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“
Dinner will be in twenty. Why don’t you show Amy around? Pick out a room to stay in,” Regina suggested. There was something hopeful in her eyes, but it was quickly chased away by Roman’s glare.
“We’re not staying the night. Just dinner. My secretary arranged the details.”
“Oh, hush.” She waved her hand. “There’s no reason to stay in a hotel when you can stay here.”
“I don’t mind if you want to—”
“No,” Roman cut me off.
I looked from him to his mother, and whatever was between them was as thick as concrete. She shuddered a bit and took a step back, as if burned.
“May I help with dinner?” I offered, hoping to break the tension.
“That would be so nice!”
She acted like no one had said a kind word to her in ages, and I suddenly felt the need to hit Roman over the head. He had a mother who obviously loved him and wanted him around, a luxury of which I was envious. Why was he so rude to her?
“You hired caterers,” Roman said in a bored tone.
Regina shot him a look.
“Yes, but I made the dessert,” she said proudly. “You can help me frost the cake, dear.” She smiled at me.
“I’d love to.”
Wrapping her arm around my back, she led me toward the kitchen.
“I’ll have her back soon so you can give her the tour, Ro,” she called over her shoulder.
“That won’t be necessary,” Roman replied. “We’re leaving right after dinner.”
Regina sighed a little sadly and glanced at the ground. My God, what was going on with Roman? I’d never seen him so off-putting and outright cold.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, feeling the need to apologize for his rudeness. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”
“It’s okay,” Regina said, walking into the kitchen. “This isn’t new behavior.”
I wanted to ask more, ask what the hell happened and why, but I felt out of place, and it technically wasn’t my business.
“That looks wonderful,” I said as we approached a double-layer chocolate cake.
“Thank you. It was my mother’s recipe.” She handed me a small tub of frosting and two pastry spreaders, and we both went to work.
“Is this homemade frosting too?”
“Of course.” She smiled. “So tell me about yourself, Amy. I’m sure your life story has been in the papers by now, but I tend to stay away from that stuff.”
My heart beat happily because actually, it was very nice that Regina had asked me about myself instead of scouring the press and following blogs. It made me feel like a real person who was dating her son.
“I want to hear how my son got lucky enough to have you on his arm.” She winked at me and my chest instantly warmed. A mother’s approval was an amazing thing, even though she wasn’t mine. It was hard not to get caught up in it.
“I’m from Indiana. I met Roman at a gala and he literally swept me off my feet. Well, he took my shoes off, but there was definite sweeping.” I grinned like a fool, happy to get to dish about the man I was seeing with a mother who seemed so happy for him.
“That’s so wonderful. He is a charmer,” she said. “Since he was young, that smile has gotten him almost anything he wanted.”
Oh, I believed that. That thing was a lethal weapon.
