13. Hand-to-Hand Combat in Designer Heels
Hand-to-Hand Combat in Designer Heels
Braden
“ C ome along. I have a surprise for Mina.” Bitsy walks a few steps ahead of us into the luncheon area, her heels clicking confidently as she sashays around the expo attendees like she owns the place.
I arch a brow at Mina. “A surprise, huh?”
“Isn’t that terrifying?” Mina mutters under her breath.
Tightening my grip on her waist, I drop a soft kiss on her hair, determined to maintain optimism. “Stop. She’s been great all morning. Give her a chance.”
Famous last words.
Bitsy waves us forward as she rests her hand on a man’s shoulder. “You got us a table. Wonderful.”
An innocuous statement—until the man turns around.
Mina grinds to a halt, the color draining from her cheeks as she stares at the well-dressed man before her. “Leo. What… what are you doing here?”
“Surprising you. Isn’t it fabulous?” Bitsy beams, curling her rose-painted lips into a practiced smile. “Don’t just stand there, Mina. Give him a proper hello. ”
Mina steps forward and Leo swoops her into a tight embrace—one that lasts entirely too long for my liking.
But I hold my tongue, because if age has taught me anything, it’s that jumping to conclusions almost always lands you in hot water.
The last thing I need is a jealous standoff with a man who turns out to be her long-lost cousin.
Still, I clock the rigidity in Mina’s frame. That tension wasn’t there five minutes ago.
What the hell is Bitsy up to?
Leo finally releases her, his hands sliding down to rest on her upper arms as a grin cuts across his chiseled face. “How long has it been? Two years?”
“Too long,” Bitsy adds, interjecting herself once again in the conversation.
“Yes. About two years.” Mina glances down, wringing her hands.
“Aren’t you going to tell Leo your big news?” Bitsy motions toward me. It’s the first time she’s looked my way since entering the dining room.
Mina swallows and licks her lips. “Leo, this is my fiancé, Braden.”
Leo drops his hands to his side, blinking rapidly as if trying to absorb Mina’s words. Then, after a few painfully long seconds, he looks my way. “You’re engaged?”
He rubs the back of his neck, obviously floored by the news.
Time for me to enter the chat.
I step forward and extend my hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m Braden Hammond.”
Leo pauses and shakes his head as if to clear it before shaking my hand. “Right. Nice to meet you. I’m Leo Rothwell.”
Which tells me nothing about who you are to Mina.
Leo turns to her. “Bitsy floored me when she said you were still in Sparkwood. I figured you’d be long gone—you were always champing at the bit to escape small-town life.”
“Well, that’s news to me,” I say, trying not to sound defensive. “Mina loves Sparkwood.”
At least… I think she does. Doesn’t she?
It’s the first time I realize I might not know her as well as I thought.
“Sure, now,” Leo admits. “But she always told me her grand plan was to live in New York or Paris.”
“That was before my injury,” Mina chimes in, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “Things change.”
“Obviously,” Leo chuckles. “You’re settling down in Sparkwood. Talk about a plot twist.”
A plot twist? No, that’s me. I’m the twist in this story she didn’t plan on.
The hostess walks over, ready to seat us, and we follow her to a table in the back corner with a lovely view of the gardens. Too bad I’m stuck looking at Leo as he chats up Mina.
When Mina’s cousin and her fiancé arrive, I bite back a groan.
Just what I needed—more pompous asshats around the table.
Get it together, Braden. It’s just lunch. They’re just people.
But the truth is, they’re experts at making you feel like an outsider in their exclusive little club. And while I’d never want a membership to their highfalutin hijinks, it still makes for a damn uncomfortable afternoon.
No wonder Mina hates being around them.
Hopefully, I’m overreacting, and lunch will be fine.
How bad can it be, right?
Not even three minutes in and I have my answer—this meal is a nightmare, and I need a stiff drink to persevere.
Nothing against Aurum Ridge. The food is exceptional and the service top-notch, but my dining companions are loathsome, and I know full well that everything from the seating arrangements to the conversation circling the table is intentional. A power play designed by the dowager herself.
Thank God for whiskey.
The opening volley? The latest polo match and who’s attending the Derby this year.
“Braden, who do you think will win the Derby?” Bitsy asks, her smile as fake as a reality show relationship.
I don’t know a damn thing about horse racing—and unlike my wealth-flashing tablemates, I don’t care to. Clicking my tongue against my teeth, I mutter, “My money is on a horse.”
That does not go over well.
Even Mina shoots me a look that screams in silence for me to behave.
Wonder what’s gotten into her, since she loved my devil-may-care attitude last night.
