Page 42 of Between the Lines

She typed her response. Honestly? No. I trust your experience and your judgment. You know how to dig for what matters.

Another pause, then Cece’s reply came in. All right. I’ll handle it the way I always do. You never can tell when someone might surprise you.

Paige smiled faintly and set the phone down as the kettle started to whistle. Whatever Darcy decided to do next, Paige knew one thing for certain.

Cece would hear more than Darcy intended to say.

Chapter Seventeen

Blaise decided to distract herself from the Darcy drama by doing something productive.

She now stood in front of the mirror in the bedroom, tugging lightly at the hem of a soft knit top, then stepped back and assessed it with a critical eye.

It was vintage Chanel, and while the soft peach color was good on her, the fabric clung in a way that felt too casual. Or too revealing. Or both. Would it be better with a jacket? Maybe. But then she might look like she was trying too hard.

Beau snoozed on the bed, uninterested in her quest for the perfect outfit.

With a soft sigh, she took the top off and hung it back up, carefully replacing the dust cover over the shoulders to keep it pristine. Maybe the polka dot Dolce & Gabbana blouse was the way to go. Black and white was classic. She could pair it with her white Rag & Bone jeans. Not that they were likely to see her from the waist down.

She put her hands on her hips and stared into her closet, trying to decide.

The video call wasn’t until Monday, which meant she had time. Too much time, maybe. Time to imagine how she’d look on screen, how she’d sound, what she’d say, and whether she’d come across as composed or tentative or like someone trying too hard to be taken seriously.

She went toward the rack again and slid hangers aside, fingers brushing familiar fabrics. She wanted something that said capable without saying past her prime. It also needed to be comfortable enough that she wouldn’t be tempted to adjust it while she talked.

That eliminated a few things right off the bat. A blazer really did feel too dressed up. She wasn’t pitching a corporate strategy. A flowy blouse felt like she was trying too hard. Maybe black was too severe, but white felt somehow unserious.

She held up a deep blue pin-striped button-down and tilted her head. It had structure even though it was soft. She’d worn it to a charity luncheon with Jay years ago. She’d paired it with a tailored white jacket and pants. It photographed well, she remembered that.

But how would it work on its own?

She slipped it on and studied herself in the mirror again. Not bad. Needed the right accessories, obviously.

Her laptop sat open on the desk in the bedroom, the manuscript visible on the screen like a quiet reminder of this new chapter of her life. She hadn’t meant to leave it there, but part of her liked having it close. It was also a reminder of why the call was happening.

And honestly, this wasn’t about how she looked. It was about the story she was telling and this amazing chance to rewrite what happened to her next.

Still, appearances counted. She wasn’t naïve. She knew that better than anyone.

She reached for a pearl necklace, put it on, took it off again. Too much. Tried another. Still wrong. She set both back in the jewelry box. She could figure it out later. Maybe a scarf.

Blaise exhaled and sat on the edge of the bed, hands braced on either side of her, the outfit question still unresolved. She really ought to get back to writing.

Her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen and felt that familiar tightening as Evan’s name lit up. She shouldn’t feel that way when her son called, but he had a way of pushing her buttons these days.

“Hey,” Blaise said, answering the call. “How are you?”

“Fine. You?”

He didn’t sound fine. “I’m good. Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I mean—I guess,” Evan said. There was a pause on the line, long enough that Blaise knew something was up. “I just…I saw your website.”

Her shoulders tightened a fraction. How had he found that? She hadn’t exactly sent out a notice. “You did?”

“Yeah.” Another pause. “I’m guessing that’s new.”