He hugged her.
I watched his hand settle at the middle of her back.
The same place it had been in Corey’s photograph.
Then Nolan noticed me.
“Graham.”
“Nolan.”
He held out his hand.
I shook it.
For half a second, something changed in his expression.
Maybe guilt.
Maybe suspicion.
Maybe nothing.
“Congratulations to the household.”
I almost admired the cowardice of the wording.
I took the whiskey.
“Thanks.”
For the next two hours, I played host.
Filled ice.
Moved food.
Introduced people.
Changed the playlist.
Took trash to the garage.
I was not pretending the marriage was healthy.
I was finishing a social obligation without creating a scene.
Leah interpreted my calmness differently.
She became bolder as the night went on.
At 9:15, she and Nolan were laughing near the patio door.
At 9:42, he brought her a drink without asking what she wanted.
At 10:03, she touched his chest while telling a story.
At 10:20, Corey walked into the kitchen beside me.
“This is insane.”
“I know.”
“You want me to say something?”
“No.”
“You want me to throw him out?”
“No.”
Corey stared at me.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
He glanced toward the living room.
“You’re freaking me out.”
I almost smiled.
“Midnight.”
“What?”
“Just trust me.”
He looked at the clock.
Then at me.
Understanding did not arrive, but he stopped asking.
At 10:50, someone opened the karaoke machine Leah had rented.
That was not part of my plan.
It was apparently Amanda’s idea.
The first songs were harmless.
Bad.
Loud.
Funny.
A friend from my office destroyed a Journey song.
Amanda sang country music.
Corey refused everything.
Then Nolan picked up a second microphone.
“Promotion queen.”
Leah laughed.
“No.”
“You know the song.”
Someone shouted:
“Do it.”
The opening notes of a familiar duet began.
Leah took the microphone.
She looked at me.
Just once.
Then stepped beside Nolan.
They sang.
Too well.
That was the first thing I noticed.
Not technically.
Comfortably.
They knew when the other person would come in.
They had done this before.
Maybe at bars.
Maybe in his apartment.
Maybe nowhere that mattered.
The performance became flirtation disguised as entertainment.
People noticed.
Some cheered because they did not know.
Others looked uncomfortable.
At one point Nolan leaned close enough that his shoulder pressed against hers.
Leah did not move away.
The song ended to applause.
Then Nolan kissed her.
Not long.
Not accidental.
On the mouth.
Leah’s hand remained against his chest.
For one second.
Two.
Then she pulled back laughing.
The room reacted.
A few people shouted.
A few laughed.
Amanda looked horrified.
Corey stared at the floor.
I stood near the fireplace.
Leah looked directly at me.
“Don’t make that face, Graham. It was part of the song.”