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“We are having dinner at my folks’ place in two days,” he said, his tone sardonic. “You know, as a couple.”
“Oh. Yeah, sure.”
“We’ll be celebrating Noah and Sabrina’s engagement.”
Right.
That made sense. And she would need to be there because as far as any of them knew, she was now Ryder’s girlfriend. And Noah’s ex-girlfriend. Just one big, cozy family.
“And Noah and Sabrina will be there?” It didn’t hurt to ask . . .
“That’s the general idea.”
It was what she’d signed up for after all. And the Vicky-and-Ryder story definitely needed a less tawdry spin if she wanted to be taken seriously, both in business and her personal life.
So what if it meant enduring her ex’s happiness being shoved in her still-mostly-single face? She could do this. She took a deep breath. “Sounds good. Shall I bring a bottle of wine?”
“I’ll bring the wine. You bring the respectability.”
She burst out laughing. Maybe an engagement dinner with her ex and his fiancée wasn’t her idea of a fun evening. But maybe with Ryder at her side it wouldn’t be so terrible.
Chapter Nine
This. Was. Terrible.
Somehow it hadn’t occurred to Vicky that by agreeing to attend this dinner, she would not only have to, you know, attend the dinner, but that it would also mean being back in the Princes’ Upper East Side townhouse for the first time since she and Noah had broken up.
Every corner and floorboard was so familiar. She had practically grown up here, of course, spending plenty of time here even before she and Noah had been a couple. But after. After she had been here for dinner after dinner, anniversaries, birthdays, business deal celebrations. Always as part of the family. As Noah’s other half.
And now it was the same. Except her part had been taken over by an adorably spunky blonde she had met a handful of times at the office, and Vicky was now on the outside looking in. It was like some twisted Twilight Zone version of her life. What it had been. What she had thought it always would be.
A glass of wine appeared before her. She snatched it away from the hand offering it and took a healthy swallow.
A low chuckle grazed her ear. “I thought you might need that.”
She looked to her side. Ryder grinned to himself as he downed half his own glass.
“Remind me again why this is a good idea?” she asked.
“It isn’t. I told you it wasn’t. But then you rarely listen to others when you’re sure you’re right.”
She laughed quietly into her drink.
He gave her a sidelong glance. “It’s one of the things I admire most about you.”
“You admire things about me?” She arched a brow.
“I must. Or you never would have talked me into this.” He gave her one of his devilishly charming looks. She felt a blush creep up her neck. Must be the wine.
“What are we talking about?” Noah appeared between them, flinging an arm over each of their shoulders.
Vicky stiffened. “Noah. Hi! Congratulations!”
“Yeah,” Ryder threw in dryly. “Mazel tov.”
Noah squeezed his arms around them, just a little too roughly. “Oh, but it seems that it’s me that should be congratulating you two. I can’t wait to hear all about how my big brother here won your heart.”
Ryder flashed a saccharine smile at Noah. “Oh, but I don’t see how that’s any of your business, seeing as how you and Vic only have a professional relationship these days. Your choice, as I recall.”
