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I shook my head. “Cancel them, this is important. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”
I waited for her to leave, then stood by my office door while she explained to Jed, tapping my toe. We weren’t in that much of a hurry, but I was excited to get her all to myself. I told the company driver to take a long, twisting way to the restaurant. She settled into the backseat next to me, keeping her hands primly clasped in her lap.
“Am I dressed all right?” she asked. “If I take the jacket off that makes it a little more dressy, I think.” She blushed as she slid her jacket down to reveal smooth shoulders. Was she trying it with me or was she really anxious about her outfit?
“You look fine,” I said. Why couldn’t I get the clipped tone out of my voice? I needed a drink. No, I didn’t. “You look perfect.”
It wasn’t a lie. She might be slightly underdressed, probably very much so next to my mother, but Violet was beautiful enough that she could pull it off.
She pulled her tablet out of her bag and scrolled to the calendar app. “What should I add?” she asked. “And is there anything I need to know beforehand?”
I groaned and rubbed my eyes. “You don’t need to add it to the calendar. It’s dinner with my mother.”
“Your mother?” she repeated.
I took my hand away to see she looked as incredulous as I figured she would. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her and I need…”
“A buffer?” she supplied. “Or a fake girlfriend?”
“Just a buffer, I swear.” I gave her a sidelong look. “Fake girlfriend might work, though.” It might work very well. Mom would tell Will how normal and charming she was and maybe I’d get out of Monday’s dinner with the defense lawyer.
“This is way beyond the call of duty,” she said huffily.
“Take notes if it makes you feel better.”
I couldn’t help smiling when her jaw dropped. Then she smiled in return, then we both burst out laughing.
“God, family, huh?” she said.
That one simple sentiment described how I felt completely. “Thanks,” I said. “Really. You’re helping me out a lot.”
“Is she that bad? Your mom?”
“She’s not bad, just… you’ll see. She’s not much of a mom, but we have to treat her like one when she shows up or all hell breaks loose.” I explained the situation as best I could, feeling lighter for sharing the feelings I’d kept pent up for so long. When it was all out, I ignored the pitying look in Violet’s eyes. “Don’t worry, she’ll be nice to you.”
“I’m not worried about that. Who is ‘we’? Do you have siblings?”
I was surprised she hadn’t searched us on the internet. She worked for our company so it wouldn’t have been that invasive. I should have been grateful, now that I knew what was out there on me.
“Two brothers, both older, both try to take over as surrogate father ever since ours passed away.”
“I’m sorry,” she interjected, but I shook it off. I wasn’t ready to let that many pent up feelings out. “I have an older sister, but I think she likes to see me flounder because she never tries to interfere.”
“I have a hard time even imagining you floundering at anything,” I told her. Her cheeks turned pink. I couldn’t believe how relaxed I was, not at all as if I was on the way to the firing squad. I wished the drive could last forever.
“Thanks. I wanted to make sure she never had anything to rub in my face so I always just tried my best at everything.” Her cheeks got redder and she looked down. “I’m sorry about the presentation. I was messing around and then got called away. I meant to change it back, but you got there first. I know that’s no excuse, but I wanted you to know I wasn’t trying to—”
I cut her off, taking her hand and just as quickly dropping it. “Violet, I’m sorry I went off like a bomb on you about that. I’m under a lot of stress with my family right now, and that’s no excuse either. So, back to our truce?”
She narrowed her eyes. “Truce?” she asked, dismayed.
Shit, she didn’t realize we were in a little war? That was all me? Of course, she didn’t know I remembered her. I had to look out the window to hide how embarrassed I was. “I mean, let’s have a truce since we were both wrong.”
I turned back to her to see her smiling. Whew. “What should I talk about if your mom starts getting on you?” she asked. “We should have a signal if you need me to jump in, too.”
How was she so perfect? How had I not chased after her that night at the club so we could be well on our way to being engaged right now? I must have been more stressed than I thought to be feeling that way.
“My mother loves art, especially modern art.”
