Manicured Claws
. . .
Cade
Ship-wide announcement courtesy of Dr. Bliss Lovejoy:
Reminder that the Love Olympics are tomorrow! All couples must report to the main deck by noon for an afternoon of fun and friendly competition. Wear your swimwear.
I carried the platter of croissants back to our room without Ellie even needing to ask, and three more disappeared before our next scheduled event.
Then I had the longest day of my life.
Lovejoy was determined to pack as many mandatory activities as possible into the two days left.
Today, she roped us into morning yoga, a gratitude walk, crafts time, and a wine tasting.
I moved through them on autopilot, knowing each one meant I was one step closer to being alone with Ellie tonight.
That made the day feel even longer.
When Lovejoy finally dismissed us from our last activity—sensual journaling—I thought we were finally home free.
… Until I remembered my mother had summoned us for dinner on her private balcony.
My mother actually behaved herself for a moment at dinner, before things inevitably went downhill.
Her balcony faced a picture-perfect sunset. Orange and purple hues blended the sky and ocean, and I had to stop myself from studying their bright reflection in Ellie’s eyes.
The first course consisted of general pleasantries. My mother kept her manicured claws sheathed—even when Ellie accidentally knocked her water glass into a plate of tuna crudo.
For the second course, Mother asked more about Ellie’s career, and Ellie lied about her current duties at the cat café while scratching at a growing red splotch on her neck.
The main course arrived just as Ellie was slathering caviar onto a roll from the bread basket, while I watched in amusement.
My mother droned on about the upcoming galas she insisted I make an appearance at while Ellie took a big bite of the roll—then froze.
It took every ounce of my restraint not to burst out laughing at the deer-in-the-headlights look on her face.
I leaned closer to her, lowering my voice. “Something wrong?”
Ellie didn’t move—she didn’t even breathe—before slowly picking her red cloth napkin off her lap and raising it to her lips. My mother rambled on and drank her wine, oblivious to Ellie trying and failing to subtly spit out the contents of her mouth into the napkin before answering me.
“I think the jam might be expired,” she whispered with a grimace. “It tasted off. Really off.”
My mouth betrayed me, curving up. “That’s not jam. It’s caviar.”
Her brows drew together, and she stared at the roll before a shudder raced through her. “Oh. Oh… I don’t think I’m a fan.”
I wisely chose not to tell her it cost over a grand per ounce. She’d easily slathered at least a few ounces onto her roll, and knowing Ellie, she’d freak out.
“What about you, Ellie?” my mother asked, pasting on a smile I knew physically pained her. “Which galas are you attending this season?”
Determined not to talk over Ellie or treat her like arm candy this time, I took a bite of sea bass and braced myself for her answer.
“I haven’t really been to a gala before, so whichever ones Cade can take a plus-one to, I guess,” she answered jokingly, letting out a little laugh, which my mother didn’t join in on. Ellie immediately reached for her neck, but I intercepted her hand before she could scratch again.
I’d done it without thinking, but it felt effortless.
Ellie’s gaze flicked to where I clasped her hand in mine, and she blinked twice before sitting straighter. “Oh, but my friend invited me to a birthday party for her dog next month. That should be fun. Sadie throws the best parties.”
My mother stared for a long beat, before taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. “A birthday party for a dog? How… quaint. Will you be attending this gathering, Caden?”
“Of course,” I said in reflex, running my thumb over Ellie’s knuckles and earning a hitched breath. She stared down at our clasped hands. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
My mother’s nose wrinkled like she’d smelled something rotten, but Ellie stopped staring long enough to beam at me.
“Okay, enough playing around.” My mother set her wineglass down with a little too much force, making my gaze snap back to her.
She glared daggers at me. “What has gotten into you? Are you doing this to prove some kind of point? Or do you just hate me so much you chose the first urchin off the street to throw in my face?”
Ellie’s grip tightened, and I squeezed her hand. “My choices have nothing to do with you.”
“They do when your choices involve running around with a girl who was raised by uncultured—”
“Don’t,” I cut in sharply as Ellie froze.
The early evening ocean breeze suddenly cooled.
