Edward opened the door, and Jesse stood beside me.
“We could carry you down, if you like,” Jesse said when I didn’t move. He made as if to lift me.
“No! I’m going. I’m going.”
They both laughed.
We started out and down the stairs. I looked back at Sophia’s room.
“I have a suspicion she might not go,” Edward said, seeing where I was looking. “Drop her from your thoughts.”
Adan rose immediately from the sofa and looked at us as we descended. Mi tía Isabela was sitting across from him and looked up as well.
“Ridiculous,” I heard her say. “Going to a party like this on crutches.”
“You once went to a formal dinner with your arm in a sling,” Edward reminded her.
“That was different. I was recuperating from a rotor-cuff operation, not from falling down a stairway.”
No one spoke for a moment. Then Adan stepped closer to take my hand. “You look fantastic,” he said, “and I love that hat. Very French.” He kissed my hand. “Enchanté,” he said.
I glanced at Tía Isabela. Her eyes widened so that I nearly laughed.
“Oh,” Adan continued, “and congratulations on your car. It’s beautiful. I was thinking of buying the exact one this week, but apparently, according to your aunt, someone beat me to it.” He smiled at Edward.
I thought he looked even more handsome than he had at Fani’s. He was dressed in a tailored tuxedo that gave him a breathtaking elegance. He wore a very expensive-looking gold watch and a diamond pinky ring.
“The car is as much of a surprise to me as to anyone,” I said, looking toward my aunt. She sneered at Edward, looked away a moment, then stood up and came closer to inspect me.
“Where did you get that dress?” she asked, and before I could respond, she turned to Edward and said, “As if I had to ask.”
“The hat really makes the
look, don’t you think, Mother?” he asked her.
I saw her reluctant approval. “Yes, but the dress doesn’t hurt. I know the designer. Well, have a good time, but I would hope,” she said, “not to have any repetition of what occurred last night.”
“Put a chain on Miss Horror, and you won’t,” Edward said.
Adan’s eyes widened. He looked afraid to utter a word. The silence was too heavy, however.
“Let’s be on our way, then,” he said, taking one crutch and offering his arm to replace it. I took it, and we headed for the door.
When I looked back after Adan opened his black sedan’s door for me, I saw Edward and Jesse standing in the entrance looking at me proudly.
“They do look like two mother hens,” Adan muttered, taking my crutches and putting them across the rear seat. “Don’t they have anything better to do?”
“What could be better than looking after me?” I asked him, and he laughed.
“I told you. I love your sense of humor,” he said, and closed the door. He waved to Edward and Jesse and got in. “We’re off,” he said, starting the car and driving away.
As we approached the gate, a sports car came rushing in, nearly driving us off the driveway. I had enough time to see who it was, however.
“Who the hell was that?” Adan asked slowing.
“A boy from school, Christian Taylor,” I said, looking back. Sophia was coming out of the entrance now.
“Your cousin’s date?”