This is neither the time nor the place.”

What the hell was going on?

I was scared, scared that the suspicions I’d felt ever since I had lunch with that woman would turn out to be real.

Nick and I met eyes across the table just as someone grabbed the microphone to announce that it was time to take to the dance floor.

The music started blaring and everyone stood, smiling, unaware of the family crisis unfolding right in front of their noses, ready to dance and enjoy the party.

I knew I needed to get Nick away from her. In fact, I couldn’t think of anything else. Turning around, I walked over and grabbed his hand. He looked lost as I tugged him out onto the dance floor. I had no idea what our tablemates had thought seeing us leave together; I had no idea if it was obvious that our way of looking at each other was anything but fraternal; all I cared about just then was making sure Nick was okay.

I tried to get him to notice me, but he was still focused on the other end of the room. When I looked over there, I saw William disappear through a doorway with my mother and his ex-wife.

“What do you think they have to talk about?” I asked, a knot in my throat.

Nick looked down, as if he’d only realized in that moment that I was with him. “I have no idea, and I don’t want to know either.”

I tried to imagine the state he must be in. I’d seen him like this before, and I knew he would explode sooner or later.

I touched his cheek, forcing him to look at me, thinking that agreeing to meet that woman months ago was probably the worst mistake I could have ever committed. Just the sight of Nicholas reminded me that his mother’s presence brought him incomparable pain.

If he found out I’d been with her…

“Nicholas, I need to tell you something,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. I didn’t know how he’d react, but with his mother in the next room over and clearly prepared to make a spectacle, it was likely she would mention the time we met, and if Nick found out from her lips…he’d probably never forgive me.

“What?” he asked.