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Lainey took a sip of water. “Don’t hold it against me, okay?”
“But Lainey, I thought those old plantation houses were smaller than that.”
Lainey sighed. “They definitely are. My great-great-grandaddy made his money in tobacco. And my great-grandfather wasn’t much of a traditionalist, he was more of a rub-it-in-your-face kind of man. Our mansion was kind of on the small side, so he did some add-ons in the back, leaving the front as it is. He added about fifteen thousand square feet to the back. I think it’s still the largest house in South Carolina.”
Matt whistled. “Shit.”
“Wait till you see it. It’s got oak trees and Spanish moss leading up to it, interspersed with magnolias.” Lainey gave a dejected sigh.
“It sounds like you didn’t like it.”
“I was supposed to conform and be a certain type of woman. I hated it.”
She jumped when she felt Matt cup her cheek. His thumb brushed her lower lip and pulled it down so she was no longer biting it.
Lainey rubbed her cheek against his hand like a cat would. Heck, she was almost purring.
“Would you like me to go with you?”
“God yes.” She blew her bangs off her forehead. “Mom has one potential suitor lined up to escort me, but only if I lose fifteen pounds.”
“What?!” Matt sat up straight, and Lainey toppled against the arm of the sofa. “Tell me you’re not serious.”
Lainey gave a half-hearted laugh. “Wish I was. But it’s par for the course. I don’t dress right, don’t laugh right, and I bite my lip.”
“Did she really call this idiot a suitor?”
“Nope, she called him a beau.”
“Shit, Lainey, this is something out of Gone with the Wind. The next thing you’re going to tell me is that your house has a name.”
She shook off his arm and took another sip of water.
“Holy fuck, it does have a name. You gotta tell me what it is. Come on, baby, tell me. This is too good. Tell me.”
“I told you about the magnolia trees, so it kind of makes sense?”
“Lainey.” Matt’s voice was full of laughter. His brown eyes were twinkling.
“Magnolia Run.” She chugged down half the bottle of water as Matt laughed his butt off. When he continued to laugh, she started to get ticked.
“Feel free to stop anytime now.”
“I’m not sure I can,” he continued to chuckle.
“Well, try.” Her voice was sharp.
“Let me tell you something. I sure as hell am going to be attending this shindig with you. That’s for damn sure.”
“It’s going to be one of the lowest levels of purgatory, you know that, don’t you? I mean, you’re going to have to wear a tuxedo on the night of the ball, and everybody is going to be judging you the entire time. They judge me. I hate it.”
“Ah, mí amor, I don’t give a damn about me, unless it reflects badly on you. As for you, nobody better do anything that makes you feel bad in my presence, or I’ll rip their head off and shit down their neck.”
Lainey jerked backward, her eyes wide. “Did you just say that?”
Matt didn’t look like himself. He looked dangerous. “I sure as hell did. Look, Lainey, you’re one of the sweetest, most loving and generous people I’ve ever met. If somebody thinks that they can do something to put you down, I’m not going to allow it. End of story.”
“Uhm. Okay.”
