Chapter 8
The older woman appeared at the edge of the floral aisle.
Garrett’s mother.
Elegant.
Silver-blonde hair.
Pearls.
A face trained over decades to show only what helped her win.
She stopped when she saw Posie.
Only for half a second.
But Garrett saw it.
Mave saw it too.
Coraline saw Garrett see it, and panic flashed across her face.
No one spoke.
The mother’s gaze moved from Posie to Mave, then to Garrett.
“Garrett,” she said smoothly, “this is not the place.”
Garrett’s expression became unreadable.
“No,” he said. “This is exactly the place you chose.”
The guests went still again.
Mave’s breath caught.
The mother’s eyes hardened.
“Send the child inside.”
Garrett moved instantly, drawing Mave and Posie more fully behind him.
The action was quiet.
Protective.
Final.
Posie looked up at him from Mave’s arms.
For one second, her small hand loosened from Mave’s gown.
Not reaching.
Not yet.
But no longer hiding as tightly.
Garrett felt it like a vow.
He still did not know the whole truth.
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He did not need the whole truth to know where he stood.
Read the full story 👉 Garrett’s mother arrived calm, but one glance at Posie proved she recognized the secret before anyone explained it.
