Chapter 23
“I’m really hoping this is some kind of fever dream.” ~ Eli
Eli
At the predatory look in the woman’s eyes, I frown. Who are these people?
“How do you know who Eli is?” Paisley asks.
“We saw a picture of the two of you in the society column at a fundraiser,” the woman says.
“It was nice of him to allow you to accompany him,” another woman says.
“Allow her?” I ask.
The first woman rolls her eyes. “It’s not as if the two of you are a couple.”
Paisley flinches, and I wrap an arm around her shoulders. “As a matter of fact, we are a couple.”
“For now,” the first woman mutters under her breath.
An older woman stands and approaches us. Her eyes are the exact same shade of hazel as Paisley’s. This must be her mother.
“I’m Eleanor, Paisley’s mom.” She offers me her hand .
“It’s nice to meet you.” It’s not nice but Paisley’s family being here saves me a trip to visit them.
She waves to the two women. “This is Regan and Darcy.”
When Regan reaches toward me, I step back. I have no interest in touching the woman who tortured Paisley during her childhood.
“Are you nearly finished?” I ask Paisley. “We need to get going.”
“Where are you going?” Darcy asks.
“Maybe we can come with,” Regan adds.
“Sorry,” I say. “It’s a family event.”
“Family event?” Darcy snarls. “We’re her family.”
“Are you the one who stole Paisley’s boyfriend and married him?”
She rolls her eyes. “I didn’t steal Ryan. You can’t steal a person.”
“It’s true,” two young girls say in unison from behind me.
“Dad says…”
“…he effed up.”
“He should have…”
“Girls,” Darcy growls. “Do not finish that sentence if you know what’s good for you.”
They shrug in unison.
Paisley smiles at them. “Eli, these are my nieces, Luna and Emma.”
“We’re twins!”
“Really?” I feign surprise. “You don’t resemble each other in the least. ”
They giggle. “Your boyfriend is funny.”
“Luna, Emma, go wait in the car,” Darcy says.
“But Mom.”
I chuckle at how adorable they are.
“Do you want children?” I ask Paisley.
Her eyes widen and she rears back. “You’re asking me this now? In front of these people?”
Yep. It’s the perfect way to telegraph to her stepsisters how serious we are. And, hopefully, prevent Regan from executing whatever scheme she’s concocted.
I shrug. “What’s the big deal? I can ask you again later if you prefer.”
“I prefer.”
‘She must have hired him,” Regan announces.
“Hired me? I own two businesses. I’m not an employee.”
She nods. “Exactly. You’re a billionaire. You wouldn’t date my sister.”
“Why not? What’s wrong with your sister?”
“We love Aunt Paisley,” Luna and Emma say.
“Do you always speak in unison?”
“No. Sometimes we...”
“…finish each other’s sentences.”
“I’m glad none of my brothers were twins. They were enough trouble as it was.”
Luna bats her eyelashes while Emma widens her eyes. “We’re not trouble. ”
Darcy crosses her arms over her chest and glares at her children. “Which is why you went to wait in the car when I asked you to.”
“But we want to know how many children Aunt Paisley is having,” Luna says.
“We want cousins to play with,” Emma adds.
Darcy’s nostrils flare. “Go wait in the car.”
The twins study their mom for a long second before whirling around and running out of the house. “Bye, Aunt Paisley. Bye, Uncle Eli.”
Warmth slams into my chest. Uncle Eli . I want to be their uncle Eli. I want to be Paisley’s family.
I shove those thoughts away. Family doesn’t stay. Family can leave. Family can destroy your heart.
I squeeze Paisley’s hand. “We should be going. We don’t want to be late.”
“You don’t have to pretend any longer,” Darcy says. “The children are gone now. You can let Paisley go.”
“We’re not pretending,” Paisley says.
Regan rolls her eyes. “Yeah, sure. This isn’t Cinderella. The nerdy stepsister doesn’t get the billionaire.”
“Did you ever read Cinderella?” Paisley asks.
“Are you saying I can’t read? Just because I’m not a nerd the way you are, doesn’t mean I can’t read,” Regan spits out.
“There’s more to life than books.” Darcy rakes her gaze over Paisley. “Such as taking care of yourself.”
