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Mark released me and gave her a thumb up. “Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”
“Keep her away from me,” I muttered. “Where’s the bar?”
***
“Hey,” Adam said, sliding onto the chair next to me. “You hiding from your mom?”
“As a rule, yes.” I took a big gulp of my wine. “So, this has been fun and not at all awkward.”
He looked down and chuckled. “Not at all.”
I sighed and turned my head to meet his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me who you are?”
“You never asked,” he replied simply. “And for the first time in a long time, I was with someone who didn’t look at me and see what I was.”
“You knew I didn’t know who you are?”
“Yeah. That was obvious when we met. Your friend, too. You were the only women in the general area who weren’t trying to get my attention in that bar, and when I approached you, I realized that you really didn’t know who I was.” He paused, twisting his beer bottle around. “Of course, had I have known I’d be coming here and walking into a family of hockey fanatics, I’d have given you the heads up.”
“And I would have really appreciated that.” I dropped my head and laughed. “Oh, my God. This is insane. I’m sorry you’re here.”
“I’m not. Your family is great. Your mom’s a little bit of a loose cannon—”
“A little bit?” I looked at him. “She’s lost her marbles!”
He laughed, leaning closer. “I’m trying to be nice.”
“Just say it as it is. You might have noticed that my family tends to say what they think.”
“I figured that out when your dad told me I’m a fucking amazing player, but I need to stop wasting chances a spider could take.”
“Oh, God,” I muttered.
Adam laughed and touched my back. “Don’t worry, Red. He’s right.”
“Oh, Goddddd,” I muttered again. “I want to die.”
“There’s no need to be so dramatic. It’s fine. On the bright side, we didn’t have to handle the whole, “How did you two meet?” scenario.”
“Not yet,” I corrected him. “But the worst is yet to come.”
“Why?”
“My grandfather gets here tomorrow. He’s the worst of us all. He has a story for every family function and he’ll talk your ear off.”
“It’s a good thing I’m a patient listener.” He grinned.
“It’s too late for me, but you can still leave.” I finished my wine. “My mom is undoubtedly going to say I deliberately brought you as my date to upstage my sister.”
“Which you couldn’t have possibly done, because you had no idea who I was.”
“Adam. I can’t tell her that. I lose in every scenario.”
He looked at me for a minute, then laughed.
“This isn’t funny.”
“It’s ridiculous. I have a feeling this weekend might be the most fun I’ve had in ages,” he said.
“Really? Being in a room where everyone knows who you are is fun to you?”
“Well, it’s part of my job.”
“I mean here right now.”
He turned his entire body until he was facing me and leaned in. “Actually, nobody has recognized me at all. Only your family. For the most part, unless anyone here is a fan, they won’t know who I am.”
“Like me.”
He grinned. “Like you, Red.”
I blushed and pushed hair behind my ear. “I hope so. If too many people fangirl over you, my mom is going to kill me.”
“Should I set up a table in the corner if it happens? Send people in groups?”
“No. Pick me up, and we run, just like you promised.”
“Deal. Where are we running to?”
“Anywhere that my mother isn’t.” I snorted.
Rosie slipped into the other chair. “Okay,” she said, leaning over to both of us. “I think I convinced Mom you didn’t do this to upstage me. I heard her mention it to Dad who promptly told her to shut up and jumped in there. Then she got pissed at me for talking to her instead of entertaining my guests.” She gave me a grimace and pinched her fingers. “I’m this close to going Bridezilla on her.”
“Rosie. Shouldn’t you be entertaining your guests?” Mom appeared out of nowhere and gripped the back of a chair.
“We were just clearing something up,” Rosie said.
“Like what?”
“She’s not sure about one of the cocktails,” I lied. “I told her I’ll do the cocktails tomorrow at lunch, so she doesn’t have to worry.”
Mom looked at us suspiciously. “Which cocktail was she worried about?”
Ah, shit.
“Does it matter? It’s Poppy’s jobs to handle the cocktails,” Rosie said.
“Thank God,” I muttered.
“What was that?” Mom shot daggers at me with her eyes.,
“I coughed.”
“Hmm.” She scanned us all with one quick flick of her gaze and let go of the chair. “Rosie, Mark’s parents are looking for you. They have a gift for Rory in their room and don’t know what you’d like them to do with it.”
My sister shot me a look and stood up.
