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To my surprise, Rudy laughs. “No. They’ve been dating for as long as I can remember, but Grandma says she’s too set in her ways to share her space with anyone else. She says the key to their relationship is healthy boundaries.”
I grin. “She’s not wrong.”
Rudy laughs, and we lapse into comfortable silence for a while.
“So who is going to be at this gala?” I ask, trying to keep my voice light. “Am I meeting all your extended family under false pretenses?”
Rudy throws me a rueful grin. “What false pretenses are those?”
“That we’re dating.”
“Are we not?”
I grin as another thrill spears through me. “You know what I mean.”
I’m not sure I know what I mean, but Rudy inclines his head in acknowledgement. “You’ll meet most of them, but don’t worry. If it all goes wrong, I’ll just get my grandmother to play guard dog.”
I laugh, relaxing into my seat. It’s easy with Rudy. From the first moment I walked into the bookstore a few weeks ago, it’s been easy to talk to him, easy to forget about all the problems plaguing my future.
The car slows as he takes an exit, and within minutes we arrive at the venue. It’s a yacht club in Edgeville, lit up by a thousand fairy lights strung up on the building, with a valet booth and a parking lot full of luxury cars. Considering the hostels, cramped airplane seats, and stinky busses I’ve spent the last decades of my life in, this is definitely out of my comfort zone.
Still, when my heel touches the ground outside the car that costs as much as I make in a year or two, Rudy’s hand is there to help me. His lips are tipped in a secret smile, and he tucks me close to his side as he tosses the keys to the valet.
Rudy places my hand in the crook of his elbow and leans toward my ear. “Let’s have some fun.”
With those four words, Rudy manages, once again, to make me forget about all my worries. I forget about the upcoming challenges I face, about the baby, about everything that may or may not come after. I forget that my body will soon change in more ways than one, and I just let Rudy lead me through a vine-covered arch and into a courtyard of twinkling lights.
The air is warm in the middle of summer, but there’s still a chill. The shawl Trina persuaded me to bring slips off my shoulder and Rudy’s fingers brush my skin as he brings it back up again. The touch is soft, but it speaks volumes. His blue eyes meet mine for a moment, then turn to the entrance door which has already been opened for us.
If we were in a foreign country where no one spoke English, I’d feel more at home than in this place. I’m accustomed to feeling uncomfortable. I thrive on it. I enjoy walking out of an airport I’ve never been to before and being mobbed by taxi drivers clamoring for my attention—and my money. I like feeling the sticky heat of the tropics or the chill of a Siberian wind. I like treading on streets I’ll only ever see once.
What I’m saying is, I like the discomfort of the unknown.
But a yacht club in Edgeville full of rich people wanting to save elephants is a whole other beast.
Rudy is a warm presence at my side, strength and grace and confidence. He leads me into a large reception room that overlooks the water and all the million-dollar yachts docked in the bay. Delicate music floats through the air from a string quartet as waiters drift through the crowd carrying trays full of food and champagne.
“You want a drink?” Rudy says quietly, his voice pitched so only I can hear it.
I shake my head. “Not drinking for the month.” Or the next, or the next, or the next…
“Might take the edge off.”
I shrug. “I like a challenge.”
“Rudy!” a booming voice calls out. A man with pure white hair spreads his arms, the shoulders of his tux pulling against the movement. “Get over here, kid!”
“Hey, Uncle Mike.” Rudy paints on that charming grin he deploys when he needs it and moves to give the older man a hug. Then his hand moves to the small of my back and he tugs me closer. “This is Lily. Lily, this is my uncle Mike and my aunt Nancy.”
“Lily,” Nancy cuts in, extending both arms toward me. “You’re even more gorgeous than Jared said. Lovely to meet you.”
Somehow, I doubt Jared was extolling my virtues and beauty, but I manage to smile and make small talk long enough that Mike and Nancy are called away.
Rudy searches my face with a gleam in his eyes, his hand still lingering on my hip. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“Champagne, sir? Ma’am?” A waiter presents us with a tray of bubbly. Rudy grabs one and raises his brows at me, but I shake my head.
When the waiter walks away, I let out a sigh. “That’s the beginning of the end.”
