He did not lie. I turned my head, staring at him, but Danny wasn’t budging.
“Impressive,” Senator Jacobson said, nodding to my mother.
“Well, I’m very happy to see my daughter has finally come to her senses in choosing someone worthy of her family name.” My dad raised his glass as if in a toast.
“Oh, please, Father. The holier than thou routine is getting old.”
“I just want what’s best for my daughter. Always. For her to date a man beneath her, someone like a maintenance worker would crush this old man’s soul. Let’s all head to my study where I’ll have some news.”
I’d had enough. So much so before I knew what I was doing, I’d shoved back the chair, easily fighting off Danny’s controls and leaning over the table with my hands dangerously close to the bowl of butter. Which I envisioned throwing in my father’s face. The joy doing so would bring me should be repulsive.
It wasn’t.
“I’m glad you approve, Father, because Delaney isn’t the only one getting married. Danny popped the question.”
Two things happened of note.
One. My date kicked me under the table with enough force I bit back a moan of anguish.
And two. I’d not only managed to suck the wind from my sister’s sails, I’d also shocked my mother and father.
They were confounded, glaring at each other with indescribable expressions.
And the poor attorney they’d promised I’d be kissing like a frog at midnight was beside himself, bubbles floating from his thin lips.
“Now, I’m going to freshen up and when I come back, I do hope champagne will be served.” I waited the obligatory five seconds to see if my father had thecojonesto challenge me.
He didn’t.
When I turned, I winked at Danny and walked from the room with my head held high.
And my legs were about ready to shatter into a million pieces. Somehow, I was lucky enough to make it to the hall bathroom.
You know who decided to push his way inside, closing the door after him.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Danny asked. While his tone was demanding, the amusement in his eyes was illuminating. He was having as much fun sticking it to my father as I was. We were like peas in a pod. “Getting married? Are you crazy?”
“What did you think you were doing? A surgeon? Really?” My demand was more of a hiss.
We glared at each other, the heat between us prepared to explode for an entirely different reason than only hours before.
Where I’d hungered for him to the point of losing my mind, I was now too furious.
Well, that wasn’t entirely true, but the anger was winning out.
“We can’t get married,” he insisted.
“You think? I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on Earth.”
“Good!” He looked away before his brows furrowed. “Why?”
“Because neither one of us want to get married.”
“True. I don’t know why I lied to your father other than that he is the most condescending man on this planet.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Are all families this horrible? You’ll need to tell me about yours.”
“Oh, my father can be annoying, but he’d likely grill you on figure skating statistics from fifteen years ago versus grilling you on politics. And my mother would feed you until you exploded.”
