“Oh, I’m sorry.” Rule glanced between Monica and Devon. “I didn’t realize you were making a large donation to this charity.” He leaned in as though telling a state secret. “In case you’re wondering, theirs is easily six figures. You’ll need to go big or go home.”
Monica peered over at Devon, and I could practically see the calculation taking place in her brain.
“Wearemaking a donation,” she said, tilting her chin up. “At the same time, we’re announcing our upcoming nuptials.” She batted her lashes at the lawyer. “Isn’t that right, honey?”
“Of course, dear.”
Wow. Hadn’t even made it down the aisle, and he was sayingof course, dear.Match made in diva hell, I was sure.
“By all means, Mon, don’t let us keep you,” Rule said, dismissing her as we led Laikyn back toward our table.
“Six-figure donation?” Laikyn asked Rule.
“Eh. It’s really seven, but I didn’t want Monica to feel bad.”
Laikyn chuckled. “You do have uncanny timing, you know that?”
He winked at her. “I try.”
Yeah. Uncanny. That’s what it was.
24
Laikyn
For the remainder of the night, Isteered clear of my mother for the most part. I managed it effortlessly, I was proud to say. The more champagne I sipped, the easier it became to chat with people I didn’t know. Whenever I saw my mother looking my way, I ensured I wasn’t alone, exchanging pleasantries with everyone I encountered.
Granted, I didn’t think my mother tried too hard to get my attention. She spent the first part of the night focused on making her big announcement. Although she tried to get Journey to go first, Creed Granger proved far more formidable than my mother had anticipated. He’d politely insisted that Monica take the stage first, being that she was Hollywood royalty.
Yes, he actually said that, using the exact words that would feed her ego. It was then I decided I liked him.
And it was definitely a good thing that my mother went first. While Monica had received a congratulatory clap for her one hundred thousand dollar donation that she overshadowed with her speech about her upcoming marriage to Devon Ledger, it would’ve landed on deaf ears if she’d attempted to goafterJourney.
Journey had given a heartfelt speech about their dedication to the community and their ongoing support of LGBTQIA+ initiatives and had proudly announced Primal Instincts, LLC, would match the overall fundraising amount dollar for dollar. Considering they’d already raised close to a million dollars, Journey had pleaded for them to reach deeper into their pockets for more.
I liked her.
I mean, my first impression of her hadn’t been positive. She was one of those flouncy little blondes that irritate me. Or so I’d thought. Within two minutes of talking to her, I realized how horrible my preconceived assumption had been. Sure, she was blonde, but she wasn’t a tart. She was sweet and kind and a little chaotic, which I happened to connect with. Our too-brief conversation had concluded with a promise that we would meet for lunch soon. Something told me she’d been sincere in making the offer, and I was looking forward to it.
I was also looking forward to going home. But not before I went to the ladies’ room. If I didn’t, I was going to create quite a mess in the limo. I’d had one too many glasses of champagne—I lost count after five—and now my bladder was causing a ruckus.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” I told Rule and Jinx as they sat on opposite sides of me. “I’m going to the restroom.”
As soon as they heard that, they relaxed in their seats.
I slipped out through one of the side doors and hurried down the hall. Thankfully, they had enough facilities to accommodate a crowd this size, so there was no wait. I took care of business, washed my hands, and tidied up my lipstick before heading back.
As I was nearing the side entry to the ballroom, the decibel level rose, so I took that to mean they’d concluded the official part of the evening and were leaving people to their own devices once more. I was grateful. It meant we would be able to slip out without anyone noticing.
I’d just stepped into the room, looking through the throng of people for Rule and Jinx, when my mother came strutting toward me, her expression hard.
She’d been waiting for me, no doubt.
“We need to talk, young lady.”
As I mentioned before, there was a reason I didn’t call her Mom, and it wasn’t entirely because she didn’t want me to. It was because she didn’t act like a mother. I could count on one hand the number of times she’d scolded me in an authoritative manner. Needless to say, her harsh tone was out of character for the woman who wanted everyone to like her.
“You don’t want to cause a scene, Monica,” I told her, keeping my voice low.
