"......" Claire felt like her chest had taken a direct hit—like someone just smashed a rock there. She forced out a couple of awkward laughs, then turned away from him, clearly done. He was in a bad mood because someone messed with his plans, and she just happened to be the one he mistook as part of that mess. Lucky her, right? A perfect target for venting. No wonder he sounded so damn passive-aggressive on the phone just now. She let out a tired sigh. Noticed Theresa Butler and her friend shooting looks her way. She tried putting on a smile—well, more like a cringey fake one. Julian didn’t say anything else, which was honestly a relief. When she turned her back, he just went back to his seat too. Meanwhile, Brandon and Michael, who’d been sneakily observing, q

