Socializing at Trentham Ball (Patreon)

Sullivan presented her to the crowd as if they had finished a choreographed number on a dance show. “Jasmine Roth!”

There was a smattering of applause, but mostly people’s heads were together as they gossiped. She wasn’t sure what to do, so for the first time in her life, did a freaking curtsy and desperately searched for Roth. Sullivan spotted him first and headed in his direction. She was elated to see Colette and Lyle standing beside him. Lyle wore a black tux with a white bow tie, while her sister wore an eye-catching bronze one-shoulder dress with a caped sleeve and tasteful slit. The sheath silhouette complimented her slim form, and the crystals decorating the gown made her shimmer. Colette’s hair was done in soft waves, which was out of character for her sister, who usually had her hair pulled back into a twist or chignon. Her look was softer and sexier than what she’d worn in the past. Because Dad was gone?

Colette smiled. “Those dancing lessons you took when you were thirteen paid off.”

She blinked, startled by her sister’s informal, playful banter in this setting, especially with Sullivan Trentham at her side. The fact that Colette even remembered that she took dancing lessons, much less the age she’d been when she took them, disconcerted her.

Colette didn’t wait for a response, but curtsied just as she had to Sullivan as Lyle extended his hand. As they made small talk, she took her place at Roth’s side and felt herself steady when his hand closed around hers.

“Glad you all could make it,” Sullivan said gaily, and once more clapped Roth on the shoulder with a familiarity and fondness that had Colette’s eyes flaring and Lyle’s narrowing speculatively. “Dinner will be announced within the hour. Enjoy yourselves.” Sullivan focused on her and took her free hand and gave it another kiss. “Thank you for the dance and the stimulating conversation. We’ll speak again.”

With that, he turned away and tossed his arm around a man in his eighties and took a sip of his champagne.

“What a debut.”

She switched her attention from the eccentric patriarch of the Trentham clan and focused on Lyle to find him grinning. She had the childish urge to kick him. “I don’t know what the hell just happened.”

“Language,” Colette said mildly, but her eyes were sparkling. “Seems to me Sullivan just gave you his endorsement. Bravo.” Colette arched her brows at Roth. “Close friend of the Trentham’s, are you?”

”Colleagues.”

“Colleagues,” Lyle drawled and shook his head. “How the fuck—”

“Language,” Colette said again and turned when a woman called her name. “Octavia!”

Colette did air kisses with a glamorous woman in her early fifties. “Octavia, have you met my brother-in-law, James Roth?”

“I haven’t had the pleasure,” Octavia exclaimed and extended her hand, forcing Roth to release Jasmine’s hand.

“And this is my sister, Jasmine Roth,” Colette said smoothly. “Octavia’s husband is the Minister of Economy and Finance.”

She kept a pleasant expression on her face as adrenaline caused her heart to beat in her ears. Roth’s hand slid down her spine, making her shiver. She glanced up at him. His focus was on Octavia and Colette, but he acknowledged her regard by gripping her hip and pulling her into his side. He didn’t look at her, but she sensed he was pleased with the dance she had with Sullivan. She made him proud.

When Octavia was replaced by three men, Lyle stepped in to make introductions. As the men talked, Colette launched into a rundown of the most sought after attendees. Jasmine’s brain stopped loading after the twenty-fifth person. Instead of trying to remember their titles and industry, she tried to remember as many names as possible and where they were from. The other details would take care of themselves if she happened upon these people. She wasn’t trying to forge a connection like most of those present. She was here as a silent support for her husband who, she was sure, already had in mind who he wanted to meet. Colette and Lyle were great mediators, but it wasn’t long before they were separated.

She felt an initial burst of panic when her sister disappeared from her side, but there was no time to worry. There seemed to be an invisible receiving line in front of them. She and Roth didn’t move, but a steady stream of people passed in front of them. Sullivan Trentham had indeed given them some kind of stamp of approval. Where before, people had been looking down their noses at them, now they were under siege. Never in her life had she been the one people beat a path to. She was always in the background or filling in the gaps, but now the whole freaking room wanted an introduction to her husband. Roth knew a fair number of the men. She knew next to no one. As expected, this was an entirely different pool of people than what she was used to. She wasn’t able to aid Roth the way she had on the night that they met, but after initial introductions, when Roth fell silent, her training kicked in, and she kept the ball rolling by making inane small talk.

Several times, she and Roth were nearly separated as the women tried to draw her away so the men could discuss business. The only reason they weren’t successful was because Roth refused to let her go. One brave banker made a joke of it, but Roth didn’t crack a smile or release her. On the contrary, he pulled her closer. She smoothed over the awkward moment by reaching up and patting his cheek. “I had a little panic attack when I first got here, so he’s making sure I’m okay.”

When she turned back to the man’s wife, she was startled by the envy in her expression, before it was replaced by a polished smile that wasn’t dazzling enough to detract from her sad eyes. Although she was grateful for Roth’s support, she was aware that his possessive and what most would interpret as loving behavior would play into their star-crossed lover’s image he fed the press. As always, Roth was killing two birds with one stone.

**This is a raw draft of Bitter Confessions. Please do not share or distribute.

I enjoy highlighting Jasmine's upbringing and skills in this arena. In most romances, the girl is usually a fish out of water. I like the reversal, that he's not as well-versed (though he gets by and isn't bothered about how people label him) and that she knows what's expected and can assist him which makes their marriage more of a true partnership.