The day of the charity concert came faster than I expected.
For the past few days, I'd been buried in work for the Ashbourne Group's branch office, trying to learn the flow and keep everything steady. My head had been full of numbers, meetings, and signatures. Still, I made sure I arrived early for rehearsal. I didn't want anything to go wrong tonight.
I held up my gown with one hand as I walked toward the changing room. The hallway smelled like perfume, hairspray, and nerves. Just as I rounded a corner, I heard raised voices.
Lincy and Yenick were arguing in the shadow of the corridor.
"I heard Grant is back in Snowville," Yenick said, sounding careful. "It's been a long time… is he still angry with you?"
Lincy's face tightened at Grant's name. She tried to hide it, but I saw it her eyes flickered like she remembered that day outside the restaurant, when his hand closed around her throat and he meant it.
"Yeah," she answered, pretending it didn't matter. "So?"