My guess? The man to her right—Mr. Suave and Chic himself, Leo. A guy who probably gets weekly manicures and wouldn’t know a power drill from a power saw.
Am I being petty? Maybe. But the second he showed up, Mina’s entire demeanor changed—and I don’t like it.
I jiggle the ice in my glass and motion between them. “How do you two know each other?”
But they don’t get the chance to answer. The servers arrive with our salads.
Hell, maybe shutting up and eating is the safest route.
“Braden, just so you know, you start with the flatware on the outside and work your way in.” Bitsy gestures toward my utensils, her voice just loud enough for the entire table to hear.
I grit my teeth and select the correct fork as a surge of anger flashes through me. “Thank you, Bitsy. Without your guidance, I might have used a steak knife on my salad.”
Her brows shoot up as she does the whole clutch-the-pearls routine. Talk about melodrama in motion. “My, aren’t we bold today? ”
I should let it go. But I’m already neck-deep in this damn salad course. “Bold of you to assume I don’t know how to use a fork.”
She exhales hard through her nose, nostrils flaring. Oh yes, I’m under her skin now.
Join the club, bitch.
“I didn’t think someone like you frequented restaurants of this caliber. Forgive me for wanting to assist you.”
If she were a man, I’d call her ass out right now. One well-placed punch to the jaw would shut this whole thing down.
But she’s an elderly woman holding the keys to Mina’s kingdom. So despite the fury building in my chest, I swallow it back.
For Mina.
A woman who, by the way, still hasn’t stepped in to defend me.
Yeah, I notice.
I glance across the table and catch her eye.
She mouths, I’m sorry.
And somehow… for now, that’s enough.
“My mother taught my brother and me proper dining etiquette. She believed it was important to maintain some level of decorum and manners.”
“I can’t wait to meet your mother,” Mina blurts out, realizing one second too late what she’s admitted.
But Aunt Bitsy seizes on it immediately. Her eyes narrow. “You haven’t met Braden’s parents?”
Shit.
“They live in Florida.”
“How long have you two been dating exactly?” Bitsy is like a dog with a bone. She knows she’s found a weak point, and she plans to exploit the hell out of it.
We really should’ve worked out our backstory.
“A few months,” I reply, glancing at Mina like it’s common knowledge .
“Wow, that’s fast,” Leo chimes in, earning a glare from me.
Thanks, Leo. Super helpful.
Mina balances her elbows on the table, sighing into her hand. “We just knew, okay? What does it matter how long we’ve been together?”
Seems my lady has found her voice, and I’m ready to back her up.
“Exactly. I’ve known people who got married after a month and are still together.
Conversely, I know people who dated for a decade and split after six months of marriage.
There’s no required timeline. While we’re at it, how long have you two been dating?
” I turn my attention to Vanessa and Trevor, knowing full well that their engagement is also a ruse.
Vanessa’s face blanches at my direct question. Seems she and Trevor skipped the details of their backstory, too.
Fuck, this is going downhill fast.
The main course arrives, but we need our steak knives to cut the tension, not the beef.
I’ve got to stop the bleeding—though it might be a lost cause.
“Before we dine, I have a toast.” The table quiets as I lift my glass, eyes locked on Mina. “Here’s to whirlwind romances, expecting the unexpected, and living life to the fullest with those who bring us joy. Salud.”
There’s a round of polite murmurs before everyone turns back to their plates.
Mina blows me a kiss across the table. I catch it.
Bitsy, however, throws daggers from the periphery.
Crisis averted, but the war is far from over.
That was the longest meal of my life.
Thank God, there were no more pointed questions, and I survived without using a single wrong utensil or dropping food in my lap.
I let the others ride shotgun in the dialogue department, their conversation buzzing around me like bees at a picnic.
Leo took center stage, regaling us with stories of his life in Los Angeles.
He’s some big shot dancer on the West Coast, working with all sorts of celebrity types. But he isn’t a braggart. He’s witty and self-effacing, despite an obviously elite upbringing.
Still no clue how he knows Mina, though.
And that’s not sitting well with me.
After eating, we stroll into an ornate ballroom, empty save for a string quartet and a few couples dancing across the floor.
Leo motions to Mina. “It’s our song. Come on, we have to dance.” His gaze cuts to me. “That is, if it’s alright with you.”
Mina waves him off. “I don’t need to dance.”
But Leo doesn’t back down. “We were partners for years. You can’t deny me one dance.”
I cross my arms over my chest, watching the scene unfold. At least now I know who he is.
Mina rests a hand on my forearm. “Is it okay?”
“You never need my permission to dance.”
