ine'

-

eans and sweater, but I can stil

prawl of forks, knives, and crystal arranged with surg

course." He gestures to the

ut this tab

. "At my first formal dinner, I grabbe

elps.

here so ma

e first one. "But it's really about pacing.

Fish fork. Main course. Dessert fork

ead

ite. Red. Champagne. Larger bowl for red because it nee

ke notes. No chance I'm ho

excuse yourself, place it on your chair. When the me

loo

." He sets the fork down. "Loose say

ture carries subtext. I'm learning

ng at home. All these forks. If I make it through tomorrow without humil

tion? What am I supp

alk about themselves. Avoid politics. Religion. Money unless t

say someth

"Everyone does. The trick is

not reas

ese people aren't better than you. They ju

d to run entirely on performance and hierarchy. Matteo feels

phone. "Can I a

cour

teo's face carefully. "Not the headlin

ong enough that I a

illiant. More alone than an

n't seem

s surrounded by people who want access, leverage, proximity.

to not g

barrassing situation." Matteo starts stacking the practi

press hi

opens bef

g in hand. Even Matteo strai

he announces. "Mr. Rossi wishe

chest seizes. "

already

Midnight blue silk

Find the subway. Send Albert a message exp

t don'

e the

ence room. The fabric settles over me more easi

in the

lbert Rossi without the whole room knowing she took the train here.

fraction of what

into the con

ly, adjusting the skirt by d

holds i

oor o

ar and something warmer underneath it. My

eps into

in the

e through the m

e, the smallest possible adjustment.

oom. Stops close

c at my shoulder. The conta

." His voice drops

hould land

y d

moved from me s

e says, redirecting to Matteo. "

ward the do

ns

in the mirro

ook pe

y. The words out befor

s gone.

t the spa

knowing tsk. "

ly said

shoulders. "Mr. Rossi says very little. Yo

out. The speed at which

ning both

-

es. Colette hands over the garment bag with the g

olds my gaze. "Re

rong fork, dumb comm

ftens. "The real mistake is impersonating someone you

arrying the garment bag because bo

things they actually mean. "Every person in that room i

vator a

eli

rn b

o says. "He doesn't get th

before I can a

mbers descend. The dress across my arms

een lig

eup team will meet you at your apartment at 2 PM. Eve

keup. At my

ce, my street looks exactly the same. Cracked front steps. Graffiti across the

stairs. Key

. Books on every surface. This morning's co

r. It looks out of place here. Too elegant f

erything I'm abo

from Mom I haven'

sweetheart? Don't forget to

, imm

ise I'm eating pr

bed with the bowl balanced on m

ntire lives learning rules I learned this afternoon. People who will assess me i

lbert Rossi will be watching.

that close wit

The untraceable number. The black ca

end up here. Kn

ll on my oldest paj

of sight, a different version of

and turn of

I can still s

Albert Rossi's worl

to su

ngerous p