Page 61 of Ricardo

The judge pauses.

“Of course not,” Patrick says, a bit flustered. He tries to recover smoothly. “I only meant Julia can be very persuasive when she wants something.”

“She was not hired because she was persuasive,” Mario says. “She was hired because she was qualified.”

I notice Suzanne stiffen somewhat.

“Of course.” Patrick’s expression remains pleasant, but there’s panic in his eyes. “I only meant that she has always known how to make an impression.”

“She has,” Victoria says. “She has become invaluable.”

I take another sip of my drink to hide my amusement.

Patrick looks between the three of us and seems to realize, perhaps too late, that Julia has more defenders in this little circle than he expected.

Suzanne steps in with a small smile. “We are relieved she is keeping busy. After Harrison, we worried she might make too much of a temporary hurt.”

“Temporary?” I repeat, no longer amused.

“Yes.” Suzanne sighs softly, obviously oblivious to my tone. “Young people can be very dramatic when they are hurt.”

I feel the old, familiar cold move through me.

There are many kinds of anger. The loud kind is easiest. It burns through a room and leaves damage behind. It has its uses.

This anger is quieter.

It takes stock. Every word. Every glance. Every phrase meant to make disrespect palatable.

Temporary hurt. Dramatic.

As if Julia is a girl who slammed a bedroom door and will come downstairs once she is hungry enough.

Mario sets his glass on the tray of a nearby roving server.

“The engagement ended,” he says. “That seems clear.”

Patrick makes a small gesture with his hand. “For now.”

I turn my head toward him.

There are moments when diplomacy becomes an insult to the person absent from the room.

“For now?” Victoria repeats.

Patrick either misses the warning or chooses to step over it. “Harrison is an impressive young man. Ambitious, certainly, but that is hardly a flaw in politics. Their lives suit each other. They have a future that makes sense.”

Have. Present tense.

I think of Julia on the floor, her suit creased, her heels off, saying she became one of his assets.

I think of the way her voice got small when she spoke of the way Dante helped her get away.

I think of the way she had looked when she admitted she was tired of everyone acting like her life was a piece of property they had a stake in.

My opinion of Patrick O’Brien becomes very clear.

Unfortunately, clarity does not free me from strategy decisions.