“I’d love to dance with you.” Her bright blue eyes glisten up at me, a honeyed smile on her lips.
“Beautiful, I am not a dancer.”
“You don’t know until you try.”
Christ, she’s adorably persuasive, but she’s not winning this round.
“I have tried. Trust me—it isn’t pretty.” I nod toward Leo. “Take care of her out there.”
Mina fidgets with her bracelet. “Are you sure you don’t mind? ”
I tip her chin up, placing a soft kiss on her lips. “Not in the slightest. Have fun.”
“Only if you promise more of those.”
My fingers curl around her jaw, stealing another few kisses, much to her aunt’s chagrin. “As many as your heart can handle. Now go.”
Leo grasps Mina’s hand and spins her onto the dance floor—straight into a memory of which I have no part.
“Don’t they look wonderful together?” Bitsy says, her voice dripping with false sincerity.
“They do.”
Hey, it’s not a lie.
Leo and Mina move across the floor like they’re floating on a cloud. It’s obvious they’re comfortable with each other—too comfortable. They sense each other’s movements, flowing as one instead of two separate partners.
They’re stunning to watch, and I’d probably enjoy it more… if I didn’t want to punch Leo in the face.
Look, maybe he was just her dance partner, but I’m not buying it.
There’s something in the way he looks at her. The way he holds her gaze.
And if he doesn’t move his hand to a more neutral location in the next five seconds, I’m going to break his fingers.
One by one.
Bitsy clicks her tongue, cutting into my thoughts. “I have a question for you, Mr. Hammond. How much longer do you plan to keep up this ruse?”
I knew this question was coming, especially since she has me alone.
Time to play stupid. “It’s neither a ruse nor a game, despite what you think.”
“Oh, but it is,” she replies, her smile tight. “Life is a game, and if you’re not thinking five moves ahead, you’ll lose. ”
I pivot and lock gazes with the woman. “If you have something to say, just say it.”
“Fine. She belongs with Leo, not you. I’m asking you to bow out gracefully and save face. You claim to care about her? Prove it. Walk away.”
Seems the gloves are off, which is fine by me. I prefer hand-to-hand combat over veiled threats any day.
“Why the hell would I do that?”
Bitsy leans in, her voice as sharp as broken glass. “Leo was always the plan. For years, they talked about building a life together—New York, Paris, the stage. And now that he’s back…” She trails off with a saccharine smile. “Well, thank you for keeping her occupied. But it’s time to step aside.”
My fists clench at my sides. “You don’t get to decide who makes her happy.”
She examines her manicured nails. “Don’t I? People have made the mistake of underestimating me in the past. They lived to regret that decision. Just ask her mother.”
“Her mother didn’t make a mistake,” I bite out. “She chose the man she loved.”
Bitsy’s smile tightens. “Perhaps. But ask yourself this. If Mina truly wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps, why is she here at all, trying so hard to follow in mine? You’re in the way, Mr. Hammond. Time to go.”
“Are you threatening me?”
She blinks, unfazed by my anger. “I’m educating you. Don’t toy with me, because I always win.”
I swear, I would never hit a woman.
But damn it, I’m so tempted right now.
“You don’t scare me, lady—and I use that term loosely.
You think because you have money and status that you matter more than everyone else, that you’re some generous benefactor granting wishes to the sick and needy.
But it’s all bullshit. You’re a tyrant wrapped in designer labels, and you’re the loser here, Bitsy.
You missed out on knowing your niece, and Mina is one of the most beautiful, kind-hearted women I’ve ever met. ”
I’m so wrapped up in my diatribe that I don’t notice when Mina rejoins us.
But the concern etching lines across her face stops me cold as she glances between her aunt and me. “Is everything okay here?”
Shit. No idea how much she heard.
I force a smile and grasp her hand like a lifeline. “Absolutely. Just overwhelmed by all the wedding festivities.”
Mina nods and glides her hand along my bearded jaw. I wonder if she feels the restrained energy vibrating beneath my skin. “Let’s take a break. Get some rest.”
“Actually, I had something planned for us.”
“More wedding stuff?” Mina teases.
“No. Just time together. You and me.”
She tips her head up for a kiss. “Sounds perfect. Aunt Bitsy, we’ll see you later, okay?”
It’s not okay by any stretch, but her aunt covers her dismay with well-practiced poise. “Whatever you need to do, dear.”
But as Mina and I turn to leave the dining area, Bitsy and I lock gazes—and I know this is far from over.
Bitsy claims Leo was always the plan for Mina. What if he still owns a piece of her heart?
What if I’m just a distraction until she remembers the life she truly wants?