“Oh, no, you don’t. If this is some opportunity to fix me up with a rich boy, then forget about it.”
“You know how your father is, but no, that’s not going to happen. I’ve learned my lesson.”
Like hell she had.
I resisted laughing. What good would it do to bother arguing at this point? “I’ll have you know I’m already dating someone and have been for a couple months.”
That little surprise knocked the wind from my mother’s sails.
“You are?” As expected, she was incredulous, as if I wasn’t good enough to date anyone. “Do I know him?”
“Yes, Mother, I can even find a man all on my own and no, you don’t know him. However, he’s very nice young man.”
Every sigh I’d ever heard coming from my mother’s mouth was nothing more than a reminder I was a complete disappointment. “Very well then. I’ll see you here at four for drinks. Don’t be late.”
How did I manage to fall into her bullshit trap? How? I was an idiot. “Mother, I?—”
I’d be damned if she didn’t hang up on me. I dropped my head and the phone at the same time. “Damn it. Damn it!”
“What was that all about?” Tawny asked.
“My mother managing to manipulate me into coming to their house for dinner on Friday.”
“Ugh. From what you’ve told me, you’d rather be having a tooth extracted without any painkillers.”
“Exactly. And the worst part is that I need to find a date since I was stupid enough to open my mouth.”
“What? You’re just supposed to conjure one up?”
I laughed, almost immediately coming close to being hysterical. “Evidently and he should be of decent quality.” Why did I put my foot into my mouth? Why?
“Why?”
“Any time my father has some big announcement to make, they hire a caterer and invite all their rich friends. My parents have always been very formal. Plus, remember what I told you about my sister and her number of fiancés? Now’s her chance to increase her jewelry collection.”
While I usually didn’t like what my father had to say, I had a terrible feeling this would put me over the edge.
“You could ask Mark, but if you’re staying the night…”
She allowed that little nugget to drop and I almost choked on my Diet Pepsi. “I don’t think so.”
“What about hiring someone? You know, like they do in some romance novels.”
We both broke out in a fit of giggles, finally laughing so hard we were both snorting. “I can’t do that. The dinner is tomorrow night. I won’t have the chance to hire anyone. Plus, you don’t know my mother and father. They’ll see right through it.”
“I’d offer my guy, but you two don’t seem to click.”
“Ugh. No. This is a nightmare. Why am I allowing my parents to continue to manipulate me? Why?”
“Because deep down inside you do love them. Even if they’re assholes.”
“Maybe, but I’m just going to call her back and tell her something came up.”
“What about Zamboni boy?” she asked slyly. “You do have chemistry with him.”
“Do you know how my parents would crucify him for his career path?”
“Is that his career path? Maybe he’s in college or doing other work. You never asked. Did you?”
