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Luke finally glanced my way, our eyes meeting. "I wanted my own money. So, I went out and made it."
"That's admirable," I said, wondering what it must have been like to grow up in such a wealthy family. "I'm surprised you felt that way. Most kids would just enjoy their family's money."
"I have a very independent streak. John and I started Chatter to break free of our families. John's family is almost but not quite as bad as mine."
"That's right," John said and wrapped an arm around Luke's shoulder. "We're brothers in arms. Tackling Wall Street together. Casting off the bonds of our families together. And, if our deal goes through, we'll be free. Free of the old money and finally our own men."
"I'm already my own man," Luke said, laughing finally, his mood lightening. "If only Dragon Queen would get the message."
I turned to Luke. "Why did you have to hire an escort if you're so wealthy? I'd think you’d have to fight off the women wanting to date you…"
Luke glanced at me almost guiltily and bit his bottom lip. "I haven't been honest with you either. You see that slimly worm of a man with my sister?" He gestured with his head to where Eric and Dana were standing, talking to some other people at the function. "He's been cheating on my sister with Sexy Lexxi of 9-1-1 Escorts. I wanted to hire her and bring her to the event tonight to rub her in his cheating face. Give him a message that he'd better get clean or I'd expose him."
My mouth dropped open in shock. "That's what you meant?" I shook my head. "I thought you wanted to rub me in your ex's face."
"Nope," Luke said, shaking his head. "Eric's cheating face."
"Maybe you should just tell your sister the truth?"
"What?" He frowned. "And break her heart? She’s going to have a baby.”
I shrugged, thinking to myself that I’d want to know if my husband was cheating on me.
"If he's been cheating on her with an escort service while she's pregnant, their marriage is doomed. Better to know now than later when she's been with him longer."
"She’d be a single mom before her baby's even born."
"Better a hard truth than a comfortable delusion," I replied.
"Well, that's easy for you to say. You're not in her shoes. I've talked to her before. She said she didn't think she could survive as a single parent. I don't want to force that on her, so I thought I'd send a message to Eric instead. If he doesn't wise up and clean up his act, then I'll let her know. But only if he doesn't stop. If he does, maybe they can stay together and things will improve."
"I doubt it," I said, thinking about my own experience with cheating bastards. "Better to have a clean break than stay with someone who's clearly not monogamous."
He shrugged. "Well, that's your opinion, I guess."
"It is," I said and the two of us stood our ground, both of our arms crossed, turning slightly away from each other.
"Look," I said and took in a deep breath. "I didn't mean for things to go this far, but it was fun and my best friend and I were going along for a laugh. When I told you no, that I couldn't attend tonight, you sounded so desperate. I didn't want to let you down. I never planned to take your money.” I looked him in the eyes and he finally nodded. "I told you I couldn't do anything more than just a date, and so I figured I was doing a good deed. Getting some good karma by helping a stranger. I had no idea you were going to use me as a threat to your brother-in-law. If I had, I would never have agreed to come tonight."
"What do you mean, you never would have come tonight?" a woman's voice from behind us said. "Lucas, John, so glad to see you both here.” She smiled at Luke and John then she turned to me, frowning. “Lucas, you must introduce me to your date. I'm so surprised you brought someone. You never do."
At that, Luke turned and then extended h
is arm, gesturing to a woman who was approaching us and who must have overhead my last sentence. She was in her fifties and looked like she'd been spray-painted into existence, her makeup thick and professional, her hair bouffant with every single hair lacquered in place like she used Gorilla Glue.
"Mother," he said, his voice flat. "May I introduce Alexandria Dixon. She's a friend from Columbia. We've been seeing each other for a while and I invited her tonight.” He turned to me. “Alexandria, this is my mother, Janet Marshall.”
"Alexandria?" Mrs. Marshall said, turning to me. "You've never mentioned her before. My dear, why do you keep your…girlfriends… secret? We had no idea you were bringing someone..."
Mrs. Marshall smiled at me, but it was the least friendly smile I had ever experienced. She didn’t extend her hand and simply pressed her coral lips together in a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
“You can call me Alexa, Mrs. Marshall," I said, nodding my head. "Pleased to meet you. Luke's told me so much about you."
"All of it good, I hope," Mrs. Marshall said, giving Luke the evil eye. "Lucas is such a closed book, it's hard to know what's going on with him at times. He never comes by for dinner or just a visit. It's terrible for a son to be so negligent."
"Mother, you know I'm currently busy working with John to finalize the sale,” Luke said, his voice sounding tired, like he'd had this argument with his adoptive mother forever. "That's taken up all my time. Father knows that I'm planning to spend time at the beach house as soon as it goes through."
"He knows, but he misses you, darling. Are you coming to the party in two weeks? I know there'll be many people who will want to congratulate you on the deal. Felicia will be there. She'll be happy to see you. You've been so busy lately…"
