I tugged at my dress. “It’s old.”
Before she could answer, Ryan’s voice cut across the patio.
“Well. This is interesting.”
People started pretending not to stare.
Ryan walked toward us with Lucille beside him.
“Maggie,” he said, looking Daniel up and down. “Who’s this?”
Daniel stepped forward calmly.
“Daniel. Maggie’s boyfriend.”
The word boyfriend seemed to freeze the backyard.
Ryan stared for a second.
Then he laughed.
“Him? Your boyfriend?”
My face burned.
Lucille looked down at her drink, hiding a smile.
Ryan shook his head. “Come on, Maggie. You obviously paid him to be here.”
The whole yard went quiet.
I felt every eye land on my dress, my body, my face, my hands.
My fingers slipped away from Daniel’s.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
I didn’t even know who I was apologizing to.
Daniel took my hand again.
“Don’t be.”
Ryan smirked. “Does the boyfriend package include hand-holding, or does that cost extra?”
Daniel looked straight at him.
“Does the ex-husband package include humiliating the mother of your children in front of them, or do you do that for free?”
Someone gasped.
Ryan’s smile vanished.
“It was a joke,” he snapped.
Daniel nodded once. “Interesting choice.”
SEE YOU NEXT PSGE
