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Katherine’s arm. “Are you okay?”
    Katherine shook her head and put on weak smile. “Yes, dear. Just fine. Um…” She paused, seemingly uneasy with her words. “Where did you meet this Mr. Cain?”
    “Last night at the fashion show.”
    “Is he…American, by chance?”
    Sophia arched her brow in confusion. “Yes, he is. Why?”
    “Nothing, dear, nothing. Xavier isn’t a common British name, that’s all. He sounds foreign. Are you going to see him again?”
    “Doubtful. He’s the designer for XS and was only here for the fashion show—”
    “ He’s the XS designer?” Her hand fluttered to her mouth. “But that’s your favorite line.”
    Sophia nodded slowly. “Of course. Why do you sound surprised?”
    Katherine stared blankly at Sophia.
    After several beats of silence, Sophia continued, “It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m sure he’s on his way back to the States as we speak.” That thought put a weight on her heart. A heavy one.
    Katherine cleared her throat. “All right then. That’s probably best. Fashion designers surely aren’t easy keepers. Trouncing all over the world with beautiful girls and such.”
    Sophia snorted. “That’s a fine thing to say. You don’t even know him.”
    “And after less than twenty-four hours you do?” her mother retorted. “Besides, I don’t need to know him. I know the type.”
    “The type? The type, is it?” Sophia threw her hands up in the air. “It’s always something with you, isn’t it?”
    “Don’t raise your voice, young lady.”
    “Please, why? Why do you do this?”
    “Because it’s my job to protect you,” Katherine said stiffly.
    “Really?” Sophia raised her voice. “Didn’t you just say earlier you didn’t protect me? That you do all of this out of love? Which is it, Mother?”
    Katherine lifted her chin but said nothing.
    “That’s what I thought.” Sophia’s voice was tired. “It’s both. Sometimes I think you fancy your lifestyle better than your relationships. I don’t need your guidance; I’m a grown woman. And if I wanted to date Xavier Cain, I would.”
    As the words rolled off her lips, Sophia realized the truth in them. Xavier was barely more than a stranger, but she wanted to be wrapped in his embrace. In his bed. She wanted to look into those crystal eyes—the ones she swore she saw her future in. Foolish? Maybe, but it’d be worth a risk.
    “Sophia—”
    “Please leave before we both say something we shall regret.” Sophia motioned for the door as Katherine stood with a blank expression on her face.
    “Well then,” Katherine finally said as she turned to walk out the door. “I’ll go—but don’t forget about the charity event tonight.”
    Sophia spun around and sprawled her body out across her bed. It sank beneath her weight and almost folded around her like a comforting touch. Something her mother never really gave her. It was like they were a hundred years apart instead of just twenty-five.
    Anne Marie broke the silence. “What was that all about?”
    “That,” Sophia said as she raised her hand up from the bed and waved it back and forth, “was the norm. We do that several times a day.”
    “I still think you should come stay with me.”
    “Maybe you’re right. It would be good for me to get out from under Mother’s roof for a while. This summer has been harder than the rest.” Sophia ran her hands over the silky comforter. “It’s irritating I won’t be able to touch my trust until I’m thirty. It makes it impossible to move out. I’ve been so focused on my studies, I can’t realistically work to earn enough to live elsewhere. Without my trust, I have to rely on my wretched mother. And if she had it her way, I’d be volunteering for those ghastly balls and dinners left and right or she’d arrange for me to have a job as a secretary for someone she knows who didn’t expect me to actually doing any real work.” She blew out an exasperated breath. “Getting a proper job and