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Beside him, Vic folded and unfolded her napkin in her lap. He reached over and took her hand, giving it a little squeeze.
“Mmm, yes,” said Warren, washing down the bite of asparagus with a sip of wine. “I’m curious as well. How did beauty and the beast get together?”
Cheryl shot him a warning look. “Warren.”
“What, dear? Aren’t we all wondering? I’m sure there’s a fascinating story there. They’ve known each other since they were practically children. Have they been pining away all this time? Making secret eyes at each other while Victoria was seeing Noah?” He chuckled in a way that was meant to convey humor but made Ryder want to topple the table and storm out.
Vicky squeezed his hand, still resting in her lap. He looked over at her, catching on her warm, reassuring eyes, and half his anger melted away. Half.
“Well,” began Cheryl, hesitantly, “I will admit I was a bit confused by it.”
“Yes, it is a bit confusing, isn’t it?” Noah leaned in toward him. He was probably trying to look menacing, but with his floppy hair and generally boyish looks, he wasn’t close to pulling it off. “What I’m trying to understand is what Ryder here, with what, a woman in every port, right? What Ryder would want with someone respectable like Vicky.”
Now Vicky squeezed his hand tighter. Her leg began to bounce. The nerve of the little punk. Making snide remarks about him was one thing, but going after Vic? Because as far as Noah knew, this was Vic’s choice. So first he rubs her face in his engagement, and now he’s decided she can’t be trusted to make her own decisions. Ryder locked his eyes menacingly on Noah’s.
“It’s not her respectability I like her for.”
Noah just about lunged across the table at him. Sabrina laid a hand on his arm, and he sat back. Begrudgingly.
There. That was almost fun.
Oh. Except maybe he shouldn’t have said that, given the whole point of this performance was to remove the air of scandal Vicky’s association with him carried. But when he looked at her, the corner of her mouth curved up ever so slightly. Huh. Okay, then.
There was a long, awkward pause, and then good ol’ mom came to the rescue. “Soooo, Sabrina, Noah, I know it’s early, but have you given any thought to your wedding plans?”
“Oh! Yes!” said Sabrina, looking beyond grateful for an easy subject. “Actually, we’ve decided we want the ceremony to be held at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.”
“That sounds lovely! I didn’t know you could book the place for private events.”
Sabrina stole a look at Noah. “Well, normally you can’t easily. But I have a connection there with the technical director. We can have the entire complex as long as we do it before the season begins.”
Cheryl knit her brows. “The season?”
“Yes,” said Sabrina. “The summer play season.”
“This summer play season?” Cheryl blanched.
“That’s right.” Noah beamed. “We’re planning a ceremony the first week of May.”
Cheryl audibly gasped. “But that’s so soon! How will you get everything done? You’ll need a caterer, musicians, flowers, the invitation list! Sabrina will need a dress!”
“We’ll handle it, Mom.”
“I don’t see how!”
“Noah,” Warren piped in sternly, “you’re upsetting your mother.”
Ryder had to bite his cheek to keep from grinning. If he had known he’d get to see the golden son screwing up, he wouldn’t have been so hesitant to come tonight.
“What about an engagement party?” Cheryl continued. “You know at our level of society people will expect it.”
Sabrina glanced uncertainly at Noah. He took her hand. Always in command. Of course. Ryder resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
“We’ve thought of that as well, Mom. We’re planning to have a small engagement party in a couple weeks.”
“A couple weeks!!”
Wow. He hadn’t seen his mom this upset since his public nudity arrest in Monaco!
