Brooke speak as though everybody around her were furniture.
When Catherine returned with the tray, Brooke stood suddenly.
Her elbow struck it.
A glass fell.
It shattered against the floor.
Brooke looked down.
“Oh. How careless.”
Catherine stared at the broken glass.
Then at Brooke.
“Accidents happen.”
Brooke smiled.
Catherine added, “Especially the unusually well-timed ones.”
The room became silent.
After Brooke finally left, Ethan stood near the windows.
“I’m sorry.”
Catherine began picking up the remaining tray.
“For what?”
“The way she treated you.”
“I’ve met rude wealthy people
before.”
“She shouldn’t have been allowed to do that here.”
Catherine stopped.
“Then why did you let her stay?”
Ethan looked toward the bay.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
“Because part of me is still trying to understand why she came back.”
Catherine studied him.
“Do you want her back?”
His eyes met hers.
“No.”
The answer came immediately.
Too immediately to be rehearsed.
That evening, Catherine cleaned a counter that was already spotless.
“We have a problem, Riley.”
Ethan walked through the kitchen without his suit jacket.
