I stared at Julian.
“What the hell is happening?”
His jaw tightened.
Then, without looking at me, he whispered,
“Keep smiling.”
“Why?”
“Because I know the bride.”
My stomach twisted.
“How?”
He finally looked at me.
“Claire…”
He took a breath.
“Vanessa was my fiancée.”
For one second, every sound in the room disappeared.
I stared at him.
“Your what?”
“We were engaged.”
“You knew she was marrying Mason?”
“No.”
“Julian—”
“I swear to you, I had no idea.”
Across the room, Mason was already coming toward us.
Fast.
Julian lowered his voice.
“I’ll explain everything. But not here.”
I should have left.
Any rational person would have.
Instead, I looked at Mason approaching with panic written all over his face.
Then at Vanessa, who looked like she’d seen a dead man walk into her wedding reception.
And something inside me said:
Not yet.
I slipped my hand into Julian’s.
“Then smile.”
He looked at me.
“You sure?”
“No.”
I smiled anyway.
“Let’s go ruin a wedding.”
Mason reached us halfway across the ballroom.
“Claire.”
“Mason.”
His eyes darted toward Julian.
“You came.”
“You invited me.”
“Yes, but…”
His gaze moved between us.
“I thought you were coming alone.”
I smiled pleasantly.
“I changed my mind.”
Julian placed his hand around my waist.
Mason noticed.
Good.
Then Mason looked directly at Julian.
“I didn’t realize you two knew each other.”
That caught my attention.
So Mason knew Julian.
Interesting.
I tilted my head.
“Apparently everyone knows everyone tonight.”
