One Night to Forever novel · Chapter 4 of 24

Chapter 4: Sunday Dinner

The Ryerson family house stood on a bluff above Lake Michigan, a gray stone pile with lit windows.

A boathouse sat at the bottom of the lawn.

I recognized the boathouse roof before I recognized anything else.

It was the roof Desmond had fallen off when he was ten.

I wore the only dress I owned that wasn't Bianca's, a navy wrap with the hem let down twice.

Hazel had drawn a tiny ink fox on my wrist in eyeliner and said, "For courage."

The dining room had a table for twelve and six people at it.

Margaret sat at the head with her cane hooked on her chair.

Desmond sat at her right, in shirtsleeves, with the top button open.

Ford sat beside him with a folder, because Ford apparently ate with a folder.

An uncle and an aunt, polite and silent, sat at the far end.

Bianca sat directly across from me, in a pale pink dress, glowing.

"Cassidy," Margaret said. "You'll sit by me."

So I sat at Margaret's left, which put me opposite Desmond, and every time I looked up he was already looking at me.

My neck got hot.

The soup came, a clear gold broth with tiny dumplings.

"Tell me about the night," Margaret said. "Start with the green dress."

"I'll start," Bianca said, sweetly, and put down her spoon.

I watched her fold her hands.

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