Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
BETH
We passed the massive, iron-and-stone gate and drove down the long driveway to the parking lot. Not wanting to pay for valet parking, I slowly cruised my car through the lot. If Porter noticed that there wasn’t a single car that sold for under six figures in the parking lot, he didn’t say anything.
We got out, and I reluctantly reached into the back seat to retrieve my heels and the big silver-and-blue-wrapped gift. Juggling keys and my purse, I turned around and almost ran into his chest.
He didn’t speak, instead he lifted the huge gift from my arms. I averted my eyes from his flexed muscles, cursing the world for gifting that body to Porter. Where were the ripped nice men of the world?
I shifted my weight onto the tips of my toes as I walked over the hot asphalt of the parking lot barefoot. We walked up the wide stone steps of the building, looking odd beside one another—a barefoot, former socialite and a bearded giant.
“Hold on.” I hopped on one foot, then the other, while I shoved my now dirty feet into my $900 shoes. I didn’t care. I hadn’t bought these shoes, nor would I ever be caught dead buying shoes for this amount of money .
Porter held the door open for me. We walked across the expansive, regal foyer and down a massive hall until we reached the club’s fine dining restaurant.
“Good evening, Miss Beth.” A hint of surprise colored the maitre d's voice.
“Hi, Gerald.” I didn’t know whether to smile or wince. “We’re here for the Hunter dinner.”
It seemed like he wanted to say something more, but instead, he nodded and led us to a round table in the corner. After a low bow, he walked away.
I glanced up at Porter, who stood, holding the gift. He was appraising me in context of this place. To think he thought I was part of this place was laughable. Every move I’d made in my adult life had been to remove myself from this world.
“You can put that on a seat.” I pointed to a random one.
“Beth,” a cool voice spoke from behind me.
I turned, taking in my mom’s lavender suit, perfectly coiffed hair and a string of pearls. Classic.
She placed a delicate hand over her chest. “Darling, you haven’t been here in ages. Why didn’t you tell us you’d be here tonight?”
We leaned towards each other and did two fake air kisses, not touching. We never touched.
“Didn’t know. Emily planned this. Today is Theo’s baby christening.”
She didn’t seem to hear me or care. Her eyes were narrowed on Porter. Probably focused on his open collar. Damn, I should have told him the dress code here was suit and tie. God forbid anyone should dress like a normal person in front of rich people.
She focused her attention back on me. “I meant to call you. Yates has been fairly begging us for information about you.”
My entire body stilled. Typical… the only reason Mom would call was to get information for my ex-boyfriend. Mom loved Yates. When I’d dumped his cheating ass, she'd been inconsolable .
She knew I didn’t want to talk about him. She knew this was off topic.
I crossed my arms and lifted my chin. “Well, you know what message you can give him for me.” My middle finger itched.
Must. Not. Raise. Finger.
“Beth,” her voice trailed like she held the weight of the world on her thin shoulders. “He’d love to talk to you. You should give him a chance to explain his side of things.”
Rage blurred my vision, but I held my tongue. Mom and I had extremely opposing views on cheating. In her book, as long as a man was well-spoken and knew which fork to use, infidelity was something that one should overlook. We’d already had this exact conversation before. Many times over. It always ended in disappointed sighs from Mom and unshed tears from me.
This day was not about Yates or me, so I nodded. “Thanks. I’ll think about that.”
It was sad how much that comment made her brighten. “Splendid. Well, enjoy your night.”
“You, too.”
I took a few deep breaths before looking over at Porter. A gentleman would have pretended he hadn’t seen or heard that conversation. Instead, he watched me fight my emotions with the first flicker of interest on his face since we’d met.
“That was my mother.” I forced my voice to stay light. Like explaining it made it better.
He held my gaze but didn’t say a damn word.
“Yates is my asshole of an ex, who thought it was appropriate to cheat on me. Then, he couldn’t quite understand why I took issue with that. His pedigree is impeccable though, so no one, not him nor my parents, can understand why I would take issue with him fucking my now ex-boss.”
I was so mad, I could feel tears well up in my eyes. I stood up, and he shot to his feet. “Excuse me.” Even to my own ears, my voice sounded strangled .
