Pippa shifts next to me, leaning in close. “I recognize your friend Winnie. Did we not know she had a boyfriend?”
Emma lets out a low, long whistle. “I knew she had one. Just last time she confided in me, she was not with him.”
“I didn’t know she was with anyone at all,” Margo notes, staring at her best friend.
The word on the street is decades ago, there was a business deal that went wrong between the Moores and the Bishops. They were supposed to be business partners before Winnie’s grandfather pulled out, stabbing Archer’s family in the back in the process.
We all stare at them as they head in our direction. Archer seems to almost be dragging Winnie over to us. Her fingers are wrapped so tightly around his bicep I can see the little indentations on his suit from the pressure.
Archer stops in front of us, giving Beck and me a cold smile. “Sinclair. Hunter. Good to see you two.”
He shakes both of our hands, his handshake firm.
“I thought events like this were never your thing,” Beck comments, giving Archer and Winnie a polite smile. Archer was a year younger than us in school, but he was always avoiding parties at all costs. Even after we all graduated and moved on with our lives, he rarely showed up to functions hosted by New York’s elite.
“I had to come to celebrate,” Archer answers, his eyes flicking to Winnie at his side.
She’s always been quiet when I’ve seen her with Margo and Emma, but she seems unusually quiet tonight.
Emma tries to get Winnie’s attention, but she doesn’t say anything. She looks at Archer’s profile as if her life depended on it.
“Celebrate what, exactly?” Beck asks, looking at me, confused.
Archer lifts Winnie’s hand, a giant diamond ring on her gloved hand sparkling underneath the chandeliers.
“What?” Emma shrieks, ripping Winnie’s hand from Archer’s grip. Margo leans in close as well, inspecting what appears to be an engagement ring.
My head cocks for a moment, but before I can ask the questions running through my mind, Archer pulls Winnie’s hand from Emma’s grasp and plants a kiss to the glistening diamond on Winnie’s finger. “We couldn’t pass up the opportunity for our first event as husband and wife.”
“I think I might pass out,” Emma comments, her words coming out shaky.
“What is he talking about?” Margo presses, taking a step closer to Winnie.
Winnie looks up with a soft smile. “We’ve got some things to catch up on.”
Margo wraps her arm through Pippa’s, something I appreciate because I don’t want Pippa to feel left out, even though she clearly has no idea the impact of what’s transpiring in front of us.
“I need to go to the ladies’ room,” Margo chimes, pulling Pippa with her. She uses her other hand to grab Winnie, having to pretty much rip Winnie from Archer’s grasp. “You’re coming, too, Win.”
Winnie doesn’t argue, even though Archer’s lips press into a straight line of displeasure.
“You okay with that?” I ask Pippa, wanting to make sure she feels comfortable.
She smiles. “Yes.”
Margo doesn’t waste any more time. She pulls on Pippa and Winnie, gesturing for Emma to follow.
The three of us watch them leave, no one speaking until their bodies disappear into the group of partygoers.
After they’re gone, I turn to face Archer. “It appears congratulations are in order.”
Archer gives a curt nod. “Thanks, Hunter.”
“Did we miss an invite?” My eyes fly to Beck. Normally, I’m the one who is an asshole between the two of us.
“She wanted something small,” Archer answers, his eyes searching the room.
Beck and I share a look. Something seems different about this, but it’s not my place to say anything. My eyes catch on Daly talking in a group of people across the room.
“I’ll be back,” I tell the two of them, dismissing myself. As fun as it’d be to hear all about how Winnie ended up married to him, there are more pressing things for me to handle.
I weave in and out of the bodies of people until I find Daly. His eyes find mine immediately. He excuses himself from the conversation and stops in front of me.
I don’t waste time cutting to the chase. “Tell me you have more answers.”
Just by the way his face pinches together, I know he doesn’t have good news for me.
“The paperwork hasn’t fully gone through, but the real estate group said the sale is under contract.”