In my periphery, I saw Nick begin to walk our way, and I waved him over as Freddie materialized at Daphne’s side. Nick quickly switched course and headed straight for Richard instead, and I was left pretending I’d simply needed to adjust the Lover’s Knot, which now sat on my head like a ten-ton lie.

“Hello, Daphne. You’re looking radiant.” Freddie beamed. “I didn’t get to speak to you properly earlier. I reckon I was, what, sixteen the last time we saw each other?”

“At Grandfather’s funeral, yes,” she said, her usual nervous smile sliding onto her face. “I’m glad we’re here under at least mildly better circumstances.”

“All grown up now, though,” Freddie said.

“We were just admiring Hax and Lax,” I said.

“Yes, I rather think they should get a room,” he teased. “Fortunately, we have a few extra.”

“They embody gezellig,” Daphne said. At our puzzlement, she added, “That’s Dutch for…well, there is no direct translation. It’s a feeling, kind of? They set a very high bar.”

Freddie glanced over at Richard and Nick while Daphne fiddled with her diamond tennis bracelet. Richard met his eyes, and then placed his hand on Nick’s shoulder and appeared to compliment him to one of the six old, rich men circling them. Freddie straightened and turned to Daphne.

“A high bar is not such a bad thing,” he said. “I recently discovered that holding myself to a better standard can be rewarding.”

“Ah, does that mean love is in the air?” Daphne asked.

“Well, I’m still working on the payoff,” he admitted. “What about you?”

“Not even a whiff,” Daphne said. “I have one or two friends who’ve tried to set me up, but they don’t seem to understand that being single isn’t a personality trait. People need something in common beyond an open space beside them in bed.” She gave him a knowing look. “And, of course, as you understand, it’s also challenging because I cannot date just any old person.”

“Why not?” Freddie swiped a glass of Champagne from the tray of a passing waiter and handed it to Daphne. “Nick did.”

“Cheers,” I said, grabbing my own.

“It’s a compliment,” Freddie said. “Nick marrying any old person should have kicked open the door for the rest of us to do what we like. You two are pioneers.”

I wondered briefly if I should be at Nick’s side instead of yukking it up with Freddie and Daphne, but Nick had not glanced my way since embedding himself near Doris Tuesday. I resented needing to chase my own husband, and took a longer slurp of my bubbly than was strictly polite.