Chapter 35 #2
"All the same," Mrs. Santillian said. "You're here now. Do you like halibut? Of course, you do. You're a growing boy."
"And all growing boys who are also in their late thirties like halibut," Magnolia said under her breath.
I shot her a teasing grin before saying, "I love a good halibut. Thank you for having me, Mrs. Santillian."
"Oh, please call me Diana. Only my students call me Mrs. Santillian and we're not in school today."
"Diana," I said with my winningest smile.
"Now, how did you two meet?" She tapped her forefinger to her lips with a glance between me and Magnolia. "I can't seem to remember Magnolia telling me that little detail."
"She wants to know whether she can claim credit for this match," Magnolia said. "And the answer to that is no, you cannot, Mom."
"This was worth the drive down here," Linden murmured.
"It really was," Ash agreed.
"We met several months ago," I said, searching for the most palatable way to explain that I'd wanted to use her daughter as a fucktoy to burn away all memory of my last relationship but had since evolved from that viewpoint. "We started out talking. Just as friends—"
Linden rubbed his palm over his face. "If he says with benefits, I'm not going to be the one to explain that to Mom."
Magnolia threw a dishtowel at her brother. "Shut the hell up."
Diana wagged a finger at her. "There is no need for language like that."
"We started out as friends," I repeated, "even though I was very impatient and didn't want to wait.
Somewhere along the line, things changed and I'm happy I made the cut.
" With an easy shrug, I added, "I have been bribing Gronk with some primo dog treats so I can't say I've been playing it entirely fair. "
"I'll allow it," Linden said.
"Isn't that precious!" Diana cooed. "If you're on Gronk's good side, you're on mine too."
Magnolia busied herself with putting the flowers in a vase and filing the bottle of white wine away in the fridge, occasionally glancing over at me with a knowing grin while her mother peppered me with questions.
She wanted to know about my family, where I was from, how I liked New England compared to New York.
When those matters were suitably addressed, Diana hooked a glance at her daughter, saying, "I wish I'd known you were bringing a guest, Magnolia. I would've had an extra place set at the table."
Magnolia pointed at the pile of plates and cutlery on the countertop. "You haven't set the table because you make the boys do that and I didn't get any notice about Trevor—"
"Troy," Ash interrupted.
"Are you sure? It's not Truman?" Linden asked him.
Ash shook his head. "Troy."
"Troubadour," Linden replied.
"Telemachus," Ash said.
"Tommy boy," Linden said.
"Toulouse," Ash said.
"Enough of that," Diana snapped. To Magnolia, she said, "I would've appreciated some notice, if for no other reason than making sure I had enough for an extra guest."
Magnolia folded her arms. "Enough? Really? Not sure that one holds up, Mom, seeing as you always cook enough to send the three of us home with several days'-worth of leftovers."
"No leftovers for me, thanks," Ash said. "I'm traveling for an audit all week."
My ears perked up at that. "You're in auditing?"
Ash shrugged. "Financial accounting, audits, taxation."
"Investment banking," I said. "You're based out of Boston, I assume?"
Behind me, I heard Diana whisper to Magnolia, "He's a banker?"
Ash nodded. "Yeah. My office is near Copley. Where are you?"
"Financial district," I said. "State Street."
Linden glanced between me and Ash. "Oh. What a wonderful development. Another money guy at the table. Thank the gods for beer."
Ignoring his brother, Ash studied me for a thoughtful moment before saying, "Any ideas what the Fed will do to interest rates next month?"
I dropped down to unclip Gronk's leash. "I have a few ideas, yeah, but most of them are wishful thinking."
Diana snapped her fingers at us. "We don't talk business at dinner."
Ash gestured to the breakfast table. "It's not dinner yet."
"It will be soon enough. Go set the table," she ordered.
"We'll use the nice glasses tonight. Okay?
From the china cabinet. And the nice cloth napkins too.
Take your brother with you." Gronk chased after Ash and Linden as they exited the kitchen.
"Magnolia, set out a bowl of water for the dog.
He must be dying of thirst after the drive down here. "
"Already did," she replied as she came up beside me. "Where's Dad?"
"At the golf course," Diana said. "Something about getting in an hour at the driving range. That was two hours ago."
Magnolia met my gaze with a cheeky grin. "Anything I can do to help?" I asked.
"Heaven's sake, no," Diana said.
"I don't mind being put to work," I said. "I'm sure there's something I could do for you." Magnolia rolled her eyes at me. I gave her a wink. "Closing the deal," I mouthed to her.
"You could help Magnolia pick some parsley from the garden," Diana said. She pointed to a basket by the door. "I'm not sure if there's any more Mexican oregano but if you see any, grab a few sprigs."
Magnolia looped the basket's handle in the crook of her elbow and gestured for me to join her outside.
I followed as she meandered through the garden, watching as she studied the leaves and flowers in the beds.
My gaze traced the line of her legs as she walked, the curve of her hips as she kneeled down to snip some greens.
She reached back, her hand waiting for mine. I took it, stepped closer to her. "What should I be looking for, love?"
"Some privacy," she said with a laugh.
I leaned in, pressed my lips to the back of her neck. "We'll get enough of that later tonight."
"That doesn't mean I don't want some right now," she replied. "This is stressful for me, you know? You're amazing and they adore you, and everything is great, but this whole thing is a lot."
I wrapped an arm around her waist, nestled her backside against my front. "How can I make it less stressful?"
"You can't," she said, laughing again. "But there's a spot in the back there, behind those trees, that's almost completely hidden. If you wanted to—"
"If you think I can fuck you behind a tree and then take you inside to sit through a meal with your parents and brothers, you are very confused about several things. I don't know how to fuck you politely, my love, and it will show."
A deep throat clearing sounded behind us. Then, "I don't believe we've met. I'm Carlo Santillian. Magnolia's father. And who are you?"
Where was the dog when I needed him?
"Oh my god," Magnolia whispered. "Oh my god."
With a resolute nod to myself, I stepped forward and extended my hand in the man's direction.
"Rob Russo, sir." He regarded me and my hand with an impatient glare that suggested I really shouldn't talk about my carnal knowledge of his daughter while on his property.
Not unless I wanted to see what he could do with his nine-iron.
Fair. That was fair.
With a slight eye roll, he took my hand and gave it a quick shake. "Walk inside with me," he said. "My wife won't holler about me being late for supper if she's busy being polite to you."
I shot Magnolia a tight smile as I marched back into the kitchen, Mr. Santillian hot on my heels. As expected, Diana was this close to railing at her husband but choked it down in favor of asking me whether we found any of the oregano she wanted.
Magnolia entered the kitchen behind us, the basket filled with herbs and her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright. She swatted my ass as she passed by, mouthing over her shoulder, "You're trouble."
I nodded because she was right. I'd been trouble from the start. Instead of copping to that, I whispered, "I love you."