In the washroom, I splashed cold water on my face. This place. It killed me. There were too many memories, too many triggers here. It didn’t matter how much I worked to be my own person. The moment I stepped back into this building, I became the same person I worked so hard to grow out of. Bayswater wanted to suck me back in time.
I squared my shoulders and stared at my reflection. I would not let my emotional issues ruin this day for Jackson and Emily. This was their day. I had to do everything in my power to make it about them.
When I returned to the table, Jackson was holding Theo and Emily had grabbed the seat beside mine.
I took a deep breath as I sat down. “The service was beautiful, Emily. Truly, it was. I loved how Theo giggled.”
“He’s a really cheerful kid.” She grinned. “I lucked out.”
“He’s the cutest kid I know.”
“I think I saw your dad?” The hesitation in her voice soothed me. Someone cared, and I was glad that it was Emily.
“Yes.” I gave a little laugh that sounded so real, even I was convinced. “I ran into my mom. She says a big hello and congratulations.”
“How is she?”
“She’s doing great. We talked about how we need to catch up.”
Emily squeezed my arm. “That’s so great, Beth.”
I flushed when I made eye contact with those knowing grey eyes. The way he watched me sent shivers down my spine, and I wasn’t sure what to make of them. I wanted to lift my chin up and challenge him with my stare, but I couldn’t.
Nothing like being caught in a lie.
I cursed as Emily deliberately steered the conversation back to me. Jackson and Porter had been talking amongst themselves, and I thought I’d been doing so well at keeping the conversation about Emily .
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her delicate ear. “Have you heard from Yates?”
“Almost every day, but it’s more of a one-way conversation.”
“He still wants you back?”
“Who wouldn’t?” I playfully flipped, to cover the true dismay I still felt over that entire situation.
She leaned forward and whispered. “What do you think of Porter?”
He unsettles me.
I couldn’t say that, though, so I squinted. “You mean the mute caveman that looks like he recently walked out of some bush?”
“He’s really quite handsome,” Emily said with a serious face that only Emily could pull off. “And he’s such a great guy. Jackson and Porter go way back. And Theo adores him.”
That I needed to see to believe.
“Are you trying to set me up?”
She bit her lip. “No way.”
“You’re such a smooth liar.”
She laughed. “Come on, he’s really great.”
“Emily, you know I draw the line at Duck Dynasty. ”
“Beth.” Her laugh turned into a snort that had Jackson smiling her way. “Wait until he shaves.”
“I’m not holding my breath.”
“He’s really quite breathtaking.”
“Still doesn’t help me if he doesn’t speak.”
“What happened on the drive over?”
I decided to omit the details about me almost rear-ending a car. “I think I managed to pull ten words out of him.”
“I was hoping he’d open up to you.”
“You overestimate my power of charm.”
“But you’re so funny and interesting.”
I leaned forward and dramatically whispered, “Pretty sure I’m not his type.”
“I think you are. ”
“You’re adorable, but trust me when I tell you, we didn’t jive.”
“He needs some time.”
“He needs something,” I muttered when Emily turned away. “But it’s not me.”
Theo woke up, and while Emily lifted him into her arms, I used the time to look over at the man in question. He could possibly be hiding some good looks beneath his crazy biker look, but that wasn’t the issue. I could never be with someone as silent as him. It would drive me bat-shit crazy.
Emily passed Theo to me, who squirmed in my arms. I watched in dismay as she and Jackson left the table to do God knows what. Theo seemed equally dismayed as he watched his mom disappear from sight.
“Shhh,” I urged, anxiety tinging my voice. “She’ll be right back.”
“I can take him,” that whiskey-smooth voice said from beside me.
I held Theo protectively, not sure I wanted to pass this small human being off to someone who looked so scary. Porter held his big hands open, and I reluctantly handed Theo to him. I watched as he expertly lifted Theo high above his head. Theo cooed with delight and kicked his legs.
Our eyes met again. It kind of pissed me off that he was winning the baby race by a mile. Who knew he would be the baby whisperer in the group?
“No one likes a showoff,” I said under my breath.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing.”
But his lips turned up a bit, telling me he had heard exactly what I had said.