Page 55 of Knot a Good Idea

Even as I clap politely for the winner of a thousand-year-old sculpture, I’m anything but calm.

It’s too crowded in the room.

The pack’s scents are around me, clouding my brain. They smell delicious, but that doesn’t stop my need to abandon the table and get some air.

But I don’t. I sit through the dinner, unable to enjoy the courses as panic surges through me.

I make note of every door and their handles.

The doors are unlocked. I can leave at any time.

“Are you okay?” Liam’s voice breaks me out of my thoughts, his brow furrowed in concern.

“Of course,” I say. “I just need to run to the restroom.”

“Oh!” Sophie says, placing her linen napkin down. “Would you like me to go with you?”

“No, I’m fine.” I smile, grabbing my clutch. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

I catch Donovan’s eye, who is looking at me curiously. But I leave before he can say anything, heading through the open double doors and deeper into the museum.

I don’t know where the restroom is, but I’ll find it.

My heels clack against the marble floor as I suck in a breath, turning a corner to find a long empty corridor, the restrooms at the far end.

The walk there feels like it goes on forever as my thoughts race.

Not here, not now…

I haven’t had a full-blown panic attack in months. I’ve had the beginnings of ones but have been able to work myself through them before they escalate.

But this time, it’s not working.

I burst through the bathroom door and lean over the vanity counter, exhaling a shaky breath.

Breathe in for four. Exhale for four.

Eventually, the painful tingles subside, and I’m able to stand up straight again.

I don’t know how long it’s been, but judging by the slight chatter carrying down the hallway, the auction is officially over and it’s time to socialize.

I take one last glance in the mirror, making sure I don’t look like I was just on the verge of a breakdown.

The waves in my hair haven’t fallen yet, and my makeup is still in place.

Nothing looks out of the ordinary, so I step out of the bathroom and start to head down the corridor.

But the opposite way, further from the main area of the museum, is the garden. The French double doors match the ones in the banquet hall, and I’m able to see the sprawling floral landscape illuminated by subtle lighting.

I should go back to the others, but I step out the doors just to observe the tranquility of the garden for a moment.

The doors open to a deck with a view of the flowerbeds. Stone steps lead down to a sprawling path of plants, and the tranquil sound of a fountain sounds somewhere in the distance.

“April?”

Liam’s low voice sounds from the deck, and I turn to my right to see him shrouded in the shadows near a flowerbed.

“Hey,” I say, moving closer to him. “What are you doing out here?”

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