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I wasn’t ready to move on just yet. I rose as well and inched closer to his side. Though he held the phone to his ear, with me standing so close to him, her voice came through loud and clear. He slid his arm around my waist and reeled me to him, whether for his sake or mine, I couldn’t tell and didn’t really care.
His mom’s voice resonated through the phone. “Hello, darling. I was just calling to remind you of the party this afternoon.”
“As if I’d forget,” he muttered.
“What was that?” she asked.
He grinned at me.
I could get used to that grin.
“Nothing. Yes, we’re planning on coming. In fact, we’re going upstairs to get ready right now.” Raising his eyebrows, he dipped in, capturing my mouth with a kiss.
I always knew his skill at multitasking was unprecedented, but kissingwhiletalking to your estranged mother was taking things to an entirely new height.
“We managed to find someone else to order the flowers. I think it’s time you got a new assistant.”
With his arm securely around me, Duncan grinned again. I grinned back. “Oh, I’ll be getting a new assistant.”
He bent in, skimming his mouth across mine. Not quite a kiss, but it made me flutter and tremble, tightening my arm around him all the same.
“You’re not bringing her, are you?”
This startled me. It startled Duncan, too. He jerked upright, giving more of his attention to his mom now, as though she could see what we’d been up to.
“You might want to bring an actual date,” she went on.
“Rosabel is an actual date,” he said. “She will be coming as my date.”
“This isn’t an office party, Duncan. This is your grandmother’s birthday, and you need to make the right impression with her before it’s too late. I didn’t want to say anything before, but it’s time I say something now.”
I tried pulling free of his embrace. I didn’t want to hear anymore. This woman was so judgmental, it was disgusting. She barely knew me, yet because of my status, I wasn’t good enough to come with her son?
From the sound of things, any woman he brought home would have to be either a celebrity or a CEO. The party was an hour from now. Who did she think Duncan would find to bring in that timeframe?
“She’s coming with me, Mom,” Duncan said.
His voice grew firmer. The business side of him reared its head.
“I see,” Mrs. Hawthorne said after a few moments of silence.
“She’s important to me, okay? I need you to be nice.”
I shook my head. I didn’t want him forcing her to treat me decently.
I didn’t want to go at all.
“Your word, Mom. Give me your word you’ll be civil, or we won’t come.”
Mrs. Hawthorne released a fake little laugh. “Of course I’ll be civil. What kind of person do you think I am?”
He grunted several muted sounds. “I’m going to choose not to answer that,” he ultimately said with fake calm.
“I’m just saying—Miss Witherstone has mentioned several times how excited she is to see you. You don’t want to miss out on any opportunities by singling yourself off just yet, do you?”
Duncan glared. “See you in an hour.”
He ended the call before she could say anything else. And then he turned to me.
