Page 41 of Not a Perfect Save

One beat. Then two.

“Fine. I’ll take myself off now.” I grit my teeth, working to keep my expression bland.

“I’ll see you?” Her voice is soft.

“Yeah. See you.” I echo.

She gives me a tight nod. I turn and walk out, let the door click shut behind me, all the while hoping she calls for me to stop. But I know her. Ella Marie Dixon doesn’t change her mind.

Chapter Twenty-Six

ELLA

Because I don’t wantto be lying to Connor, I splurge on an Uber and haul myself over to my parents’ New Jersey home, multiple garment bags in tow.

A wedding war room has been set up in my old bedroom. I asked Hannah months ago why she didn’t pick one of the guest rooms, but she said none of the others were big enough. She doesn’t live at home either, and her room is at least a third larger than mine.

Mom and Hannah argue about place settings while I put on my own horror show of a dress, a strapless off-the-rack catastrophe in mustard. When I emerge from the bathroom, Hannah scrutinizes me from top to bottom. “You might want to consider a juice fast before the party.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.” Hannah grabs my phone and flashes it at my face to unlock it. She snaps photos of me and shows me the screen. She’s right, the dress is not flattering. But whose fault is that?

I yank at the bunched up material around the waist, trying to smooth the folds. “Maybe I can alter it.” I turn to the full-length mirror, trying to see what my options are. I heave out a breath—it’s going to take miracles even I’m not sure I’m capable of.

“We’ve put you at Celeste’s table.”

I spin around. Hannah is studying the seating chart pinned over my poster of The Gathering with the intensity of a general’s stare. It’s a battle plan worthy of a full-scale military siege.

This takes me aback. Celeste van Peu, née van Morabelle, née van Megabitch, is the reigning leader of Hannah’s posse, and her best frenemy. She took over my sister’s top spot when she married Gordon van Peu, a local real estate magnate. Hannah’s been determined to reclaim her position back at the top of the society totem pole ever since.

Meanwhile, Hank is forever talking about Gordon. His account would make Hank look good at his uncle’s firm, so it’s a delicate dance of scorn and suck-up. “And we’ve put Connor beside her husband. He’s a huge fan. Hank and I can’t wait to see what everyone says when they see Connor at all the wedding events next week,” Hannah continues.

“Connor?” I’m trying to keep up, but this dress is making it hard to breathe. “What Connor are you talking about?”

Please be talking about a different Connor.

“Connor Hall.”

I gape.

Her eyes narrow into slits. “You did pass on the invitation, didn’t you?”

“No.”Because I conveniently lost it.

Hannah’s features are downright panicky now. “Call him!” She thrusts my phone out at me. “Now! We’ve told Celeste and Gordon he’s going to be there. And Hank wants Connor to meet some people from the office.”

I back away from the device.

“Aren’t you together now?” She still sounds like she has a hard time believing it could be true. Smart girl.

“No, we arenottogether. We’re just friends.”If that.

“Well, if he’s your friend then why haven’t you asked him to any of the parties? I gave you the invitations weeks ago.”

“Connor’s not that kind of friend. Not close.”Not close? He was freaking inside you. It doesn’t get closer than that.“Besides, he isn’t around anymore.”

“But he was always around. He even took you to that football game!”

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