His gaze swept over me, cold and dismissive. His eyes said it all: Don't you dare.
A moment later, my phone buzzed twice.
A message from Carter.
"Serena, don't tell anyone we're married."
"Now isn't the right time."
I almost laughed.
Not the right time? The only reason was that he and Mia had finally cleared up the misunderstanding from years ago. He thought there was a real chance of rekindling things with her.
But why should I step aside and play the selfless fool so the two of them could ride off into the sunset?
I rose slowly to my feet.
"Carter, weren't you going to tell everyone the truth?"
Carter shot up from his seat, every muscle in his body going rigid.
He stared at me for a long, hard moment. Then he turned stiffly toward the group.
"Yes."
"Serena and I were together once."
"But that's in the past."
"We broke up."
My head snapped up. I stared at him, disbelief written across my face, my nails digging into my palms hard enough to break skin.
Mia tilted her chin up, her face lighting with barely contained delight as she looked at Carter.
"Really? So you're single now?"
The words had barely left her mouth before the room erupted.
"Oh my God, I'm literally shipping them so hard right now."
"This is what soulmates look like! They went their separate ways, but the right person always comes back around."
"I would trade ten pounds off my body to see these two get together!"
Amid the noise and excitement, Samuel, the same guy who'd called me shameless earlier, glanced my way. Something like pity flickered in his eyes.
He passed by me, let out a sigh, and shook his head.
"You asked for it."
I sank back into my chair, boneless.
Never, not once, had I imagined Carter would humiliate me like this at a class reunion. That he'd look me in the eye and deny everything with his own mouth.
The mocking voices around me only grew louder.
"Oh, so that's who she is. Just an ex-girlfriend who couldn't make the cut."
"The way she was acting, I half expected her to claim she was the great Carter Delgado's wife."
"Please. Has she looked in a mirror? As if she could ever be good enough for him."
I lowered my gaze to the wedding ring on my left hand, tracing it with my thumb.
What a joke I am.
Mia must have noticed how pale I'd gone. She shot me a look dripping with triumph, then picked up her glass and sauntered over.
"Serena, I know what happened back then must still sting."
"But love is like that, isn't it? When it's real, not even the gods can stand in the way."
"Carter just admitted it himself. He dated you."
"But you two weren't right for each other. Otherwise, why would you have broken up? Don't you think?"
She clinked her glass lightly against mine, her smile radiant.
"Bottoms up for me. You drink as much or as little as you'd like."
Then she tipped her head back and drained every drop.
I sat there. Motionless.
The only time Carter came near me was when he made the rounds toasting everyone. When he reached my table, he paused.
He looked at me for a long, quiet moment. Then, under the pretense of clinking glasses, he leaned in close and dropped his voice.
"Serena, be smart about this."
"Don't make things awkward for Mia."
I stared back at him, my gaze ice-cold. But Carter had already looked away, drifting back to Mia's side.
The two of them talked and laughed together. I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen Carter's eyes crinkle like that, his smile so easy and unguarded.
It didn't take long.
Their classmates started egging them on to share a lovers' toast.
Everyone at the table who had no idea Carter and I were married was cheering them on like it was the event of the century.
"Come on, drink! This toast is long overdue for you two."
"You're both single anyway. What's the holdup?"
"And hey, if you get a little too drunk later, Carter can always take Mia home. You're all adults here. Even if you end up getting a hotel room, who's going to judge?"
