Chapter 3

It was already evening by the time Ivor and Kate came back.

Ivor walked straight over and slammed the car keys down on the coffee table.

“Are you done with your little scene today?”

“Making the studio stop the shoot in front of everyone. How does that make me look?”

“In the end I still had to pull out my own card and cover that whole eighty thousand. We're getting married. What difference does it make whose money we spend?”

“Willow, how did I never notice you'd gotten so petty? You can't even handle something this small?”

Before I could say anything, Kate quickly tugged at his sleeve and pushed a velvet box across to me.

“Willow, don't fight, you two.”

“Look, before we went to shoot, Ivor even made a point of buying you a bracelet.”

The box lay wide open, a crudely made alloy bracelet resting quietly inside.

Five years together, and Ivor knew perfectly well I had a bad metal allergy, that I only ever wore pure silver.

I didn't argue that it would give me a reaction, the way I used to.

I just stood up and turned back toward the bedroom.

I shut the door, took out my phone, and opened the profile buried deep in my chat list, the one I hadn't messaged in a long time.

【Hey, is the Edinburgh studio still looking for a partner?】

A minute later, she replied.

【We are. But aren't you throwing an engagement party?】

【You gave up such a great offer from the art academy back then, all for Ivor. So you two broke up?】

Back then, over one line from Ivor, I need you, I'd burned five years here with him.

And what it got me was betrayal.

I sniffed and wrote back.

【I've made up my mind. I'm coming.】

【I'll report in next Friday. I'm not coming back after that.】

The "typing" flickered on the screen a few times, then she sent back a single word.

【Okay.】

Once I'd settled myself, I pushed the door open and went back out to the living room.

Ivor was sitting on the couch, patting the spot beside him.

“Come here. Look at you. Why's your temper been so bad lately?”

“I've got a real surprise for you. You'll love it.”

My steps slowed for a second.

He fished two tickets out of his pocket.

The Maksim farewell tour. VIP floor section.

I froze where I stood, and my dead heart betrayed me with a single skip.

I'd wanted to go to that concert for half a year, but back then Ivor had only said, cold-faced,

Thousands of dollars to hear someone bang on wood for a few hours. Waste of money. Not going.

So he'd remembered?

My eyes went warm, and I reached out for them without thinking.

But before my fingertips could touch the stubs,

Ivor jerked his hand back and pressed the tickets into Kate's arms.

“Katie, hold on to these. It's next Saturday night. Don't get the time wrong.”

My hand, still out in the air, went stiff.

Ivor looked at me, his tone matter-of-fact.

“These two tickets were meant as a reward for you, since you've been so good lately.”

“But today you embarrassed both of us and ruined everyone's mood.”

“So I've decided. I'm taking Katie next Saturday.”

“The engagement party's in the daytime next Saturday anyway. You'll be tired by night. You can just rest at the hotel.”

Kate clutched the tickets and looked at me.

“Willow, I'm taking your spot. You won't be mad, will you?”

A sharp, dull ache spread through my chest.

I drew my hand back slowly and tugged the corner of my mouth into a smile.

“Why would I be mad?”

“Those tickets are hard to get. You two next Saturday night……you really have to go.”

Go and listen.

Because next Saturday's engagement party no longer had a leading lady.