LJ turns toward me in his seat, hanging a crooked arm on the back of his chair. “So, you ladies would make up the candy striper initiative?”
Could he be any more condescending and sexist? I don’t give him the courtesy of eye contact when I reply, “They don’t have candy stripers at St. Mark’s.”
LJ sniggers. “Isn’t that why you want to sign-up volunteers?”
Instinctively, my hand presses on my chest, and my palm massages a burrowing ache. “What I’m doing at St. Mark’s means something. It’s not just a way to pass the time because I’m a girl.”
“Oh, Vanessa,” LJ says in a softer tone. In a sweeping movement, he takes my hand from my chest and envelopes it in his hands. “Of course it’s meaningful. Anything you do has merit.”
The girls awe at his gesture, yet my back seizes. I want to yank my hand from his grip. However, the unkind gesture would make it back to my mother. Even though she’s on another continent, she knows more about what’s happening in Victoria Falls than I do.
I clear my throat and send my hand limp inside his. He releases me, and I take the opportunity to focus on the girls. With my mother’s voice still in my head, I double-down on the volunteering. As soon as Hope’s eyes meet mine, I strike. “So, can I expect you to officially sign-up to volunteer your time at St. Mark’s?”
Hope audibly gulps, and her complexion slightly pales. I hold her stare, forcing her answer, “Oh, yeah, sure. Of course.”
I smile and turn to Sylvie. “You too?”
Sylvie chokes on a mouthful of mineral water. She lowers the glass and clears her throat. With reddened cheeks, she coughs and nods. “Umm, yeah, totally.”
“I just have too much work at the moment,” Hope says, refolding her linen napkin on her lap. “You know, juggling school assignments and planning committee duties.”
“Oh yeah,” Sylvie is quick to pile on. “Me too. There’s just not enough hours in the day.”
Hope feigns laughter. “Yeah, you know what our mothers are like.”
Yeah, a cake walk compared to mine.
LJ leans close to me. I know he’ll reject the suggestion, but his smugness is irritating me.
“You know, it’s not just girls who can sign-up.”
LJ smirks, throwing a thumb at himself. “Are you suggesting I volunteer too? I can just imagine my father’s reaction. You know he wants me at the company as much as possible before I pack up for college.”
You meanmyfather’s company? The words want to fly out of my mouth, but what good would it do?
He stands, and my stomach squirms in anticipation of what’s about to happen.
“I have to get back to my table.” LJ lifts my hand and bends over to kiss it. “I’ll catch up with you later, sweetheart.”
My insides revolt at his touch, mocked by the squeals of delight from my friends.
Sylvie moans when LJ leaves. “Oh my gosh, I miss having a guy around.”
I grin at her. “You use guys as playthings. No wonder you can’t keep one around.”
“I used to call up Beau Stevenson to take me out,” Sylvie says with a devilish smirk. “Gosh, my parents absolutely hated that. Ah, I loved it. But, no. Now he has to be a doting boyfriend to his mousy girlfriend.”
Hope smirks, nudging me. “Even you had your eye on Beau for a moment or two.”
I tap the side of my water glass and sigh. “I’d like someone to look at me the way he looks at his girlfriend.”
Hope and Sylvie share a look and then burst into laughter.
Hope grabs my hand and locks eyes with me. “Ness, honey, every guy looks at you like that.”
I frown and pull my hand away. “No, they don’t. All they think about is my last name and dollar signs.”
“Oh, stop being so miserable,” Sylvie orders. “You’re gorgeous with or without the heiress title. You can have any guy you want. It’s beyond me why you haven’t made it happen yet.”
