Chapter 18 Ankle Biter （Brady） #2
I step up and lay my hand on the small of her back.
Standing by for rescue. The second he breaks character and starts spewing his usual thoughtless, offensive shit, we’ll be gone.
I take his insults in stride—I have a whole life of practice—but not if they’re aimed at Lena.
I can see his eyes flicking over her as she talks, mentally computing whether or not she’ll ever be fit for the Pruitt name.
In the moment, I fucking wish that were truly on the table.
“I love the wildlife charities here. Making a difference for conservation is very important to me. All part of the trade,” she says brightly, waving a delicate hand up at the large screen above, which displays the details of the many charities looking for donations here today and the amounts they’ve raked in.
“Yes, animals. Nature is dumb and blind without us, so we’d better try to even the score.” A familiar edge creeps into Dad’s feeble voice behind the bland philosophizing.
Only, he doesn’t sound like he’s about to launch into a gutting critique of her. Is that curiosity in his eyes?
It’s been so long, I can’t tell.
Lena takes his cold glances in stride. No matter what she might think about the excessive wealth concentrated in one room, there’s no denying the money will go to good causes—and lots of it.
People in our position can afford to be generous.
Beside him, an older lady nudges in, turning to Lena and offering her a huge smile. “Oh my, you must be Brady’s vet fiancée!”
Her eyes look a little tired, but she leans down and presses two perfumed kisses on Lena’s cheek.
“Vet tech,” Lena corrects with a small smile.
Dad wrinkles his nose.
My fist tightens at my side as I near my limit for his passive-aggressive shit.
“You know, I met the kindest vet nurse yesterday.” The lady dabs under her eyes, which gleam in the light.
“Oh? What happened?”
“My cat, Gatsby, he—” She breaks off and gives a brave smile. “Well, it was just his time, and they were very kind, seeing him off.”
“Oh no. I’m so sorry.”
Dad watches with more interest now, biting back something that looks like a smile.
What the fuck? Why are his eyes so sharp?
Why does he look happy when they’re discussing a dead cat?
I glance between him and the two women talking. The older lady, Mrs. Hageman, I think, is damn near crushing Lena in her teary-eyed embrace now.
Something just happened I haven’t picked up on.
“I’m very sorry for your loss,” Lena wishes, glancing at me over her shoulder, tempting me to step in to give her air.
“That’s okay, honey. You can’t change anything now, and he’s in a better place. I simply had to say thanks for what you people do. It’s the noblest profession for those of us who love our babies to death.”
Lena pats the woman’s arm as she finally uncouples.
“No, thank you. The best owners are the ones who care about their pets as much as we do. I can tell your boy was loved.”
“Oh, yes! He was the sweetest tabby—just a stray, you know. My gardener couldn’t keep him away, and one day I told him to just let the poor thing in for some water.
I was so miserable, moping around after my youngest went east for college.
That’s the way it is with cats, isn’t it?
They come when they’re called—just not with words.
” Her smile trembles. “My name’s Sandra Hageman, but call me Sandy, dear. ”
“Lena.”
“A pleasure. Even more because you’ve won over the most creative member of the Pruitt clan.” She beams at me, and I nod before she looks at my father. “Alec, I’m still surprised. You and Kerrigan never mentioned your son being involved with this lovely creature.”
Dad coughs into his hand and inhales, his lungs giving that harsh rattle that’s become too familiar. He waves his hand at Freddy behind him, declining the oxygen the nurse always has ready.
When he looks at us again, I’m expecting daggers in his eyes, but he just looks oddly relaxed.
“That’s the way it is with our Brady. Always surprising us. Sandra, if we knew, you never would’ve had a minute’s rest from my wife with the wedding planning.” He clears his throat again. “My sincerest condolences on your cat. Was he old?”
What. The. Hell.
My old man has never so much as acknowledged pets exist unless they’re in his personal space, like Charlie.
Maybe it’s the environment getting to him. He hasn’t been to an event this big for over a year, and I wonder if it shakes something loose in his miserable brain.
There’s no denying Lena looks like a damn knockout.
Chestnut hair swept up in a loose updo, tendrils framing her face. Minimal makeup, the classy touch pretty women carry when they’re trying to accent their natural beauty without pinning on a whole new face.
Another contrast with Nancy Loomer and most of the women I’ve dated before.
I watched in awe this morning as she was getting ready and she only used about ten cosmetic products. It would’ve been thirty with other women.
