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“Nothing. It’s just my mom.”
“Is she okay?”
I scoffed and quickly covered it with a cough. Or tried to. “She’s fine.”
He frowned but didn’t say anything else. My phone pinged again, and I let out a strangled scream at the onslaught of photos. Sid looked out the window and cringed. Silence filled the car before he directed me to the parking structure where he’d left his truck.
I pulled up a few spots away and parked. He hesitated, as if weighing his options: continue to attempt the awkward small talk with me or run. I hoped for the latter. I didn’t want to discuss this with him.
He sighed. “Do you want to grab a cup of coffee? Do you have time?”
I stared at him, wondering if he was serious. When his frown deepened and he lifted a brow, I nodded and got out of the car.
“So what’s going on?” Sid asked as we walked down the street.
I sighed. “My parents attend a charity gala every year—actually, they attend a lot, but this one is big. It’s for the hospital, and they expect Rebecca and me to attend so we can go as a family. It doesn’t make sense since we don’t donate and we’re not important people, but my mom doesn’t care. Every year she sends me a list of potential dates. Men with money and important last names. The ones that she says would elevate our family name. This year I told her I didn’t want to go at all, let alone go with someone, but she won’t take no for an answer.”
“Can you go with someone who will fake it?” he asked.
I snorted loudly. “I’ve told the men in the past that it’s only for show and I’m not actually interested, and every year they parade me around like eye candy. They introduce me as their girlfriend, all while drinking too much and trying to stick their hands up my dress.”
Sid scowled, and I could have sworn I heard him growl. My phone went off again, and when Phillip Wentworth III’s face popped up, I nearly threw my phone. My mom and dad had continually tried to set me up with Phillip for the last five years.
“Unbelievable!”
“Everything all right?” Sid asked, taking off his hat and running a hand through his long hair. The delicious sent of his cologne hit my nose, and I closed my eyes. It was fresh and spicy, with a hint of musk, which helped calm my nerves. I needed that.
“Not really. My parents can’t take a hint. They’re trying to set me up with a disgusting scumbag.”
Sid frowned. “What do you mean?”
Shit, now I had to explain. I could sugarcoat it and pretend I was just being dramatic, or I could tell him the truth because someone needed to know.
“Philip Wentworth III is an awful man. One year after my date drank too much, passed out in his soup, and had to be carried out, Phillip cornered me. He tried to kiss me, and his hand kept sliding up my leg through the slit in my dress. When he grabbed my boob, I kneed him in the crotch.”
Air puffed out of my nose at the memory. I wanted to hit the bastard now. The next part really made me angry.
“My parents blamedme. They said my dress was too provocative and sent Phillip and every other man in the gala the wrong message. My mom is convinced that he and I are a good match. She says I need to give him a second chance. That he probably had too much to drink. That’s why she continues to send me his information for every event. She’s even contacted him a few times.”
This time, Sid did growl. I glanced over at him. His jaw was tight, like he was clenching his teeth together, and his fingers were curled into fists.
“I’ll go with you,” he blurted.
I stopped walking. “What?”
He expelled a large breath and ran a hand through his hair before looking at me. “I’ll take you.”
“Sid, you don’t have to. That wasn’t why I told you all of this. It was a lot to keep in, and I’ve held it in for a long time.”
He placed his hand on my arm. “You didn’t ask me, Kat. I offered. You shouldn’t have to go through that alone. I know what it’s like.”
I looked up at him. “You do?”
He nodded. “My mom has been pressuring me to settle down. I’ve been ignoring her calls recently. I know she has a list of women for me to take to that same gala, hoping that I’ll find ‘the one.’”
“At least your mom doesn’t text you a hundred times when you don’t answer her calls.”
“I ignore those too. There’s a way to put your phone on silent.”
