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“Mom?” Addie calls down the table.
Paloma’s eyes hop up to her daughter and she smiles like everything is fine. “Does anyone need a refill?”
“I could use one.” Grayson lifts his empty cup and shakes it, filling the silence with the rattle of ice against glass.
“Of course!” Paloma starts to push her chair back, but Addie’s already on her feet, her face a beautiful, dark cloud of vengeance. “Addie,” her mom says quietly, but with warning.
Addie pinches her lips. Her jaw flexes. There is rage running down every line of her body when she stalks to Grayson and snatches the glass violently from his fingers.
“What do you want?” she hisses at him.
“A smile would be nice.” Grayson barks a laugh like he’s a comedian.
“Answer her, unless you want me to get your drink,” I say, pinning my uncle until the grin melts off his round face.
“Just a coke,” he mutters.
Addie sucks her bottom lip between her teeth to contain whatever she’s trying to hold back. She manages to as she spins and stalks to the drink table. The glass is filled and brought back.
“There’s hardly any ice in here,” Grayson grumbles when Addie slams the cup down with enough force to vibrate upthe table to where Dad turns away from his conversation with Julian.
“Addie? Everything okay?”
Addie looks to her mother who gives the slightest shake of her head.
“Yup, fine,” Addie grinds through her teeth.
“Wait. I need more ice,” Grayson complains when Addie starts to leave.
I’m on my feet. Addie meets my eye, and I gesture with a nod of my head towards her seat, but she’s still there when I round to her side.
“Sit,” I tell her quietly. “I’ll get it.”
Her big eyes watch me, dark and hungry, and I have to resist the urge to lean in and nibble on her lip the way she is.
“Now, dimples,” I add even quieter, with warning.
Little brat grins slightly before returning to her seat.
I get Grayson more ice and set it down next to his plate. I press into his space as I do so, practically bowing him back as I glower into his eyes.
“Go ahead. Tell me to smile,” I growl through my teeth.
He says nothing. Not a peep as I draw back.
“I just don’t understand what the big deal is,” Iris is pattering on when I round back towards my seat. “When did ten years become such an ordeal? I mean, do you really need to celebrate every year that you don’t get divorced from the man you chose to marry?” she goes on. “A month in Europe. Two parties. Another trip next month to ... where are you jetting off to?”
I watch Paloma’s cheeks darken, but she smiles sweetly at the vile woman. “We’re not actually flying, but driving to a couple’s spa resort—”
“Just for being married for ten years?” Iris shrieks loud enough that the table quiets. “Good lord. My poor brother will have to start saving for the twenty-year mark at this rate. Lordknows what extravagance he might be required to pay for if this continues.”
I can feel my patience hit my threshold. My head snaps to the opposite end of the table, expecting my father to jump in, but his chair is empty. He’s nowhere to be seen. Of course, Iris saw this as the perfect opportunity to start her shit.
“I beg your pardon?” Paloma’s tone is gentle, but the white knuckled hold she has on her utensils tell a different story.
Iris waves a hand lined with thick, chunky rings. “I don’t mean anything by it, Paloma. I just think it’s too early to be celebrating when, weren’t you only married to Addie’s father for ten years before ambushing Oz a few months after? Barely long enough for the ink to dry on the divorce papers.” Her fists saw through the steak covering half her plate. “Now, look at you. You don’t have to do anything, except live in this beautiful home while my brother—”
“That’s rich.”
