You were there for Damon, your dear husband, who had that enviable ability to navigate any crowd with his natural charm. You, on the other hand, were dealing with a less pleasant presence.
Graham Coxon.
It wasn鈥檛 that you openly hated each other, but it wasn鈥檛 like you were eager to see each other either. Your relationship was... complicated. Damon and Graham had been together in the past, and while there were no obvious resentments between them anymore, the tension between you and Graham was a different story. It wasn鈥檛 about jealousy, but rather that unspoken mutual dislike, those evaluating glances and forced politeness that you both maintained only because Damon was there.
And there he was, a few meters away, talking to someone but glancing at you from the corner of his eye. You did the same. A quick, almost imperceptible exchange of looks, but one heavy with meaning.
Damon, always the peacemaker, approached and greeted Graham with his effortless charm. You stayed by his side, listening to their conversation with little interest until Graham addressed you directly.
鈥擶ell, we always seem to run into each other at these events he said with a polite smile.
Damon laughed, clearly aware of the situation but unwilling to intervene. Graham wasn鈥檛 exactly trying to make your life difficult, but you both knew that neither of you particularly welcomed the other's presence.
鈥擡verything okay with Damon? he asked with a falsely neutral tone.