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He reached over and took Cass’s ave it a squeeze They were a cute couple, I had to adenuinely in love, itimate reasons,Al the whole idea of love

I put that idea out oflike that

Dad regarded me from across the table He had that look on his face, the one I’d seen plenty of times before—a look that said he didn’t know quite what to do withinto this that there was a chance he’d see through the whole thing right away Sitting there at the table with him, I had no idea if that was the case

Katie reached over and took Cass’s hand, nearly yanking it frood, it’s so freaking huge!”

“I know, isn’t it pretty?” Now there was so

Cass’sand all But Cass, I thought we’d always talked about you wearing your grand?” I was curious to see how Cass would handle this

I piped up, deciding to play along “Grand?”

“Yeah,” said Cass “My grand that she’d alanted to pass down todeal I mean, how can I say ‘no’ to this?”

The hurt expression stuck on herif I’d ain, not like ere really gettingfor when the real deal happened I had to keep in mind this was all pretend

“Joshua” Dad’s voice cut through the din of the dining room “Let’s talk in private”

“Right now?”

“Right now”

I hadn’t even had a chance to take a bite of the sorbet Of course, that was the last thing on et so to drop the ax, I’d rather it be sooner than later

We both got up, and together we left the dining roo out on the same back patio where I’d been with Cass only a little while earlier The evening was quiet, the piano faint through the swith soft chatter of the other people out there

Dad said nothing at first, instead gazing out into the garden Few things scared me, especially after my time in the desert, but Dad’s pointed silence always had a way ofmy blood run cold ever since I was a kid

Finally, he spoke “So, you’re getting married”