Chapter 9 #2
My mother simmered where she stood, clearly furious about being one-upped by her best friend.
The smile she gave Lisa was all teeth, and then she said, “It was so good of Xavier to see beyond Macie’s past.” Her past being a party girl who rode whatever dick happened to appear beneath her.
I rolled my lips inward and stood very still, lest my mother’s ire turn on me.
But she wasn’t done with Lisa. “And how wonderful that their son didn’t even need to stay in the NICU even though he was born so many weeks premature.
Is it rare to have a nine-pounder at thirty-two weeks?
” Her smile widened. “Such a blessing and a miracle, isn’t it? ”
Lisa went red and spluttered. Sounded like Macie got pregnant before the wedding bells rang, and there had been some creative truths told about the baby’s gestational age.
It also sounded like everyone knew it—no surprise in this place.
Everyone talked about everyone else, and your best friend could turn around and stab you in the back.
Or in my mother’s case, stab you right in the front.
My eyes darted around the room, looking for safe harbor.
I didn’t want to be anywhere near these three women when the cattiness got worse.
I spotted Brooks walking into the event hall with his wife and kids.
He shook hands with a man I recognized from my father’s business, and Stacey chased after Riley, who’d taken off running toward the snack bar.
I could wrangle the kids. I could be the fun aunt and take care of the kids all evening, and no one would bother me. Turning back to the three harpies, I opened my mouth—then clamped it shut again.
My mother had her arm around a man I recognized. A man I hadn’t expected to see here.
He gave me a half smile. “Hi, Deena.”
I blinked. “Austin. I didn’t know you were coming tonight.”
My high school sweetheart had turned into a broad, handsome man. His hair was still that middle shade between brown and blond, styled in a tight fade with well-groomed stubble. He filled out his tux and looked entirely at ease at the country club that felt like a pit full of snakes to me.
He smiled at my mother. “Wouldn’t miss it. You look beautiful, Mrs. Brand.”
“Oh, stop it.” She swatted at him. “Handsome devil.” Looking at me, she said, “Austin just started his own law practice in town. And he just moved into a gorgeous new house. Thanks again for giving us that tour,” she added, smiling at Austin.
“My pleasure, Mrs. B,” he said.
My mother turned her gaze to me. A beautiful house that could have been yours, if you hadn’t been so foolish to let him go, her eyes said.
Looked like she either didn’t completely believe that Callum was real, either, or she was still mad at me for playing catch-and-release with Austin. Ignoring my mother’s loaded look, I turned to him and smiled. “Congrats. How’s it going so far?”
“It’s a lot of work,” he said with a grin. His eyes coasted down my dress and back up again, lingering on the neckline, where my breasts were lifted and displayed like I was a Regency novel heroine.
I flushed.
With obvious effort, he lifted his gaze to my face. “What have you been up to?”
“Still doing the travel thing,” I said. “Business is going well.”
His eyes glazed over slightly, then returned to my breasts.
I tamped down the dart of annoyance. Even when we were teens, Austin hadn’t cared about my dreams. I broke up with him when he’d explained that I could go to college if I went to the same one he did, but I’d have to be a stay-at-home wife afterward.
He was going to pursue his dreams of being a big-shot criminal defense lawyer, and I could put up or shut up.
Or leave.
“Deena is seeing someone,” Alison cut in, smiling beatifically at me, even though her eyes were sharp. “Aren’t you, dear?”
I stammered wordlessly while Austin’s brows jumped.
“He owns a venture capital firm,” Lisa put in, eager to get one over on my mother. Clearly, neither of them believed that Callum existed. And I couldn’t blame them. He existed, but he wasn’t my boyfriend. “He’s extremely wealthy.”
Austin’s brows tugged together. “I see. That’s…nice.” He glanced around. “Is he here? Maybe we can exchange notes about dating you.”
Everyone laughed, and I forced a smile. My mother looked at me, and clearly she could tell I was reaching my limit. “I think we should let the kids catch up,” she said a little too forcefully.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Lisa answered gleefully. “Deena was just about to tell us about the proposal she’s expecting any day now. He sounds like a catch. What was his name again? Caden? Calvin?”
“We didn’t get a last name,” Alison told Austin in a false conspiratorial tone.
Austin grinned, glancing back at me. His brows jumped when he met my gaze. An invitation. You don’t have to lie to me, his gaze said. Maybe we could pick up where we left off.
“And we didn’t get a picture, either,” Lisa added. “Surely you’ve got tons of pictures of the two of you together! Let’s see one!” She smiled at my mother, her eyes flat and deadly.
The ladies wouldn’t let my mother get a win, and the cost was my dignity. They were happy to make a fool of me in front of Austin and whoever else had wandered over to listen, just to embarrass my mother.
I mostly wanted to get away…but I found myself siding with my mom. I didn’t like her jabs, but I didn’t like other people trying to cut her down, either. It was some sort of latent family loyalty rearing its ugly head. Or maybe I was plain ole embarrassed at being called out for my fibs.
I smiled at the two ladies, marshaling my thoughts.
“Callum,” I said. “His name is Callum. Cal. He’s wonderful, actually.
” I flicked my gaze at Austin and widened my smile.
“We met at the end of last year. He’s a workaholic, but all the best men are, aren’t they?
” I laughed delicately and shook my head, flicking my hair over my shoulder.
Their narrowed gazes only fueled my fire.
I let out a sigh. “He swept me off my feet.”
“Oh?” Alison said, doubt entering her gaze.
Maybe I was telling the truth, she thought. Maybe there was a man waiting for me in the city. Maybe Callum did exist.
And he did. I took a sip of my vodka cranberry and let out a wistful sigh.
“I think I fell for him the moment I saw him. He’s so handsome with the most amazing eyes.
But it’s the way he treats me that really won me over.
He knows when to call me on my sh—excuse me, on my crap.
” I laughed, putting a hand to my breast. I looked out the open windows at the crashing waves of the sea beyond, as if my emotions for the man were just too much to bear.
“But he’s a total romantic at heart. I don’t know where I’d be without him. ”
Austin, my mother, and both other ladies had gone silent. I looked at Lisa, then Alison, but neither of them were paying attention to me. Austin had torn his gaze away from my tits and was looking behind me. My mother had followed his gaze, her eyes wide, her throat bobbing with a hard swallow.
My heart gave a violent thump.
Slowly, as if in a dream, I spun on my six-inch stilettos and looked at what had captured everyone’s attention.
Well, not what. Who.
Callum Frost stood before me in a perfectly tailored tuxedo. His hair was pushed back from his face, though one rogue curl flopped onto his forehead. He’d shaved to show off his strong jaw, and his eyes were dancing with laughter.
My mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
Shock stole my words. It didn’t make sense that he was here. I wondered if someone had slipped something into my drink. Maybe I was hallucinating this whole thing.
But then the hallucination moved, and the warmth of his palm against the side of my neck made me inhale sharply.
His thumb stroked up my throat and swept along my jaw.
With only the pressure of his thumb on the bottom of my chin, he tilted my head up to meet his pale blue gaze.
There was nothing wintry about it now. It was all heat and humor, and I was so mortified I couldn’t feel my face.
I searched my empty mind for something to say, but his hands were on me and he was here. Why was he here? How?
His lips tilted into an amused, almost fond smile, and I swore he could read every thought clanging through my empty skull. Then, in the lowest of murmurs I loved so much, that voice of velvet sin, he said, “Hello, love.”
And then he kissed me.