“Can I do the same, please?” I looked up to see Lena standing next to me, sending the waitress away with another order before the girl could try to invade my personal space again. “Nice party.”

I was grateful for the distraction. I didn’t want to think about my mother anymore. Not now.

“Thanks to Veronica,” I said, lifting my glass toward the center of the garden where my future sister-in-law party planner, wearing an off-white dress a little too bridal for me to not be somewhat offended, bent down in her four-inch heels to whisper something to Reed.

Lena and I leaned into each other with a cheek-to-cheek kiss greeting, the kind of affection rich people save for when they don’t want their makeup to smudge. But then I go rogue and wrap her into a hug, my wineglass moving gingerly around her as I bring her in close.

“This is...nice...” she said into my ear, confused but not uninterested in the affection. Or the attention that some affection from the bride brings.

Behind her I could see a few people watching us, but my eyes moved quickly past them to the bartender—a lanky woman in a suit and tie with a bob of dark hair and arms that seemed thick underneath her formal black jacket. I smiled at her. She nodded at me.

“Sauv blanc,” the waitress said, handing Lena her drink after I released her from my selfish grip.

We both thanked her properly this time and Lena clanked my glass surreptitiously, like our celebration was different from the one for which everyone else was here.

“Engaged,” she said, more to herself than to me. I could have sworn she side-eyed my ring. But I’d gotten so used to people gazing at it that I didn’t think about it anymore. It was just a five-figure addition to my hand. “I’m honored to have introduced you.”

I took a sip of wine to stop myself from rolling my eyes. She loved bringing that up. As if I hadn’t planned the introduction all along.

“Now I’ll return the favor...” I leaned back against a decorative light pole. “Don’t look now, but the bartender has been eyeing you.”

She looked, of course, but in the inconspicuous way I expected her to, never moving too quickly, taking a deep breath before doing anything, always in control. She doesn’t operate in a manner that would get her caught for looking. She’s too composed for that.

“She’s cute,” Lena said when she turned back to me, satisfied.

“You should go for it.”

“Yeah?” She looked back at the bartender intentionally this time, staring at her for long enough to establish interest. It was like they were having sex with their eyes across my engagement party. She’ll definitely be Lena’s guest at the wedding.