Chapter 8
eight
. . .
Lulu
We made our way to the great room first, where Hunter and Charlotte were playing chess. I scanned the room to find my grandfather and my dad pushing to their feet when they noticed us come in. My hand was in Rafe’s, as I knew that Charlotte would be watching every detail.
And if she thought she was going to accuse me of faking a relationship, she had another thing coming.
“Lulubelle is home!” Gramps shouted, and I dropped Rafe’s hand and threw myself into my grandfather’s arms. He was the most affectionate family member I had. Everyone else was a bit stiff, but Gramps and I were clearly cut from the same cloth.
“Happy Birthday, Gramps.”
He set me back down on my feet as I turned to give my father a quick hug. He wasn’t big on affection, and he patted my back stiffly.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, introduce us to this new fella of yours,” Gramps said.
“This is Rafe Chadwick.” I quickly moved beside him and took his hand again when I felt Charlotte’s eyes on me. “You’re going to love him as much as I do.”
“Oh, my, this is news… She loves him now?” A sarcastic laugh filled the space around us as Charlotte and her husband, Hunter the douche-kabob, made their way over to us. My grandfather and father shook Rafe’s hand, and they were already making small talk.
“Guilty as charged,” I smirked before forcing the next words out of my mouth. “It’s good to see you both.”
“I’m sure it is. Grandfather has been talking about this boyfriend of yours ad nauseam. I was waiting for you to call and say he couldn’t make it due to his—what was it, Hunty? A rare virus?”
“Yes.” Hunter let out this deep chuckle that screamed politician. His dark hair was covered in a thick layer of gel, and his blue eyes scanned my outfit from head to toe in that particularly creepy way he always did. “I didn’t think he’d show either.”
“You must be Charlotte and Hunter.” Rafe turned and extended a hand when my grandfather and father left to let Mrs. Weston know that we were in need of a round of champagne. “I’ve heard so much about you both. And I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. I was just worried about giving you that nasty virus. I’d hate to see you locked up in a bathroom for days. But I was lucky because I had my girl to take care of me.”
I used my hand to cover my mouth because Rafe Chadwick knew how to handle himself, and that gave me less to worry about.
“I see. So, this is serious enough to include caretaking? What is it that you do, Rafe? I think I heard something about you being a cashier? Or a bank teller?” Hunter asked, in that one-of-a-kind condescending tone that annoyed the hell out of me.
“I’m actually a wealth management advisor. But I’ve done all of those things before doing this, so you aren’t wrong. And you’re a congressman, right?” Rafe asked. He could have stuck it to him and said something snarky, but he was respectful that way.
“Yes. I am.”
“That’s impressive.” He turned to Charlotte next. “Lulu mentioned that you are very active in philanthropy. I’d love to hear more about that.”
Her expression softened. My cousin was so difficult and combative in her relationships that she didn’t know how to handle it when someone wasn’t coming for her.
“Yes. I mean, I plan to have children soon, and I’d like to be home to raise them.”
“Ahhh… honorable work right there. My mother stayed home with all five of us kids, and I give her a lot of credit. It’s not an easy job; the hours are long, and the pay is terrible.” Rafe barked out a laugh.
Charlotte’s lips turned up in the corners as if she couldn’t help but smile at the charming man beside me. I didn’t even know Charlotte’s lips could move upward. I assumed her filler had just given her a bad case of resting bitch face. But apparently, she saved that particular look for me and the rest of the family.
“I couldn’t agree more. Some women are cut out for motherhood, and others are just—not. Like Lulu here, she’s all about her career, just like her mother was.”
What the actual hell?
“A woman can have both a career and a family. There is no right or wrong way to do it,” I said, trying to tamp down my irritation. “I think if you want to stay home and raise your family, it’s very honorable. But I also think it’s just as wonderful if you want to work outside the home.”
“I wouldn’t allow my woman to work outside of our home,” Hunter said, and I cringed at his backward way of thinking. “I like my wife to have time to make herself beautiful and have dinner on the table when I come home. Not to mention that she’ll be the one to educate our future children. Can you think of a better teacher for your future nieces and nephews?” he asked, as he looked at me.
Ursula and Maleficent would give her a run for her money.
“Really?” Rafe gaped at him. “You don’t think your wife should choose for herself?”
“Men have been the breadwinners since the beginning of time. I say, if it ain’t broken, then don’t fix it.” Hunter barked out that horrific laugh of his.
“Well, I think that’s the argument,” Rafe pressed. “Limiting a woman’s options is a very broken way of thinking. Would you like it if Charlotte said you had to stay home and raise the children, if that wasn’t what you wanted to do?”
