It was undeniable that Xenia was a beauty. Standing under the moonlit gazebo, her figure was ethereal, the kind of sight that would make even a woman like Leanne pause in admiration. But her gaze was brief.
"It's a bit chilly."
They were near the lily pond, and the evening breeze was cool. Curtis walked over and drew Leanne close into his embrace, shielding her from the wind.
"Why were you gone so long?"
"I took a wrong turn," Leanne said innocently, her face an open book of feigned confusion. "All those flowers and bushes look alike. It's hard to tell them apart at night."
"Getting lost in your backyard?" Curtis raised an eyebrow in amusement. "This garden has your name on it. If you stomped your foot, you'd think the local spirits would come out to guide you." Leanne rolled her eyes. "I'm not exactly Alice in Wonderland, you know."
"Maybe next time bring the cat along," Curtis suggested casually. "It's got sharp eyes and can tell the difference between two similar things."
People often failed to see the similarities between themselves and others, so Leanne completely missed his subtle hint.
She held the cat in her arms, then extended her hand towards him, palm open. Resting in her pale hand was a blooming rose.
Its white petals, tinged with a soft pink at the edges, resembled a butterfly poised for flight.
"For you."
On her way back from dropping off Violet, she had spotted the rose peeking over the garden wall, blooming with vivacious tenacity. Perhaps it was the moment of happiness that inspired Leanne to take a detour and pluck one.
Curtis eyed the flower, his gaze softening. "Got lost picking this for me?"
He touched the petal, its velvet softness sending a gentle wave of emotion through him, softening his usually detached expression.
"I should frame this. It's the first flower you've ever given me."
Leanne, spurred by impulse, hadn't expected such a response from him. She mused for a moment.
"The ground's littered with them from the wind. You could pick some up yourself if you like."
Curtis laughed. "You're quite the charmer, aren't you?"
He pocketed the petal in his trousers and cheekily asked for more. "How about one every day?" "Why should I?" she challenged.
"Because I'm your husband," Curtis declared boldly. "Just agree, alright? Or I'll get all grumpy."
His words came with an incongruous humor that made Leanne chuckle, releasing the cat to the ground. "Go ahead and get grumpy, Prince Charming."
As she turned away, she muttered, "Such a drama king."
The cat sprinted ahead, and Curtis casually followed behind Leanne.
Unbeknownst to them, they had left someone still standing in the gazebo, their silhouettes merging with the shadows of the garden. Their conversation carried softly across the air.
"Don't hold my hand. I just petted the cat."
His lazy voice drifted back over the pond. "What? Touching the cat means you can't touch me?"
When they returned to the main house, the party was in full swing. Joy, slightly tipsy, was boasting to Devin, her arm casually thrown around his shoulder. "Don't fall too hard for me. You'll never have me. What's your type? Tell me. Since Curtis left me this nice spot, I'll hook you up."
Devin scoffed, "I like someone like Leanne. Can you find me one of those?"
As Curtis and Leanne entered hand-in-hand, Curtis shot a cold glance at Devin. "Been a while since I've knocked some sense into you, huh?"
Devin instinctively flinched, remembering his allegiance, then straightened up boldly. "I'm on Leanne's side now. How dare you touch me?"
Curtis smirked coldly. "Come here and find out."
In a corner, Skyler sipped his drink in silence.
Beside him, Grace lingered her gaze on Curtis and Leanne whose hands intertwined, then shifted to Xenia, trailing a distance behind.
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