“I did,” Elizabeth admitted. “Linda mentioned that you had had a couple of false engagements in the past, and I figured Clarke was just trying to make a point to Linda, or you were trying to do damage control on your reputation.”

Audrey hid her wince. She had to give Elizabeth credit for hitting the nail right on the head.

“I figured I’d just wait it out, that you would tire of the charade, that Clarke would have won the game he and his mother are playing constantly.”

“And you figured you’d be there when it ended.”

“Yes,” Elizabeth admitted. “I was trying to prove to Clarke that I was in it to stay this time. Honestly, I’m a little embarrassed to admit I was even trying to prove that I could play along. I wanted him to see that I could fit into your weird friendship. I don’t mean weird,” she amended quickly.

“It’s a little weird,” Audrey admitted with a smile, throwing her a bone.

Elizabeth didn’t smile back as she held Audrey’s gaze. “But it’s not just a friendship anymore, is it?”

A knot of dread formed in Audrey’s stomach as she looked at the other woman. Elizabeth had never had soft features, and unsmiling as she was now, she looked as implacable as ever. Except the eyes. Her hazel eyes were unguarded, her pain unfiltered.

Instead of answering Liz’s question, Audrey flipped it back around on her, wanting, or perhaps needing, to hear the full truth.

“You love him,” Audrey said quietly. “It wasn’t a game for you.”

“No,” Elizabeth admitted. “It wasn’t. Clarke wasn’t the primary reason I moved back to New York, but he was definitely a part of the decision. I didn’t realize until I got to DC that I’d made a mistake by not appreciating him.”

No, you didn’t, Audrey couldn’t help but think, even as she stopped herself from saying it aloud. You didn’t see that he tried to change for you, and he’s the last person in the world who needs changing, because he’s perfect, just the way he is.

“Clarke brought out the best in me,” Elizabeth continued. “And I thought, hoped, I brought out the best in him, too. I asked Linda to just help get me some face time with him.”

Audrey gritted her teeth to keep from pointing out that a grown man’s mother had no place getting involved in her son’s romantic relationships.

“But I was wrong,” Elizabeth said with a sad smile. “Linda was wrong. Maybe we did balance each other out, but that’s not what Clarke needs.”

“No?” Audrey asked cautiously.

Elizabeth shook her head. “I didn’t realize it until I saw the way he looked at you the day of the ski trip. Not until I accidentally stumbled upon you two kissing in the hallway.”