“I’m here now,” his mother said.
Which was why he gave in to give her a tiny sliver of a chance.
“What time do you want to do dinner? I’ll text you a place to meet.”
“Seven works,” his mother said.
“Fine, see you then.”
He turned and left. That gave him eight hours to prepare and he’d need every minute of it.
24
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
“Are you ready for another show?”
Natalie patted his leg. “You said it won’t be like your father and Brandi and I handled that situation just fine.”
Arik had told her that Rylie looked like a teen model decades past his prime and still holding onto his high school years.
To each their own, but at least Rylie wasn’t younger than her. If that was who Erin Brown wanted to share a bed with, good for her to find a man to do it.
“I know you can handle it,” he said. “I have to confess something first.”
She turned to him in the driver’s seat, her palms slick with nerves, her heart thudding hard in her chest. It wasn’t just his words, it was the tone of his voice, low and reluctant, that told her he didn’t want to say whatever was coming next.
“What?” she asked, her voice drawing the word out.
“My mother brought up your name.”
Her shoulders dropped. “And she thinks I’m from one of the other sides?”
“Yes. I told her it’s not the case.”
At least he admitted it, which was more than he had to his father.
Part of her was thrilled the truth was out, but the other braced for the judgment she’d received most of her life.
“What was her response?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does to me.”
He let out a breath, his lips flapping as his cheeks blew up. “I don’t care about those things and you shouldn’t either.”
“Easy for you to say in your situation compared to mine.”
“Stop, Natalie. I didn’t expect you to be this way. It’s the first you’ve indicated that my wealth bothers you.”
She forced a laugh. “I’ve made comments but didn’t want to be rude. I’ve said we are from two different worlds.”
“When it’s just you and me, it’s one. That’s what I see. That’s what I feel.”
It was what she wanted also.
“Words are easy,” she said.
