A surge of satisfaction washed over Felicity as she let go of Dames–only to notice a fresh stain marring her sweatshirt.
“Huh? Did you just have something to drink?”
Dames shook his head.
“I just threw up.”
Felicity’s expression flickered through a kaleidoscope of emotions. She snatched a wet wipe and scrubbed at her sweatshirt, but the more she wiped, the worse the mess seemed to get.
She clenched her jaw so hard it felt like her molars might crack, then subtly nudged Dames away.
“Dames, why don’t you have a seat?”
Without thinking, she held her breath. The stench rising from her sweatshirt was enough to make her gag.
Victor Thompson, seated beside Felicity, watched Dames clinging to his youngest daughter and gave a satisfied nod. He wasn’t terribly worried about his eldest daughter’s divorce from Harrison; as long as one of his girls could keep Dames or Harrison close, the Thompson family would still have the Vaughn family in their
corner.
Daph had just spotted Felicity and her grandparents. She stood rooted to the spot, her tiny face solemn.
Selene asked, “Where’s Dr. Vaughn?“.
Harrison replied coolly, “My uncle had something come up at the last minute.”
“If Dr. Vaughn isn’t coming, then we’ll take our leave,” Selene said briskly. She turned, taking Daph by the hand.
Harrison made no move to stop her. He didn’t believe Selene would really walk out. After all, she’d driven him and Dames to the restaurant herself–wasn’t that just her way of trying to patch things up?
“Hey! How long are you planning to keep this up?” Dames plopped down next to Felicity, arms akimbo, lips pursed in a pout.
Selene paused, catching Dames’s indignant complaint:
1/3
“You drove Daddy and me all the way here, but you won’t even stay for dinner. What, do you want us to beg you to make up with us?”
Selene had no idea where Dames picked up these lines.
Felicity cut in, “Selene, is it me you don’t want to see, or is it Mom and Dad?”
She turned to Harrison and added, “I guess Selene just loses her appetite when she sees me. Fine, I’ll leave.”
Felicity stood up without hesitation, but Dames clung desperately to her hand.
“Flick, don’t go! If anyone should leave, it’s the one who ruins everyone’s mood!”
Victor Thompson’s face hardened as he slipped into his patriarch role.
“Selene! Do you still consider us family? You see us and just walk away? That’s outrageous!”
Selene turned, her eyes cold and clear as glass. She shot Felicity a glance, her tone light but cutting.
“At least you’re self–aware.”
Felicity’s throat tightened; she couldn’t find a single word in response.
Selene turned to Victor, a faint, mocking smile on her lips.
“Dad, I’m just afraid you’ll pull out that belt again. Isn’t it normal for me to run off with Daph as soon as we see you?”
Daph stepped forward, shielding Selene behind her like a little bodyguard, arms spread wide.
“Grandpa, if you ever lay a hand on Mom again, you’ll have to answer to me!”
Victor Thompson glanced slowly at Harrison, gauging his reaction.
Harrison sat at the far end of the long table, his gaze fixed away from Selene, the only thing visible was his indifferent profile.
“My uncle will be here soon. Don’t embarrass yourselves in front of him,” he said, his tone dripping with warning for Selene.
Selene’s eyes slid to the empty seat at the head of the table–the one clearly reserved for Leo. So, Leo really would be joining them for dinner tonight.
She gave a cold laugh.
“Does Dr. Vaughn know you’ve invited half the city to dinner tonight?”
2/3
13:24
Only then did Harrison finally look at her. He noticed that now Selene had taken off her jacket, she was wearing a dress with a delicate V–shaped rhinestone logo on the chest–the same designer brand he’d picked out for her himself.
The Vaughn family wardrobe was full of custom dresses from Valencia, but Selene had only started wearing the brand after marrying into the family. Choosing it tonight was a clear olive branch.
Harrison’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He saw right through her transparent little ploy.
“We could’ve had dinner together, just the two of us, but you’d be too shy. So I invited my uncle, and called your family too, so you wouldn’t feel so awkward around me. I’m just trying to help.”
Selene looked at Harrison as if he’d completely lost his mind.
212
