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“Let me make this clearer. I adore your daughter. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have found a woman like her. I will protect her from any kind of threat, be it physical, mental, or emotional. You, ma’am, are an emotional threat, and that stops now, or we’re leaving.”

Mrs. Simpson opened and shut her mouth three times, reminding Mateo of a guppie fish. It took everything he had not to laugh.

She whipped her head around to glare at her daughter. “Are you going to let him talk to me like this?”

“Heck, Mom, I’m thinking about making out with him, right here in front of you.”

Mateo started laughing. The older woman whirled around at him and burst out shrilly. “This is not funny!”

“Yes, it is, Mom. Now, are you going to play nice with me so I can help you and Dad with his campaign and celebrate your fortieth anniversary, or are you going to be mean and force Matt to whisk me away?”

“For the last time, I’m not mean to you. I only say things to help you improve yourself. But if these things hurt your feelings, I will desist.”

Lainey rolled her eyes and looked over at Mateo. “Will that do?”

“Again, as long as you’re not hurting, I’m good. Let’s take some of these scones, butter, and jam up with us to our room.” Mateo bent down and grabbed a plate. He winked at Lainey’s mom as he led Lainey out of the room.

22

Tonight was the night of the formal, informal dinner. Tomorrow was the main event. Tomorrow was the eight-hundred-dollar gown. Tonight was the Macy’s dress that Lainey and Penny agreed looked divine. It was off-the-shoulder, lavender with an ombre effect from the waist down. It really showed off her figure, and Matt had tried to talk her into staying in her room and bailing on the dinner once he saw it. Guilt had forced Lainey to refuse his offer. That had been a mistake.

There were people still showing up, and a few people milling around when her mother spotted the two of them.

“Hello.” She gave them both a sunny smile.

Lainey knew she was in trouble. Her world was going to be blown to smithereens somehow. Rose Simpson did not do ‘sunny.’

“Matt, would you be a dear and get me a glass of champagne?”

“Mom, the waiter is just over there.” Lainey pointed to the server twenty feet away from them with a tray of champagne.

“He doesn’t have the pink champagne I like,” she said, as she gave Matt a wide smile. “Be a dear and go to the bartender we have set up under the pergola and ask him to pour a glass of champagne for Mrs. Simpson. He’ll know what to give me.”

Matt looked down at Lainey. “You good?”

She nodded. “Hurry back.” The idea of having someone at her back was intoxicating. He gave her waist a squeeze and kissed her cheek.

“I’ll be right back with your drink.” He smiled at her mother.

As soon as Matt left, her mother started in. She did her best to mentally ignore everything she was saying and was relieved when she saw Matt on his way back to her. Her mother’s back was to Matt as he returned, so she didn’t see his thunderous expression as she said, “If you would just wear a girdle, you wouldn’t look so ridiculous⁠—”

He set her mother’s glass of champagne on the tray of a passing waiter. “I guess you hadn’t heard me. That’s a shame. We’ll be leaving, but not before I’ve had my say.”

“Mr. Agular, you have no place in this conversation. MacLaine has a certain image she needs to project for this family. I’m well within my rights to correct her errant behavior.”

Lainey was beginning to feel light-headed. Had her mother always been this vicious? Or was it because she’d been gone so long that she could notice it more? Or was it because Matt was here that she felt so humiliated?

Matt slid Lainey to the side so that he could close in on her mother, who was forced to tip back her head to look at him. “Look, lady, I’ve listened to enough of your bullshit,” he said quietly.

Lainey checked around. The only people who were looking their way were Lee and his wife. Then she turned her attention back to what Matt was saying.

“I think I have you figured out. You’re jealous of Lainey. She’s living more of the life that you wanted to be living. She’s not stuck in your little mold of stuffy parties, perfectly fake smiles, and endless diets that result in hair inserts.”

Her mother clutched her chest and gasped.

Score five-hundred-and-seventy for Matt. Who knew my mother is using hair inserts? Lainey leaned in closer and darn it all, he was right!

“Your daughter is gorgeous, funny, loving, and well-liked by everybody she encounters. Her body is gorgeous and healthy. I don’t even need to know how much she weighs to recognize that. Do you know why? Because I know the woman I love is perfect. And if you were blessed with any kind of nurturing gene, you would know she’s beautiful just the way she is. Lainey has put up with your bullshit remarkably well. She’s even called it your ‘love language.’ I’m putting a stop to it right now. We’re going.”