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“We get it. Boys suck.” Arthur, the show’s hairstylist, assesses my split ends. “You’re due for a trim.”
“I’m heading out tomorrow, or else I’d ask if you have time.”
“We can stay for another few days if you want,” Julian offers.
“And who is this handsome lad?” Arthur checks him out.
I don’t blame him for being starstruck since I had the same reaction earlier when Julian stepped out of my guest bedroom wearing a custom tux.
“I’m her boyfriend, Julian.” He holds out his hand, but Arthur bats it away and wraps his arms around him.
“Did you hear that?” He turns Julian around and shows him off like an auctioneer. “Dahlia has a boyfriend!”
“Would you like a microphone so everyone else at the party can know Dahlia has a boyfriend?” Hannah asks.
“Boyfriend?”
The hairs on my arms rise as I turn on my heels to find Oliver standing slack-jawed with a drink in his hand and a shiny wedding band on his left ring finger. Once upon a time, I thought he was handsome, but now I’m revolted by his presence.
I prefer nausea over heartache, so I’m going to take myreaction as a win.
Olivia, who stands beside my ex wearing a beautiful gossamer gown and a stunning diamond ring similar to the one I had before, remains silently poised, although I catch her tipping her chin in my direction in silent acknowledgment.
Julian hooks his arm around my waist, soothing the discomfort away with a brush of his thumb over my hip bone. Where he seeks to comfort me, Oliver would have never bothered, solely because my ex wouldn’t have noticed my uneasiness in the first place. How could he when his focus was always on impressing everyone else in the room?
To think you once compared Julian to him…
I cover Julian’s hand with my own and give it a squeeze.
Oliver gawks. “Julian?”
“Oliver.”
My ex’s sharp jaw clenches. “I had no clue you two were dating.”
“I would have added him as a plus-one on my RSVP had I actually received an invitation.”
His face loses that golden color. “About that…my mother—”
“Is right here!” Mrs. Creswell arrives with her blond hair perfectly coifed and her smile deceptively sweet, while her husband trails behind her, stuffing his mouth with appetizers while looking everywhere but at his wife.
“Dahlia.” She holds out her arms, which I ignore.
Julian makes a soft noise that sounds an awful lot like a laugh.
Her arms drop to her sides. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“I’m sure you are since you accepted the invitation on my behalf.”
Oliver’s father chokes on a bite of his lamb lollipop.
Mrs. Creswell claps her hands together. “Well, we were so excited to have you here for the final season’s postproduction party.”
“Is that so?”
Her right eye twitches. “Of course. You’re one of the reasons why the show was successful.”
“Shewasthe reason,” Julian snaps.
