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“You have a boyfriend, Gale? Have you brought him home yet? Your mother said nothing to me about this,” Haven said. “Collin, have you met him?”
“I have not, but I’d be happy to.” Collin smiled at Gale.
“Oh, yes. We’re just dying to meet him,” I added, giving Collin afew affectionate scratches on the shoulder. “A double date needs to happen as soon as possible.”
“I haven’t told my parents about Luke yet,” Gale said to Haven, ignoring me. “It’s still pretty new so I didn’t want to jump the gun with meeting the parents,” Gale said, suggestively in my direction. “We’ll just have to see how things play out.”
“Still, it must be going well,” I continued. “Memorial Day weekend plans and all. Where are you two off to?”
“I don’t know yet. It’s a surprise,” she replied, fully committing to this invention of hers. Boo and hiss. I wanted her to step up harder. She must have known I’d bring up the faux boyfriend. Get in the ring, Gale. Don’t hold back now.
“If it turns out to be Southampton adjacent, maybe you could swing by Chloe’s party after all,” Calliope encouraged, getting on board with needling Gale a bit.
“I already said it was for singles,” Chloe huffed.
“Do keep us posted, Gale. We’re looking for a getaway ourselves, apparently.” I smiled at Collin.
“I will,” Gale said to me, jaw clenched. Had she had enough for today? Or was she still lying in wait?
“A weekend awayisrather serious,” Haven said. Initially, I thought she was talking to Gale about Luke, but I quickly realized she was talking to Collin and me.
“And?” Collin pressed her, albeit with caution. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Seems a little fast.” Haven dabbed the corner of her lips with a beige linen napkin.
“We’re here, aren’t we?” Collin was visibly perturbed. I had to let him take the lead now.
“Well, you’re here because we invited you. Considering whathappened at the office, we had to see her for ourselves.” There she went again, talking like I wasn’t in the room.
“Haven,” Hayes said, pursing his lips, shaking his head slightly. “Not the time.”
“Not the time for what, Dad?” Collin raised his voice.
“Not the time,” Hayes replied firmly. Collin didn’t say another word. Ah, there’s the man I was marrying. I knew this was going to be an upward climb with his family, but I did not expect to be on the receiving end of such flat dismissal this early in the game. I was convinced it was Gale Wallace-Leicester’s doing, but what had she told them? Or had they done a background check? Hired a private investigator? My credentials were all verifiable, but the Cases weren’t just any family. Could they dig deeper than I could hide? Did they know the truth about me? Abouther? I had to forcibly remove the paranoia from my mind. Another sip of the mimosa would do.
“Maybe a quick jaunt to North Carolina should be in the cards for you guys,” Gale said, thrilled by all the simmering drama, ready to prowl, potentially pounce. “You could show Collin where you’re from, Bea! Bittersweet, but I’m sure he’d love to see your hometown.”
I wanted to fling my shrimp fork directly into Gale’s face. She was so smug, prodding the Cases’ inquiry into my past, knowing it was my fatal flaw in their eyes. Well played, the evil tart. But none of them would ever know where I actually came from.
“I’m sure we’ll think of something,” Collin said, putting an end to the conversation. He placed a hand on my thigh under the table in reassurance, moving it back and forth. He slid up even farther than was appropriate at the brunch table, just for a moment. Not terribly discreet. What an interesting development. It appeared his family’s disdain for me only made his heart grow fonder and cock growlarger—a dynamic I wasn’t expecting from a man like Collin but would now fully exploit to my own advantage.
“Please excuse me. Sorry, I just get a little emotional when I think of my parents,” I said, getting up from my seat, weeping ever so softly for effect as I left the dining room. I knew they wouldn’t feel bad in their heart of hearts, but I did want them to feel embarrassed by their behavior toward me in front of Collin. They were crossing a personal line with him, and with me, and so soon. It was time for them to back off. I waited for a beat in the hall when I was out of sight, hoping to hear Collin scold everyone and then follow me out, but it didn’t happen.
Hmm. All thigh rubs, no action apparently. He was still Collin, after all, but that was why I wanted him. Any acts of rebellion against his family would be small and largely undetectable. Save up for the real betrayal—marrying me. He needn’t worry. I would get us both to the finish line.
They continued to eat in silence, so I thought I might as well take a lap. The house was predictably very stuffy and not quite to my taste—I leaned Regency Moderne myself—but I could appreciate the overall aesthetic. I had seen homes with horrendous taste, despite tremendous wealth, but it appeared Haven had the good sense to lean on traditional home decor design principles, nothing overstimulating to the eye. Clean lines, no tchotchkes to speak of and a natural color palette in every room. Sure, she was a beige bore, but at least she wasn’t some Marie Antoinette maximalist with an offensive gallery wall complex. Could you imagine?
“Bea.” Haven appeared at the other end of the hall, her voice neither warm nor cold. “Come with me.” She was trying to intimidate me with commands in lieu of requests, but unlucky for her, I already had a mother from hell. What was one more?
“Where to?” I asked her, walking with purpose in her direction. She pursed her lips in return, performed an about-face and so I followed her into another room. The study. All books and banquette seating along the sides. An imposing desk in the center. And far too many lamps, but I kept my mouth shut about that.
“Let’s not keep Collin waiting. He clearly dotes on you.” Haven slithered behind me to slide the doors shut.
“He’s a wonderful man.”
“Mmm. A real catch. Especially for you.” Instead of sitting behind the desk, Haven perched on the banquette nearest to the window, one heel crossed behind the other just so, and firmly patted the open spot next to her. “Right here, dear.”
I did as she asked without breaking eye contact. I would be respectful, yes, but certainly not meek.
