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“I just don’t … understand how…” Sophia shook her head.
“And you don’t have to, Mother. You don’t have to speculate or ponder the mechanics or the sleeping arrangements, or anything other than the fact that we all care for each other and we’ve just had a really hard time, since the night of the party, staying away from one another.” She inhaled deeply and added, “Oh, and Rogen and I want to go into business together.”
“You did not tell your father that?” Sophia questioned. Insisted?
“Didn’t come up.” That was a cowardly excuse. But … one crisis at a time. “Though I did procure the scotch.”
“We won’t allow—”
“Mother, please. Rogen and I are not asking to just be given the land. We’ll purchase it with our own capital. We’ll both be responsible for the endeavor. Its success or failure. We won’t be a burden on anyone, because we’ll hold full accountability.”
“I’m not suggesting you’d be a burden.” Sophia walked over to the towel bin and dropped hers in. Returning to Jewel, she said, “I’m not interested in any sort of repeat performances, history repeating itself, call it what you want. I don’t believe it’s wise to go into business with Rogen Angelini, and I most certainly do not want to hear anything further about you, him, and Vin seeing each other.”
Jewel simmered, yet she forced some calm into her voice as she said, “Then I suggest you stop engaging in conversation with women who enjoy gossiping.”
She spun on her heel and headed back to the house.
TWENTY
“I don’t get it,” Jewel said to Vin as she layered a lasagna for dinner. They were at his house and she loved his gourmet kitchen almost as much as she loved hers. But that was mainly because she couldn’t find anything in his, not yet knowing the placement of it all. “What purpose does it serve for Holly to spread rumors about us?”
Sitting across from Jewel at the wide island, Vin sipped wine and said, “What does it matter?”
“Uh, because my parents are freaking out? And I’m sure Rogen’s are as well.”
Vin nodded. “Yeah, you got me on that one.”
She added flat noodles, ladled her homemade sauce over them, topped them with ricotta cheese, and repeated the process a few more times.
Vin said, “So Holly’s not happy that I lost interest in her. I’m sorry
for that, but … not exactly a reason to spout off to the world.”
“Christ,” Rogen interjected as he suddenly joined them in the kitchen, having told them he needed to run some errands on his way over. “Everywhere I went in town, people were staring and whispering. I even got a few pats on the back.” He grinned mischievously. “Had to tell a couple of guys I don’t go for Vin, so they haven’t got the wrong impression. No offense, man.”
Vin scowled.
“Rogen!” Jewel’s eyes widened. “You did not say that!”
“Relax, sweetheart.” He rounded the island and kissed her. Then asked, “Where’s your Beamer?”
“I had Vin open the garage door and I snuck in.” She lifted the baking dish and popped it into the pre-heated oven. “Very covert-like, just in case someone’s keeping tabs on us.”
“So, how’d your parents take the news?” Rogen asked.
“Not well.” Her heart wrenched at her mother’s initial reaction to seeing Jewel. “Mom actually got up from the lunch table and walked away the second I arrived.”
Vin winced. “That’s harsh.”
“We spoke later and, of course, she had grave warnings. Tons of misgivings. Pretty much wanted to lock me in a tower far, far away from the two of you.”
“Yeah, my father would actually appreciate that gesture,” Rogen lamented.
“This just keeps getting worse and worse,” she said with dread in her voice. “And I don’t know what we’re supposed to do about it. Move to San Francisco? Or go have lunch at Bristol’s tomorrow so that we’re totally out in the open?”
“Lunch is a start,” Vin offered. “Good suggestion.”
“I think I was joking,” Jewel mused. And reached for her wine.
