Chapter 28

ARIA'S POV

The cool night air had helped clear my head, but as I stepped back into the bustling banquet hall, the noise and heat overwhelmed me.

I spotted Evelyn sitting at our table and made my way over.

"There you are!" Evelyn exclaimed as I sat down. "Where did you go off to?"

I forced a smile, not wanting to rehash the drama. "Oh, I just had to make a quick call. No big deal."

Evelyn's eyes narrowed slightly. "You sure? You look a bit drained.”

"I'm fine, really," I insisted, desperate to change the subject. "How was your trip out?"

Evelyn's face lit up. "Oh my goodness, you won't believe what happened!" She went on to share a hilarious story about a mishap with her driver and a carton of materials for designing a dress. Soon, we were both laughing so hard tears were rolling down our cheeks.

"I swear," Evelyn gasped between giggles, "I've never seen cartons move like that in my life!"

We were still laughing when a shadow fell across our table. I looked up to see Linda standing the