Hunter smirked like Rafe was kidding. Most of my family was appalled by the way Hunter spoke to his wife, aside from Charlotte’s parents and her brother.
“Come on now, we all know a woman’s place is in the home.” And then he leaned down between me and Rafe and whispered loud enough for Charlotte to hear. “Particularly in the kitchen and in the bedroom.”
More obnoxious laughter from the jackass standing in front of us. Charlotte’s lips were in a perfectly straight line, and I gave her a sympathetic smile, because as awful as she was, she didn’t deserve him.
“Come on, Congressman,” Charlotte said, her voice even as she cleared her throat, most likely in an attempt to hide her irritation. “I think you’ve had one too many scotches. Let’s go get you some water and check on lunch.”
“He may be the worst person I’ve ever met,” Rafe said, his lips grazing my ear. “But I like your grandfather and your father. They’re very nice.”
“Yeah, they’re great.”
“Lulubelle,” my grandmother called out as she strode over with my father’s sister, Aunt Jaclyn. Her children, Meredith and Jasper, were much more tolerable than Charlotte and her brother, Barron.
I made introductions, and Rafe pulled them into a hug one at a time, which they seemed to be just fine with. They, in turn, hugged me, which wasn’t really the norm. I guess Rafe and I aren’t the only ones faking it at the moment.
Rafe was charming the hell out of my entire family, so I’d clearly picked the right guy for the job. Beckett had stood out like a sore thumb at these family events. He’d get drunk and just give everyone a lot to work with when it came to critiquing him.
But Rafe Chadwick was the gold medal of boyfriends.
I glanced over at him wearing that fitted gray V-neck sweater with a white tee beneath, and his dark jeans that accentuated his long legs. His hair was wavy but cut shorter on the sides and a bit longer in the front. His peppered jaw had a bit of scruff, but in that polished sort of way, and those dimples had a way of charming the hell out of everyone in the room. His large hand was wrapped around mine, and I glanced down at the size of it.
And then I glanced down at his feet.
Also large.
I wondered if the old saying was true.
“Hello, my darling,” my mother said, wearing a bright, colorful caftan dress, pulling me from my dirty thoughts.
“Hey, Mom.” I hugged her and then pulled back. “This is Rafe.”
“I just greeted him, my dear. Wow, you must have had your head in the clouds.” She chuckled before gushing all over him, and of course, he hugged and flattered her, winning her over with ease.
My mother turned back to me. “After you say hello to everyone and have lunch, I’d like to sit in on a session with you and Rafe and have you meet with Francois.”
I groaned. “Mom. We just got here. Can we skip the psychic readings until tomorrow?”
“What? No. He’s dying to meet with you both. He wants to get inside those heads of yours. Rafe already agreed to it.”
“Of course, he did. He has no idea what we’re getting ourselves into.”
Rafe did the most unexpected thing when he turned me to face him. He bent down so he could rub the tip of his nose against mine. “Baby, we’ll be fine. There isn’t anything about you that I don’t love.”
What the swoony hell?
This man was so good that I almost forgot we were pretending.
His hand moved to the side of my neck.
“This must be the new man everyone is talking about.” My cousin Meredith’s voice brought me back to reality.
“Yes. Hey.” I pulled back and faced her, and her brother, Jasper, and his girlfriend, Serena, were walking in behind her. “Meredith, Jasper, Serena, this is Rafe Chadwick.”
They smiled, and Meredith waggled her brows at me over his broad shoulder when he pulled her in for a hug. Serena was my favorite, and I was thrilled she was here, as she rarely came to family gatherings anymore.
“He’s so pretty,” she whispered in my ear as she hugged me.
“I’ve always had an eye for pretty things, right?” I asked, my voice all tease.
Jasper and Rafe were talking away, and I was happy to see that he’d have someone to talk to who wasn’t a pretentious prick like Hunter and Barron.
Speaking of the pretentious pricks.
“Rafe, I want to introduce you to my brother-in-law, Barron Sonnet. I thought you two would have a lot in common,” Hunter said as he walked back into the room.
Rafe shook Barron’s hand, and I waited for it. Neither Barron nor Hunter could go long without saying something offensive.
“Nice to meet you. Are you in finance?” Rafe asked.
“Let’s just say, you’re good at managing the money, and I’m good at making it.” Barron chuckled before turning to look at me. “Another blue-collar worker for you, Lu?”
My mother shook her head. “Rafe is in finance. And Bucket may have been awful, but he’s a rock star, so he’s hardly struggling financially.”
I didn’t have the energy to correct my mother about Beckett’s name, as I’d need all my strength to get through this weekend.
My grandmother announced lunch and insisted everyone meet in the dining room, but of course, Barron lingered.
“You’re an asshole, Barron,” I hissed.