“A little makeup wouldn’t hurt,” Regan says.
“And some fashion sense. ”
Regan opens her mouth to speak again but I hold up a hand. “Aren’t you going to stop this?” I ask Paisley’s mother.
Eleanor wrings her hands together. “They’re only teasing.”
“This is not teasing,” I grumble. “They’re being cruel to your daughter, your own flesh and blood, and you’re standing there allowing it to happen. You’re supposed to be Paisley’s mom.”
“She’s our mother, too,” Regan claims.
“Then, she should have taught you to be nice.”
She bats her eyelashes. “I can be nice.”
“Not nice to a man to get what you want but nice to your sister.”
She flicks her hand. “Paisley knows we’re teasing.”
“I can’t believe you put up with this,” I say to Paisley.
“I only see them on holidays or birthdays or when they want something.”
I don’t have to ask what they want. Darcy stole Paisley’s college boyfriend so now Regan thinks she can steal Paisley’s current boyfriend. Good thing I’m not an idiot the way Paisley’s ex obviously is.
“Is it someone’s birthday?” I ask.
“Nope.”
“And it’s not a holiday. I guess it’s time for them to leave then.”
Her eyes widen in surprise. “You want them to leave?”
I pinch her chin. “Do you want them to stay?”
Her nose wrinkles and I can’t resist kissing it. “No.”
“Then, they should leave. ”
At my announcement, warmth floods Paisley’s eyes and happiness radiates from her. I want to make her happy every day. Especially when it’s as easy as kicking her evil stepsisters and worthless mother out of her house.
Regan stomps her foot. “This is bullshit.”
“Let me guess. Someone isn’t used to not getting what she wants.”
Paisley giggles. “Except her husband left her for her best friend.”
“My husband did not leave me for my best friend,” Regan shrieks.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Paisley bites her lip and looks contrite. Little liar is a terrible actress. “Do I have the terminology incorrect? What is the proper terminology when your husband starts living with your best friend?”
“Maybe I kicked him out first.”
Paisley’s brow wrinkles as if she’s confused. “Does the sequence matter? Since he started living with her immediately it doesn’t seem as if it does. I could be wrong.”
“You bitch!” Regan screams and lunges for Paisley.
I step in front of her and hold up my hand. “Touch Paisley and we’re going to have more problems than we already do.”
“Come on.” Darcy pushes Regan toward the door. “We might as well leave. It’s obvious Paisley has him brainwashed. There’s no other way a billionaire would date her.”
I start to correct her, but there’s no use. Paisley’s stepsisters are delusional if they think they’re better than Paisley. Paisley is everything – brains and beauty plus she’s funny and phenomenal in bed. She’s the whole package.
Eleanor rushes to follow Darcy and Regan. “It was lovely meeting you,” she says as she passes us.
“I wish I could say the same.”
“Eli,” Paisley growls.
“What? I’m not going to pretend I enjoyed meeting your mother when she literally stood there and allowed her husband’s grown daughters to be nasty to you.”
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
“Do not apologize on my behalf. I’m not sorry.”
Paisley elbows me. “Be nice.”
“I don’t want to be nice to someone who allowed you to be bullied while you were growing up.”
She throws her hands in the air. “You’re incorrigible.”
“You might not like me,” Paisley’s mom says, “but I like you for my girl. She deserves the best.”
“She deserves a mom who fights for her.”
Her nose wrinkles. It reminds me of Paisley. “I’m not a fighter.” A car honks outside. “I better…” She rushes off.
I shut and lock the door behind her.
“You shouldn’t—”
Paisley throws herself at me. “Thank you.” She rains kisses on my face. “Thank you. You’re the best man a special lady friend could ask for.”
I grunt. “Please don’t say special lady friend.”
“But your eye twitches whenever I do. It’s fascinating.”
I shake my head. “I’ve created a monster. ”
She beams up at me. She can tease me about being my special lady friend as much as she wants if it makes her this happy. This woman has me wrapped around her finger.
I nearly startle. I was supposed to keep my heart safe from this woman. Not hand it to her in a giftwrapped package.
Crap. She’s going to break my heart when she leaves me.