They left the vehicle and walked up the drive. “Why you?” she asked.
“Because not only will Dr. Barbara Warren be here to annoy you, but Dr. Dylan Warren will be as well.” He pulled her back and glared down into her face, his expression no longer amused. “I’myour Warren twin. Remember that.”
She liked his jealousy. It showed he cared. She couldn’t deny he was hers, nor could she deny, in her heart of hearts, the arrogant SOB was right. She did love him. And it scared her to death.
“Sydney? I’m waiting.”
“For what?”
“For some reassurance. Don’t make me grope you in front of my family to prove a point.”
Suddenly worried that they anyone inside the house might be able to see them, she tried to pull away from him.
He kissed her and pulled her closer, coming perilously close to knocking the wine bottle from her hands. When they parted, she rasped, “Derrick, okay. Cut it out. I’m yours, you big goon.”
“So romantic.” From behind them, Gage grinned like an idiot.
“What can I say? She’s in awe of my manly parts.” Derrick chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
Sydney felt warm all over. Until she saw the woman getting out of Gage’s truck after Hailey. The blood rushed from her head.
“Mother?”
Gage cleared his throat. “Ah, your mom apparently couldn’t get through to you on your cell to let you know she was arriving earlier than planned, but she had Hailey’s number. Hailey thought it would be a nice surprise to pick her up and bring her here.” He looked apologetic, and Sydney could almost hear what he hadn’t said.
Her mother had bamboozled soft-hearted Hailey into carting her all over Augusta so she could get the maximum dramatic effect from tonight’ssurprise. Being surrounded by the Warren men could only have added pleasure.
Sydney wondered if her mother might tempt Derrick into straying, then immediately felt terrible for considering it.
“Sydney?” Derrick looked down at her with concern. “You okay? If you want, we can skip dinner and hang out with your mom.”
Notyoucan skip dinner, butwecan skip dinner. She noted the difference, and she mentally hugged him for it. “No, that’s okay. I just hope your mom won’t mind.”
“I already told her; it’s no problem,” Gage mentioned.
Hailey and Isabel Fields joined them. Her mother, as usual, looked stunning, and more like Sydney’s older sister than biological parent. Long, wine-red hair trailed over her shoulders, perfectly coifed and lustrous. Isabel’s skin had that creamy, cover girl look that had graced countless magazines over the years. She wore a designer dress out of place with the casual evening, yet the woman would never wear anything but the best. The diamonds on her fingers and ears spoke of wealth—ostentatious and glittery. Just like her mother.
“Darling, I missed you,” Isabel squealed and rushed to Sydney. She air-kissed both her cheeks. “My, you’re looking well. We should get together for one of my shoots. Maybe next month in the Virgin Islands, where I’m contracted for an Avon ad.” Isabel beamed.
Derrick cleared his throat and her mother’s gaze turned from faux-loving to interested.
“And who is this scrumptious morsel?”
Gage and Hailey glanced at each other, then at Sydney.
Before Sydney could answer, Derrick did. “I’m Sydney’s boyfriend. Derrick Warren, Gage’s brother.” He gave her mother a firm handshake, like pumping water out of a well.
He acted as if he were completely unaware that her mother was a woman, and Sydney wanted to laugh. He met her gaze and winked.
“Oh. Charming.” Isabel cooled a bit, then remembered herself and strode like a queen toward the front door.
To Sydney’s surprise, Isabel’s unexpected appearance didn’t bother her. The worry she might have felt, wondering how everyone would react to the drama queen, faded under Derrick’s concern.
“This is gonna be a long night,” Gage muttered.
“Gage, shush.” Hailey blushed.
“No, it’s okay.” Sydney sighed. “Might as well show you all my ugly parts at once.”
