The turnout for the grand opening exceeded my expectations. If Dominic and I were still married, it would be a no-brainer because everyone wanted proximity to the Davenport name. But the fact we’d divorced and every VIP I’d invited was present and accounted for? It was astonishing.
A quick scan around the room showed Buffy Darlington holding court with the socialites from the old guard while Tilly Denman reigned over the new wave of It girls. Ayana looked resplendent in emerald, Sebastian Laurent made his first society appearance since the Le Boudoir fiasco, and Xavier Castillo lounged on the velvet booth, his tousled dark hair and lazy grin attracting a plethora of admiring glances, though his eyes remained on Sloane. I even spotted the notoriously reclusive Vuk Markovic, whose massive body dwarfed his chair with laughable ease.
It should’ve been the best night of my life. And yet…
I glanced at the clock. The party started half an hour ago, and Dominic wasn’t here yet.
Unease whispered through my gut. He’ll be here. He was probably stuck in traffic. Saturday nights in Manhattan were hellish for drivers.
I took a fortifying sip of champagne and took great care not to spill it on my dress. Lilah Amiri had sent it to my apartment Thursday night, courtesy of Dominic, who’d done an incredible job of choosing the perfect color and style. He knew me well, and he clearly remembered the event was tonight if he’d gone to the trouble of dress shopping for me.
He’ll be here, I repeated to myself.
“Congrats, babe!” Isabella popped up with a drink in hand and Kai in tow. She engulfed me in a huge, perfumed hug. “Look at all this. It’s amazing.”
“Thank you.” I smiled and tried to set my worries aside. She was right.
The night was amazing, and that wasn’t me getting a big head.
I’d opened a physical store in less than four months. Granted, I’d had luck, connections, and a steady cash flow on my side, but it was an accomplishment worth celebrating regardless of how many people showed up tonight.
I’d set a goal for myself, no one else, and I’d achieved it. Pride dampened my earlier misgivings, and I chatted with Kai and Isabella for a bit before mingling with other guests I didn’t see as often.
“We should sit,” I heard Dante say as I passed by him and Vivian, who was showing the tiniest hint of a baby bump. Anxiety laced his tone. “I read an article that said you should stay off your feet when you’re pregnant, and you’ve been standing for hours.”
“It’s been forty minutes,” Vivian said. She patted her worried-looking husband on the arm. “I’m fine. I’m pregnant, not incapacitated.”
“What if—”
“What if we get another one of those delicious canapés? Excellent idea.
Come on.” She steered him toward the food table. “I’m craving pickles, and you need a drink.”
I held back a laugh. Dante was always protective of Vivian, but his concern had kicked into overdrive since her pregnancy. I was surprised he didn’t bubble wrap her and glue her to his side until she gave birth.
“Hi, Sebastian. Thanks so much for coming.” I made a point to say hi to Dominic’s friend, who’d been dealing with a media firestorm since Martin Wellgrew’s death at his event. Sebastian had always been lovely and genuine, which was a rarity in Manhattan high society, and he didn’t deserve the unfair treatment from the press.
“I wouldn’t miss it.” A trace of exhaustion tinged his smile.
“Congratulations on the store. It looks great.”
“Thank you.” Sympathy softened my voice. “How are you doing?”
“I could be worse.” He offered a shrug. “C’est la vie. The media does what the media does. Look at Dominic and DBG.”
My heart ricocheted at the sudden and unexpected mention of Dominic’s name. The DBG fiasco had dominated headlines since Thursday, but we hadn’t had a chance to talk in person because I’d been slammed with party prep, and he’d been busy with the buyout.
“What do you mean?”
“Just that they’re running wild with the buyout news depending on which side they fall.” Sebastian shook his head. “It’s a huge deal, but this weekend must be nuts for Dom and his team. I heard no one’s left the office since yesterday morning. I bet they have to work through tonight as well . ”
“Right.” I swallowed the growing lump in my throat. “Make sense.
Well, thank you again for coming out. Don’t forget to grab a gift bag before you leave.”
I bet they have to work through tonight as well.
Sebastian’s words echoed through my head as I made my way around the room. I tried to focus, but I couldn’t shake the mental image of Dominic poring over his documents, so lost in his work he forgot about everything else.
No. He said he would be here. He’d texted a few hours ago promising he would be on his way soon. He wouldn’t go back on his word again.
Right?
However, the more time passed, the tighter the rope of dread wound around my chest. Old me would’ve rationalized his absence. The DBG
buyout was a record-breaking deal that needed to be completed within a tiny window of time; of course Dominic should prioritize it over a small store opening. It made practical sense.
But that was the problem. Our marriage fell apart because we’d focused too much on practicality and not enough on our feelings, including how I felt about always coming in second place to work.
He knew how I felt now, and he’d promised time and again he would change. But this was his first big test since we got back together and he wasn’t here.
A fist closed around my heart. I would be okay with a quick drop-in.
Even if he showed his face for two minutes before he rushed back to work, I would understand because at least that meant he’d remembered and taken the time to see me.
But as the minutes ticked by, and the party wound down, it was clear that Dominic wasn’t coming at all.
