Rather than go to Juliet’s house, they were going to meet in Darcy’s hotel room – she’d already left Juliet a key that she’d picked up at the front desk – in…
She checked the time – under two hours.
She could notwait.
Robbie’s arm was now slung casually around Juliet’s waist in a manner that made something inside of Darcy twitch with envy.
She cleared her throat as she approached, drawing not only Juliet and Robbie’s attention, but the older couple a couple of feet away as well. Darcy flicked her gaze over them briefly. They were in their fifties, maybe? They both looked incredible. Not only the way they were dressed but… theylookedrich. It was the best way Darcy could think to describe them.
She nodded in their direction, ticking her lips into a small smile. After all, while she didn’t know a lot of people here – Copper Canyon had overseen the guest list – everyone in attendance, theoretically, knew who she was.
The man, with his dark hair that was silvering at the temples, raised an eyebrow at her. The woman returned a very small, tight smile, and –oh. It was in the smile that she realized that was why they looked kind of familiar.
Juliet’s parents. Er, mom and stepdad, as Juliet always clarified.
“Hey,” Robbie greeted, drawing her attention. “I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced.”
He offered his hand, the one that wasn’t resting all possessively easy over Juliet’s hip.
She returned his handshake, gripping tightly as she took ownership of it. “No, I don’t think we have. Darcy.”
His eyebrows furrowed, before his ridiculously plush – especially for a man – lips curled into a smile. “Yeah, no kidding.” His tone wasn’t malicious, but laughter tinged through it.
“Well, you brought up having a formal introduction,” she pointed out, dropping his hand.
“So I did. In that case, I’m Robbie.” He cast a winning smile at her, and…
She really did get it. Robbie was the definition of a heartthrob. The chiseled jaw, the sharp cheekbones, the charming smile. Together – especially with their outfitscomplementing one another – he and Juliet made a stunning “couple.”
“Congratulations on tonight. You excited?” Robbie asked.
Darcy had turned her attention to Juliet, waiting for her to say something, anything, in greeting. But Juliet looked at her expectantly when Robbie spoke, obviously not jumping to say anything.
She blew out a breath, looking back at him. “Yeah. But also terrified,” she admitted with a laugh that sounded far lighter and more self-deprecating than what she was actually feeling inside.
He waved his hand. “It’s going to be great. Just you wait and see.”
“Thanks,” she accepted, before looking – again – at Juliet. Darcy deliberately met and held Juliet’s gaze with her own. “And thanks for coming tonight.”
“Of course,” Juliet responded, her lips curling into a smile that made Darcy’s own drop. “Happy to be here; it’s a big night.”
Thatwas not any sort of smile Juliet ever gave her. It wasn’t even the sharp, mean one she’d had months ago directed at her, but it was also so far from thetypicalsmile Darcy was now on the receiving end of, she almost didn’t even want to label it as a “smile.”
She did her best to shake that feeling off, but it wasn’t easy.
“So… did you end up finishingThe Blackthorne House?” Darcy asked, referencing one of the books she’d recommended to Juliet that she’d started to read last week. The last they’d talked, Juliet was nearly done and she hadn’t wanted to admit how much she’d gotten into it. Darcy had to goad her, coax it out of her.
Juliet’s expression was impassive, as she tilted her head as if needing to reach into her thoughts to determine what Darcy was talking about. “Oh. No, I just was so–” She fluttered her handthrough the air. “Busy the last couple of days. You know how it goes.”
“Right,” she stated, flatly, digging her teeth into her cheek. Hurt and frustration lanced through her, making her press her crossed arms even tighter against her chest.
Robbie swooped in, lightly rubbing his hand over Juliet’s hip. “Plus, I only just got back from traveling this past week, so we’ve been spending a lot of time together.”
She aimed a hard stare at Juliet, locked onto her eyes. Minutely, Juliet lifted her eyebrows, but other than that, gave nothing away other than that placid smile on her lips. Darcy didn’t know it would be possible to miss Juliet taking a jab at her, but it was much preferable to whatever this was.
“I bet,” she muttered, before swallowing tightly and shifting to look at Robbie again. “Anyway. I’m going to grab a drink. Hope you enjoy the album.”
With that, she walked stiffly past them, grinding her jaw.