Page 84 of Stanton Adore

Margaret smiles. “Yes, Josh sure does well with the ladies, however, his heart is taken, unfortunately.”

“Oh, is it?” Mum asks excitedly as she takes a sip of her wine. Shut up, Mum.

“Yes.” Margaret smiles at me. “Her name is Amelie.” Will clears his throat and Cam drops his knife and fork, and they hit his plate with a clang. By the boys’ reaction I know there is some truth to this story. OK…I keep my eyes cast down.

“Do tell, Josh.” Mum laughs. Shut the hell up, Mum.

“Nothing to tell,” he snaps.

“Oh Josh,” his mother chastises. “Don’t be embarrassed.” She pats him on the arm. I think I am going to vomit in my own mouth. “She’s a veterinarian, a beautiful one at that, and she manages Josh’s horse stud for him.” My heart drops—the blonde from his phone. “Yes, she’s an amazing equestrian rider. Josh drives her all over the United States every weekend for competitions, don’t you Josh? They go away most weekends—she just competes so much.” I bet she does. I can’t help it. My eyes flick to Josh. I want to see his reaction.

Damn it. He keeps his eyes deliberately down to avoid my glare.

Margaret is on a roll. “They have so much in common. They go horse riding together for hours on his country estate. She comes away on holidays with us and sometimes her parents join us as well, don’t they, Josh? She’s English and her family own a castle. She comes from a very well-to-do family. Robert and I visited them last year in their country estate.” My cheeks heat and I can hear my heartbeat in my ears. He’s lied to me. He told me that he has never dated anyone. Going on holidays with fucking parents is dating, asshole.

“So, is that important to you, Margaret? That your boys marry into a well-to-do family?” Oh shit, did I say that out loud? She fakes a venomous smile. I can’t help it. I have to know. She deliberately doesn’t answer me. Mmm.

“So, how long has she worked for you, Josh?” I ask as I bite my food off my fork, smiling at him way too sweetly. He glares at me as he wipes his mouth with a napkin and brushes his tongue over his front teeth, but he doesn’t answer. Bridget grabs my hand under the table. He stays silent.

“Five years.” Margaret smiles. Fucking bitch, she’s loving this. I look back down at my plate. Five years…five years. What in the hell? That’s a long time. And I know he has feelings for her because I’ve seen the fucking photos.

“She’s just a friend,” Josh snaps as he raises his eyebrows at his mother.

“Oh Josh, stop it. You don’t spend every New Year’s Eve for five years with a girl if she means nothing.”

“Did anybody see the game last night?” Cameron interjects in a desperate attempt to change the subject. The atmosphere has taken a serious dive and I really want to throw my drink on him or her…on both of them, actually.

“Yes, it was great.” Dad smiles and they start to chat about football. I, however, am stuck on the New Year’s comment. My mind is going a million miles a minute…don’t let her get to you…don’t let her get to you. I know this is her aim and unfortunately, she has done just that. I’m totally rattled.

“Joshua, I’m thirsty, darling, I need another wine.” He immediately rises to go and pour her a drink.

My mum smiles. “So, tell me, Wilson, I hear you’re seeing a new girl.”

He smiles a warm smile and it’s obvious he likes this girl. “Amy,” he answers. “Her name is Amy.”

“Oh and, Wilson, I need you to take me to Darlinghurst tomorrow, darling. I am meeting Susan and I want you to join us,” Margaret purrs and he nods. She swats Cameron with her serviette. “Don’t pick at your food.” I sit back and watch their interactions. I don’t believe it. How have I missed this? She has these boys totally under her thumb. They all dote on her like she’s the fucking Queen of Sheba. Wicked Witch of the West is more like it.

“So, Bridget.” She smiles. “How is the travel industry going?”

“Oh good, thanks,” Bridge answers happily. “I’m going on a conference to Paris next week.”

Margaret smiles. “That’s exciting.” Bridget nods. “My boys all speak French, you know.” She winks at Bridget and Josh rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

“So, Natasha.” She puts her hands steepled under her chin as she starts to work her venom back in my direction. “What is it you do again?” She knows this, the bitch.

“I’m a psychologist.” I fake the biggest smile in the history of human life.

“Oh, in what field?”

“I’m a sexual health psychologist.”

“Hmm.” She smiles as she takes a sip of her wine. “That figures, what a strange direction for a girl so young to follow.” I narrow my eyes at her as I start to hear my pulse in my ears. Pick on me, bitch, and that’s OK, but pick on my career and it’s go time. “I bet you are really good at manipulating, oh sorry, I mean controlling minds and thoughts.” The double meaning is not lost on me. I can’t even pretend that she is not pissing me off now, the bitch.

“You have no idea,” I whisper as I glare at her. Joshua jumps up and starts to clear the table, obviously sensing the tension in the air, and Brock helps him. Mum and Dad go back into the kitchen to serve up dessert. Brock takes the first load of plates into the kitchen.

“Oh, I have a very good idea how well you manipulate,” she sneers.

I can’t hold my tongue any longer. “Have I done something to upset you, Margaret?”