AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I think after what I’ve been put through the past few months,” her father continued, “this is the least you can do for me. The man who took you in, raised you, provided you all the comforts and guidance I could offer, paid for your education at the best schools, and brought you in to work at the foundation.”
“Yes, and I’m very appreciative of all that but—”
“I will expect you both on Sunday for brunch so I can meet the man my only daughter has flaunted her relationship with so publicly. Really, Waverley, you didn’t leave either of us much choice.”
“I’ll speak to RJ,” she said. “Like I said before, I don’t know his plans, but if he has no other obligations, we’ll be there.”
It wasn’t a yes. She could still think of something to get them out of it. Maybe she could break a leg or get pneumonia before then.
“I’ll see you both on Sunday,” he repeated as if he hadn’t heard anything she said, and then the line went dead. No warm affectations or goodbyes from him.
She was ready to throw the phone at something but chose to set it down firmly on the desk.
When she looked up, she was surprised to see a mild look of amusement on Reynolds’s face as he studied her.
Something was different…
Wait. Had he been out getting a haircut?
His dark waves were longer this morning, she was certain. And instead of his usual wash-and-go style, his hair was tousled and purposely disheveled, a look that could only be attained by some sort of styling aid.
The result of all this was to say that Reynolds Cavanaugh looked good.
Very, very good.
And if she wasn’t already so freaked out about what her father has suggested, she’d probably be wiping drool from the corners of her mouth.
She did it anyway, just in case, and tried to steer her thoughts to the issue at hand.
“Apparently our relationship update has picked up a lot of attention, enough that someone was kind enough to bring it to my father’s attention. Now he wants to meet you. On Sunday.”
“Okay,” he said simply, not at all sounding worried.
“You don’t understand. If my father is having us over for his weekly Sunday brunch, it means there’ll also be several of his close friends present to vet you. It’s going to be horrible. But I’m sure we can get out of it. I can pretend to—”
“We should go. It’s important that people believe this is a real thing, not just some stunt on your part. And attending a dinner party at your father’s will give the relationship credibility. Provided we use it to our advantage.”
How could he act like meeting her father and his friends was no big deal? Didn’t he know what these people were like?
Well, she certainly did, and she’d rather swim naked in a vat of giant eels than attend. She waved her hand in front of her face, feeling so warm and panicked she thought she just might pass out.
He came to stand closer to her, keeping his voice low and calm as if to soothe her. “Everything is going to be fine, I promise. I know what I’m doing. Look at it as a warm-up to our performance next weekend. Remember, you won’t be doing this alone. I’ll be there to help do the talking. And if you find yourself getting flustered, you can give me a signal and I’ll step in and help you out.”
She wasn’t convinced, but she couldn’t seem to find any way of talking herself out of it. She nodded instead and took a big gulp from her water bottle.
“Now all we need to do is figure out a few more details about our courtship, our story, so to speak. Details like how we met, how long we’ve been seeing each other, who kissed who first… The rest will get easier. By the time Sunday brunch is over, we’ll be so convincing that even we might believe it’s true.”
She leveled him with a look, managing not to roll her eyes at that.
Reynolds Cavanaugh in love with her?
When pigs flew.
Chapter 11
“You’ve got to relax,” Reynolds said Sunday morning as they passed through the gates leading to the Abbott estate. “It’s a simple brunch with your loving boyfriend among your father’s friends.”
“Remind me you said that in about an hour.” Waverley out the window, her fingers twisting together on her lap.