“Don’t talk about her parents or anything else you don’t understand.
Ellie has been nothing but kind to you since you crashed our trip, and you’ve thrown it back in her face.
If anyone’s forgotten their manners, it’s you. ”
“Cade.” Ellie leaned closer, eyes darting worriedly across the table. “It’s okay. You don’t need to do this—”
“Yes, I do,” I countered, giving her hand another squeeze.
She snapped her mouth shut, and her blue eyes grew wide as pink crept up her face.
I refocused on my mother’s glacial stare. “You don’t want to play this game with me,” I warned softly. “So, either you welcome Ellie with open arms, or the only contact you’ll have with either of us going forward will be a yearly Christmas card.”
I might’ve gone a little far for our scheme if Ellie’s jaw dropping was any clue, but my shoulders felt lighter than they had in years.
My mother slid her wineglass closer, one manicured claw tapping against the stem.
“You’d choose this woman you barely know over your own mother?” she asked carefully.
“You’re the one making the choice,” I reminded her. “I’m just telling you the consequences.”
If looks could kill, I’d be swimming with the fishes. But my mother didn’t set her deadly glare on me long before she pasted on a saccharine smile and turned to Ellie. “You must be pleased with yourself. Was this your plan all along? To poison my son against me?”
“No one’s poisoned anyone,” I said, while a nervous laugh bubbled out of Ellie.
“I would never harm your son, Mrs. Westbrook,” she promised. “And I would never want to cause a rift between you two. Never.”
My mother’s smile twisted into more of a sneer. “Sweet words from someone only here for a payday.”
“Mother—”
“No, no. It’s my own fault.” Her tone had gone flat, lifeless. “Forgive me for wanting to protect my son from financial and social ruin. How silly of me. I should know better.”
I ground my teeth, saved from saying anything I’d surely regret by the server opening a door to the balcony and stepping out. He refilled my mother’s wineglass with practiced ease, before eyeing the table of half-eaten entrees. “Are we ready for dessert?”
Ellie perked up, but my mother’s expression turned to stone. “Unfortunately, Caden and Ellie have to run, so they won’t be joining me for dessert. I’ll take mine now.”
The server quickly cleared our plates, and my mother shifted her gaze to the ocean. She spoke without looking at either of us.
“You can show yourselves out.” Her voice held more frost than the ice in our water glasses. “I never should’ve come aboard. My presence clearly isn’t welcome here.”
I sighed. “Mother—”
“I told you to go, Caden.” She dismissed us with a flick of her hand. “And please take your little urchin with you.”
It was another clear attempt at baiting me, but I didn’t bite. I rose from my seat and waited for Ellie to join me, before we rounded the table—her hand still nestled snugly in mine. If my mother wanted the last word so badly, then she could have it.
Once we reached the hallway and shut the cabin door behind us, I whispered an apology to Ellie, but she was too busy staring at our clasped hands to hear me.
I gave hers a quick squeeze. “What is it?”
She finally looked up, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. “You held my hand. Voluntarily.”
I pressed my lips together to hide a grimace. She didn’t need to say it like it was a big deal.
“Your feedback about my acting earlier may have had some merit,” I admitted.
Her smile widened. “And you stood up for me against your mom, which was really hot, by the way.”
She had my complete, undivided attention. “Yeah?”
Ellie made a show of fanning herself with her free hand. “I almost jumped you right there. I bet she would’ve loved that.”
I grinned, easing closer and backing her up until she pressed against the wall. “What’s stopping you now, then?”
Her gaze dropped to my lips before her tongue peeked out to wet her own. “Well, I have a surprise I want to change into first.”
My mind jumped to all sorts of interesting things she could change into—including her strange unicorn onesie—and I leaned in enough to press a kiss to her ear. Another to her cheek. More to her jaw.
“I love surprises,” I whispered against her satin skin.
Ellie snorted right in my face. “Oh, really? Because the last time I surprised you, you elbowed me in the face and accused me of trying to kill you!”
… She wasn’t wrong.
“I’ll make it up to you right now,” I promised, tugging her toward our room.