Page 82 of The Rebel Billionaire

"It's okay. You're welcome. I'm just glad to see you're doing so well. Is your mom hanging inthere?"

She nodded. "Some days are better than others. I don't think she has a lot of time left. It's good to be able to visit hersomuch."

"I'm sorry," I said. Her grief when she spoke of her mother was palpable, weighing down hervoice.

"Thank you, so am I. I hope you didn't get in too much trouble for, um, Big John. Jacob said youdidn't."

"No, I didn't. Everythingwasfine."

"Good," she said with asmile.

Jacob swept by, sliding his arm around her waist. He swung her away from me with an exaggerated scowl in my direction and said to Abigail, "I told you to stop flirting. Especially with men who once threatened tokidnapyou."

Abigail let out a lighthearted giggle, a sound I'd never heard from her before. She patted the side of his face before kissing his cheek. "Maggie is right. Youareacaveman."

Jacob made a grunting sound and nuzzled her ear as he led her into the dining room, oblivious to Charlie and mebehindthem.

The formal dining room in Winters House was more suited to a state dinner than a family meal. A long, polished table stretched the length of the room, surrounded by heavy, ornately carved wooden chairs with dark velvetseats.

At one end was an enormous stone fireplace, left cold this time of year. The beamed ceiling rose for two full stories, and along two sides of the upper level, a railed gallery gave access to a built-in library, the shelves filled withbooks.

I couldn't see a way to access the library from the dining room. There had to be a hidden door to the second level. Winters House was impressive, but that dining room was the coolest thing I'deverseen.

From the size of the table to the secret library tucked into the walls above our heads, it was all I could do not to stare. I was usually coolerthanthis.

Turning my attention back to Charlie, I let her lead me to a surprisingly comfortable seat. Few chairs were a good fit for a guy my size. With its tall back and well-cushioned, wide seat, this one wasperfect.

I couldn't imagine myself living in a house that could pass for a hotel, but there was something to be said for having a personal chef. Especially since the Winters family tastes ran more toward home cooking than hautecuisine.

On the menu tonight were stuffed pork chops, some sort of potato dish layered with cheese, and green beans almandine. I wasn't a huge fan of greenbeans.

Based on the way Vance was shoving them around his plate, half burying them under the potatoes, neither was he. I saw Maggie elbow him and his sheepish smile in response. I had a feeling he'd be eating at least some of those greenbeans.

The conversation flowed around the table, hopping from topic to topic. It wasn't hard to keep up. None of them treated me like I didn't belong. There was no posturing about my relationship with Charlie, no attempt to get me alone and 'explain things'. Nothing was said on the topic at all. The lack of challenge left meunsettled.

Was it possible they'd already granted theirapproval?

Or did they know our fling had an expiration date, so they weren't wasting theirenergy?

They didn't give me a clue, and I found it frustrating. I was good at reading a room, but I couldn't make sense of the Winters family. They defied my everyexpectation.

Wealthy but notelitist.

Controlling and bossy but supportive andloving.

This had nothing to do with my experience offamily.

Focused on my food, I finished dinner and dug into the strawberry shortcake the housekeeper served for dessert. Lulled by the sound of Charlie's laughter beside me and my comfortable surroundings, I lost the train of theconversation.

It wasn't until I heard my name repeated that I looked up to find the whole table staring at me. Charlie's eyes were on me as well, but unlike the others, hers were worried and her cheekswerepink.

Normally, I loved it when she blushed. She could be so direct and ballsy that it was cute when she gotembarrassed.

This time, it just made menervous.

"What?" Iasked.

"I asked if you thought it was safe for Charlie to come to the benefit tomorrow?" Aiden asked, his eyes on mine, his gazepenetrating.