Chapter 68

• JOAN’S POVDinners in this household were always tense. Tonight was no different.Derrick sat beside me, cold and stiff. His shoulders were squared as if the very act of sharing the same chair space as me was some sort of punishment. His jaw was tight, clenched. I pretended not to notice, but I did—every twitch of his fingers, every shallow breath, the way his hand tightened around the stem of his glass until his knuckles turned white.
• And Irene? Oh, Irene noticed everything too. She leaned back in her seat. Her eyes were filled with wicked amusement. She poked and prodded with words that sounded light on the surface but sank deep. She did it on purpose. She always did.
• But then there was Kevin.He was seated across from me, charming and easygoing. His smile was warm in a way that felt like a breath of fresh air compared to Derrick’s cold silence. He leaned forward slightly, as if the other guests were merely background noise.“So, Joan,” Kevin began. His voice was smooth, “tell me… what’s your story? I’m curious to know about the woman who has captured Derrick Stonewood’s heart.”