“You don’t need to stick up for me, baby. My father is a blue-collar worker. So is my cousin. I’m sure your cousin doesn’t mean it offensively. Only a man with a very small dick would need to knock another man down to feel good about himself.” Rafe reached for my hand and interlocked his fingers with mine. “Your dick can’t be that miniscule, can it, Barron?”
My cousin’s cheeks were a dark shade of red, and he pulled his scotch to his lips. “I assure you, my cock is as big as my bank account.”
Rafe winced. “Oof. Most of the intelligent and wealthy men that I work with are pretty smart about investing their money and keeping their bank accounts lean. You might want to keep that analogy to yourself for multiple reasons.”
I barked out a laugh and glared at Barron, and Rafe and I followed the rest of the group into the dining room.
The table was large, and we always sat in the same seats, with me beside Gramps. Rafe sat in the chair beside me, and everyone was taking their seats just as Uncle Dalton arrived. He was married to my Aunt Jaclyn. He was a decade younger than her, and their union had been a bit scandalous back in the day, as she’d married her masseuse, though he now owned one of the largest luxury spas in Malibu.
He’d clearly arrived earlier, as it was obvious he’d already seen everyone else, and he beelined right for me.
“Hello, angel. Is this your new beau?” Uncle Dalton kissed my cheek and turned to greet Rafe.
“Yes. This is Rafe Chadwick. Rafe, this is my Uncle Dalton.”
“Great to meet you,” Rafe said. “I heard your spa is amazing. My sister has been there, and she raved about it.”
A chuckle escaped Barron’s lips. “Not shocked that these two would have a lot in common.”
“Barron, do you remember when I told you that you talk too much?” Gramps interrupted, and everyone quieted as Uncle Dalton took his seat next to his wife.
“Yes. Is there a point?” my cousin snipped, and I wanted to lunge over the table at him for disrespecting our grandfather.
“There sure is.” Gramps gave him a hard look. “Don’t do it. No one likes an arrogant prick.”
Rafe choked on the sip of water he’d just taken, just as my mother waltzed into the dining room with Francois as she sat beside my father, with her spiritual advisor on the other side of her. I think Francois had become a safety net for my mom at these functions. When she couldn’t handle any more family time, she’d claim she needed to have a reading. My mother was a unique kind of amazing. Her attention was all over the place, yet she was charming and warm and a brilliant creator when it came to business.
“Your grandfather speaks the truth,” Francois said in his very strong French accent.
“Thank you, Dr. Ful-of-shit. I don’t take advice from a man who reads crystals for a living.” Barron clapped his hands, which was his way of telling Mrs. Weston that he was ready to eat. She’s run the kitchen for my grandparents since I was young. She traveled with them to each house, which most of the staff did not do. But our family had become her family in a way.
“I agree, darling,” Aunt Louisa said, as she took her seat beside Uncle Charles. They were the proud parents of the two biggest assholes in the family.
“Let’s all try to be on our best behavior as we have a new guest, and it’s Grandfather’s birthday,” my father said.
Always the diplomat.
Mrs. Weston had plates with silver domes over each one brought out by her staff, and they placed them at every seat and waited behind us for each of them to be set down.
“I’m starving,” Rafe said as he lifted the dome off the plate. “What do we have here?”
“Like I said, blue-collar worker,” Barron said under his breath.
Rafe looked up at my cousin and held up his thumb and his pointer finger about an inch apart. “Like I said. You keep showing your hand, little Barron.”
Jasper, Meredith, Serena, and I all chuckled.
Everyone else looked a little confused as champagne flutes were passed around, and my grandfather raised his glass.
“Thank you all for being here to celebrate my eightieth birthday. We’ve got a big crowd coming to the party tonight, but I’m happy to have this time with all of you now. Welcome to the family, Rafe.” He waited for everyone to raise their glasses, and we clinked them together.
The staff stood behind the table and raised the silver domes, and everyone started eating their kale-cranberry salads.
“It’s a little soon to be welcoming him to the family, isn’t it?” Charlotte asked, as she took a sip from her flute and held her pinky out.
“I don’t think so. They seem very happy,” Meredith said, and she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face.
“How long do you plan to stick around, Chadwick?” Barron asked as he quirked a brow.
“As long as my girl will have me, Barry.” He winked at me.
My grandfather beamed. My mother and Francois clapped their hands together. All the ladies, including my grandmother, who tended to be a bit chilly when meeting new people, were swooning at the man beside me. Even my father looked slightly amused.
Rafe Chadwick was everything a boyfriend should be.
I hit the jackpot, and I was going to enjoy every minute of it.
Well, at least for the next three days.
Then I’d go back to being annoyed by him.