The party ended quickly. Preston went down to the parking garage to get the car and left Polly and me waiting by the door.
We had just reached the entrance when Polly patted her pockets. "My phone's gone. Milly, can you go look for it for me? I'll check around out here. Maybe it dropped somewhere along the way."
I nodded and turned back to the private room.
I searched the whole place and never found Polly's phone, so I went back to the bar entrance.
What I walked into was chaos.
Preston had a man by the collar, while two waiters held him back, one on each arm.
The man's mouth was bleeding. He spat, cursed under his breath, and walked off.
Polly cowered behind Preston, crying so hard her eyes were swollen.
The moment he saw me, Preston shook off the waiters, strode up to me, and grabbed my wrist. "Did you leave her here on purpose? Do you have any idea how dangerous that just was? If I hadn't heard the commotion and come running, she would have—"
I frowned. Blindsided by this baseless accusation, every bit of anger I'd swallowed all night came out at once.
"She said she left her phone in the room. I went back to help her find it. What does that have to do with me?"
Preston's face darkened. "Polly's had her phone in her hand the whole time. When did she ever leave it in the room?"
"Millicent, if you're going to lie, at least pick a better excuse."
I froze for a second.
And almost at once, everything clicked.
Polly staggered to her feet and pulled Preston back. "Why are you shouting at her? Who said you could shout at her?"
Then she turned to me, eyes brimming. "Milly didn't mean it, I'm sure! I'm the one who didn't stay close to her, that's why I got left alone—"
I looked at her.
For some reason, my chest ached.
Twenty years.
We'd known each other for twenty years.
And now she was using a cheap trick like this against me.
Twenty years of friendship, worth nothing now.
I gave a bitter little laugh and looked coldly at the two of them. "I already told you. She asked me to go back for her phone. Believe it or don't. I don't care anymore."
Preston frowned at me. "Millicent, I'm so disappointed in you."
"If you're jealous about what happened earlier, there's no need to hurt Polly over it."
"And to think she still calls you her best friend."
With that, he put his arm around Polly and walked toward the car.
I stayed where I was.
Watching the car speed off, all the hurt welled up anyway, and my eyes stung.
I took a deep breath and forced the tears back down.
Crying over those two really wasn't worth it.
