“Yeah.Sorry about that.”
“It’s your fault?”
“Not intentionally.”She paced beneath some shade trees as she explained about the Friday Afternoon Soirée and the fact her mother was spearheading membership growth.
“If she gets Mom out of the house and ripped-ass drunk, that would be great.”
“I’m not even sure how to say this, but they’re planning to invite men to future events.”
“Even better.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.Mom needs to stop hanging around the house.The more incentive, the better.Before she gets a yippy dog and a Prada to put it in.”
“Ouch,” Lara said.
“Yes,” Erin said unapologetically.“I was talking about your mother’s pampered princess.”
Lara was pretty sure princesses weren’t treated as well as Diva.To be fair, Erin didn’t dislike all small dogs, just Diva.She’d babysat the animal one time when the regular nanny had been unavailable.Erin had shown up to pick her up, and Diva had bitten her toe.After sending her sincere apologies to Erin through Lara, Helene had taken Diva to the veterinarian to make sure her teeth hadn’t been injured.
They said goodbye, and she ended the call.
“I thought my sister was going to keep you into the next century.I read three newspapers and responded to six hundred emails.”
“Six hundred?”
“At least.”
“Was that another joke, Mr.Donovan?”
“I don’t joke, Ms.Bertrand.”
“Um-hmm,” she replied.
They walked home and got ready for the drive across town.Last night, she’d taken off the necklace and put it on top of her dresser.It was a pretty piece, more expensive than it should have been.She considered wearing it again since it would look nice with the dress she’d brought.But to him, it had meaning that she didn’t want to encourage.
She met him near the door.
Even casual, he managed to look professional and…delicious.She couldn’t think of another word for it.
He wore a white shirt and lightweight blazer.He’d added a blue tie shot with pinstripes several shades lighter.He smelled of spice–laced mint, and he hadn’t shaved.The combination said urban sophistication, and it was all she could do not to run her fingers in his hair and ask him to take her back to bed.
Before they left the loft, he grabbed three bottles of champagne from the pantry.“For the mimosas,” he explained.
“My kind of party.”
“I figured it was.”
Once they were on the road, she asked, “What should I expect from your family?”
“That everyone will be polite.You’ll meet my grandparents, my Aunt Kathryn and my Mom.You already know Nathan, and we already talked about Erin.There will be lots of food.And plenty of mimosas.”
“Your grandmother’s name is Libby.Libby Sykes, if I remember?”In Texas, the Sykes name was legend and connected to the Texas Revolution.
“That’s correct.”
“And it was a great romance, like he wasn’t good enough for her, but Grandma Libby wouldn’t be dissuaded.Erin told me the story, but it was years ago.”
