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Harvey walks over to me and offers his hand to help me up.
I lower my gaze and get up on my own, and he gives me an exaggerated frown as he pretends to be hurt.
Yeah, I’m sure you aren’t used to being turned down, Mr. hockey pretty boy.
I bid my goodbyes to mom, and I head outside with Parker and Harvey, wondering what I’m walking into.
It’s a very bright day and I squint my eyes against the sun. As my eyes adjust, I drop my jaw at what I see next.
There’s a yellow high-end sports car that must have cost at least half a million parked in the driveway.
“I guess professional hockey pays well, huh?” I say, impressed.
“You have no idea,” Harvey grins, strutting over to the driver’s seat.
I open the door to the back seat and settle into the plush leather seats with care and awe. I’ve never been inside a car this expensive, and I worry that I’m going to scratch it or something.
And then I remember that Parker and his stranger best friend are taking me somewhere and I have no idea what’s going on. Scratching the rich stranger’s leather seats should be the least of my concerns.
Parker takes the passenger seat, and Harvey starts the car. It doesn’t take long for him to start reciting Harvey’s stats as if reading from one of those trading sports cards.
“Harvey is the richest hockey player ever, Elsa,” he continues, all excited. “How much is your fortune estimated, dude?”
“Five billion,” Harvey says it with relaxed ease, then raises a finger in the air. “But it’s not all from hockey! I have a construction company and a boating one. We make high-end yachts and sailing boats.”
I nod and the truth is I’m impressed, but I’m also incredibly annoyed by the boastful way Harvey talks about himself.
I decide to stay quiet the rest of the way until he parks at a diner, and we all climb out and head inside. Parker and Harvey are excited about jalapeño poppers and beer, but I am tired of staying silent.
“Okay, what exactly am I doing here?” I throw the question out into the air with exasperation, the curiosity killing me.
“It’s simple,” Harvey says as the host seats us.
At this time of day, past the lunch rush, there are only two or three other latecomers inside, so we have the place pretty much to ourselves.
“As your brother said, I need company for my sister’s wedding. But… It’s a special kind of company.”
Parker puts in the order with the waiter without even consulting me.
Sitting across from me, Harvey looks like he’s struggling with how to phrase what he wants to say next. He just keeps moving his hands around wildly while deep in thought.
It’s pretty funny watching him.
He finally says, “My grandmother is ninety-eight years old, and she’s been making it overly clear to me and everyone that she wants to see all her grandchildren married. That’s her last request and she’s being very dramatic about it.”
“And Harvey is the last single lady,” Parker points at him, and Harvey elbows him in the ribs.
“As I was saying… My grandmother has gone so far as to threaten to cut me out of my share of the inheritance if I don’t settle down soon. I don’t care about the money, but I’m slated to get a super rare 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, and there’s no way I’m risking giving that baby up.”
I just stare at him in disbelief.
He continues, “My grandma will be in town for my sister’s wedding in a few weeks, and I would like to introduce her to my fiancé and put her at ease,” he says.
Parker interrupts him once again, “But there’s just one problem. He doesn’t have a fiancé.”
“I was getting there,” Harvey growls.
“You are taking forever dude!” Parker moves his hands around impatiently.