With a little color on her lips and winged eyeliner, plus the barest hint of smoky eye, she looks as good as every other woman in here.
Better, because she’s authentic.
My attention flicks back to Dad as Sandra wanders away after a few more quiet words with him.
“You can take the lady out of the vet,” he says, “but apparently, you can’t take the vet out of the lady.”
“What’s your point, Dad?” I growl.
“Her timing, that’s what. She just helped us impress the heiress to the largest grocery chain in this quadrant of the country just as our contracts are coming up for renegotiation. The damn cat, I never would’ve thought of that,” he mutters, barely under his breath.
I want to roll my eyes and say something shitty. God forbid he have a beating heart.
Yet the way he smiles at Lena and nods tells me the ice is broken.
Mission accomplished, I guess, even if it had to happen in the most annoying, selfish way possible.
“Um, glad I could help?” Lena smiles uncertainly.
I squeeze her hand firmly. She might not know it yet, but she’s done the impossible.
“Hey, there’s Brian Millstable! He finished buying up every midsize chain pet store last year.
I should introduce you,” I say, naming one of the most influential people in the Seattle business world—at least when it comes to the wildlife side of things, with the large nonprofit he owns. “Catch you later, Dad.”
Lena smiles, looking like an old-fashioned debutante.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Pruitt,” she says, holding out her hand again.
“Alec.” Dad shakes it with a ghost of a smile.
For once, what the hell does his selfishness matter?
As long as she’s won him over.
Lena’s eyes spark, and I know she’s picked up the smell of victory.
“Alec. I hope we’ll see each other again soon.”
“We will,” he promises, and we’re off.
We’re silent as we cut through the thick crowd, my hold on her arm guiding her.
“Why does it always feel like the women are glaring at me more than the men?” she whispers.
In the corner, I see another problem—Nancy goddamned Loomer, glowering at Lena like she’s convinced a dirty look can reduce her to ashes.
“She’s jealous,” I growl. “Can’t handle how good you look with a fraction of the effort.”
“Oh yeah, but I wasn’t just talking about Miss Lemonface.”
I shrug. “Like I’ve said before, money causes an inbred bunch. Half the women here under thirty-five probably hoped to get their hands on me.”
She throws me a look.
“It’s not like I gave it to them.” I clear my throat. “Shit, Sass. Even when the world thought I fucked everything that moves, I was careful not to risk business and pleasure.”
I’m not sure she believes me, despite the smile.
I know I’m an attractive guy, especially when I make an effort, but I’m also not blind. People like me because of my name and the wealth behind it.
That’s what sets the woman on my arm apart—if anything, the fact that I’m a Pruitt and have money coming out my ears feels more like a black mark than a blessing.
Considering that, along with my history, she’s right to be suspicious.
If she still wants to take my head off for hiding my phone later, she’s entitled to. Especially when I am going behind her back, just not for the reasons she thinks.
Lena tilts her head back, smiling. “Be honest. How many women here have you slept with?”
My eyes scan the crowd. Once in a while, an old hookup marries up and poaches a CEO.
“Not fair. You know my reputation.”
“Even if I wish I didn’t,” she throws back, but she’s still smiling. “Kidding, Brady. Let’s prove we’re madly in love, just to be safe.”
Once we reach Brian’s side, Lena’s smile shifts to the diplomatic one she uses with strangers.
We do our introductions.
“Just wait until you hear about his pet food,” she tells Millstable, resting a hand on my chest and giving me the biggest damn doe eyes I’ve ever seen.
“It’s going to make a huge difference in health.
You’d be surprised how many owners want to feed their babies the best, but they just can’t with the cost and the crappy shelf life of the fresh stuff. ”
His glasses almost shine like mirrors catching the sun—or maybe it’s his eyes. Brian Millstable is one of those human androids who lives for new opportunities. Not human.
Batteries between the ears, I call them.
He patiently listens as she rattles off the preventable horrors she’s seen with older pets and mediocre food—the joint issues, the early heart disease, the obesity.
I talk up my experiments—hating that we’re stuck in the formula stage—but Brian listens patiently, his face an impassive smile.
Like I said, not human.
I’m not nervous, though. Not with Lena making this so easy. If we weren’t talking to a potential VIP supplier, I’d kiss her breathless.
Maybe it’ll convince Nancy that I’m lost forever, and she’ll disappear from my life.