Reckless Together: A Contemporary New Adult College Romance (The Reckless Series) (27 page)

Then she engaged me in the decisions about accessories and shoes. Finally, she laid out an ensemble for each—blouse, jeans, shoes, and accessories. We turned our backs while they got dressed.

When they looked in the full-length mirror that hung over my closet door, they giggled.

"We look hot, Mom!" Bre squealed and hugged Mom and looked at me like she totally doubted all those stories I'd told her about Mom all school year. "You've been holding out on me, Ellie? You never told me you're so good with clothes!"

I looked at the clock and deflected. "We need to get dressed, Mom. You still need to touch up your makeup and hair. Harlan hates it when people are late."

"Does he?" A smile spread over her face. "He's one of those people who thinks others should respect his precious time, is he?" She winked at Donna and Bre. "We won't be very late, then."

We arrived at the restaurant five minutes late, both of us dressed in pink. Me in my bright pink sundress. Mom in a surprisingly sedate, but beautiful, pale pink dress. I was still trying to grasp that she'd toned down her look and picked a dress that in her opinion, if she'd admit it, looked like something a dignified mother would wear. Of course, she still looked stunning. She could wear anything and look good. Why was the Evil Queen letting Snow White shine tonight? I kept looking around for the Huntsman.
 

Mom wrapped her arm through mine as we approached the restaurant. She was wily. Shaking her arm off would have made me look like a bitch, and that was the last thing I needed.

"A meeting of the parents. This is a big deal, Ellie," Mom whispered in my ear. "Are you nervous?"

I stared at her. "With you for a mom? Why would I be nervous? Behave yourself."

She laughed. "Don't worry. I'll make a good impression. First impressions are so important. Now smile, Ellie. Let's make an entrance."
 

I was sure she'd make an impression. Just how good remained to be seen.

In a small town like this, there was no doorman. But Mom, being the siren she was, had barely wedged the door open when a man inside, a guest, stepped up and eagerly held it open for us. The Mom effect. It took me a minute to realize he was staring at me with the look men usually gave Mom.

I was so stunned, I smiled nervously at him, flustered, as we walked into the crowded foyer. What alternate universe had I just stepped into?

You know how sometimes you can have tunnel vision, even in a crowded room? My eyes went straight to Logan. My heart leaped at the sight of him. Until I saw Amber standing next to him with her hand possessively on his shoulder, laughing and whispering conspiratorially in his ear. My smile froze on my face.

"Who's the blonde next to Logan?" Mom had seen him and Amber, too.

"Amber. She's an old family friend."

"She doesn't look so old to me." Mom's eyes sparkled with the thrill of the hunt, as if she'd just spotted her rival and adversary. As if Mama Bear was going to take care of Baby Bear. "She does look friendly, though."
 

"I can handle her myself," I said.

"You’re my daughter. I should hope so." Mom laughed.

I tamped down my jealousy and irritation just as Harlan spotted us. He was standing off by himself while Sue huddled near her sons and vied for their attention. I felt a pang of sympathy for Harlan, the outsider of his family.

"There they are." He wore his intimidating scowl. Until he saw Mom and his attitude did a 180. His face softened. His eyes darkened. And he smiled and made an expression that was almost charming. He was charmed, anyway.

He was just like any other man—infatuated with my mom on sight.

Sue and Caleb had their backs to us. When Harlan spoke, they turned to see whom he was talking about. Caleb's expression on seeing Mom was a younger version of his dad's—totally gaga. Sue had been laughing, too loudly, like she wanted attention, like she could win against Amber.

When she saw us, her face became pinched, like she was trying not to scowl. I thought at first it was because of me. It was no secret she didn't like me. Then I saw her gaze flit between Caleb and Mom and Harlan and Mom and I realized she hated Mom on sight.

For the first time in a long time, I had reaped the advantage of being with Mom. She had just upset Sue without saying a word. I was suddenly on Mom's side. She wasn't even vying for the limelight tonight. She was actually trying to be good, in her own way. The vindictive part of me would have loved to see Sue's expression if Mom had been in a mood to really sparkle.
 

Defending Mom? Being almost proud of her? What was I thinking? I was letting my guard down, and that was dangerous. She was bound to disappoint me sooner or later.

Logan's face lit up as he spotted me. He shook Amber's hand off and rushed through the crowd to me.
 

The next instant, he wrapped me in his arms and kissed me. "You look gorgeous, El," he whispered.

I smiled up at him. "It's the dress."

"It's you." He nuzzled me. "But you should have more like it.

I rolled my eyes. "Mom gave it to me."

"She has good taste."

"If you tell me I should go back to letting her pick out all my clothes again, I'm going to get violent with you."

He grinned. "That sounds naughty. I like that, too."

"Shut up." I leaned close and whispered in his ear, unable to keep my unhappiness out of my voice. "What's she doing here?"

He knew I meant Amber. "She had a dinner reservation here for one. We ran into her. It seemed rude to let her dine alone. Dad invited her to join us. I think he did it partly to get back at Mom. They're at each other's throats tonight."

"Oh, blood sport. This should be fun." I blew into his ear.

"Don't tease," he said. "I'm turned on enough just looking at you."

I smiled as I caught Amber scowling at us. "We'd better make the introductions." I put my arm around his waist. "Mom, you know Logan." I almost gagged admitting it. "This is his mom, Sue, his dad, Harlan, and his brother, Caleb. Oh, and this is Amber Ranklin." I liked adding her as if she was an afterthought. "This is my mom, Melissa Carter."

Mom laughed as she held her hand out to Harlan, who took her slender one between his two meaty hands and held it like he couldn't resist touching her.
 

"Sawyer, sweetie," Mom said with a charismatic sparkle in her voice. "I'm between husbands again. You know I always revert."
 

She was letting Harlan hold her hand, but she winked at Caleb. Very subtle, letting everyone know how single she was. I shot her a warning look while Caleb looked at her like he wanted her for dessert.

"Watch Caleb around Mom," I whispered to Logan.

"Watch your mom around Caleb. Two can take care of himself. But he's used to having groupies and getting what he wants."

The thought of Mom and Caleb together made me sick.

Harlan finally let go of Mom.

She turned her attention on Caleb. "Caleb, the famous major leaguer." Mom let Caleb take her hand and imitate his dad's gesture. "I've never dined with a professional athlete before. This
is
a pleasure."

"You're a baseball fan?" He looked like a puppy eager to please. Like her lapdog the way he fawned.

"I go to a game or two a year. But I could get more interested." She picked a piece of lint off his collar and ran her hand over his shoulder, smoothing a nonexistent wrinkle, subtly letting him know she liked touching him.

Not subtly enough for either Sue or Amber to miss. I saw their eyes harden.
 

Just about the time I thought Sue was going to strangle Mom, the hostess stepped between them, carrying an armful of menus. "Walker, party of seven."

I turned to Logan and rolled my eyes in relief. "And you thought this was a good idea."

"Hey, my mom's unhappy. Payback for Thanksgiving." He grinned.

"You're evil." I leaned my head against his shoulder. "But you're my hero."

He grinned.

We followed the hostess to a prime table near the windows, though there wasn't much of a view from anywhere in town. Harlan held out a chair for Sue at the end of the table, then darted to hold a chair for Mom center stage before Caleb could. He took the chair next to Mom, farthest away from Sue. Caleb took the chair next to Mom and his mom on the end. Logan and I sat across from them. Amber was forced to sit next to me and across from Caleb. I could almost feel steam rising off Sue.

We ordered a round of beverages. There was a dangerous undercurrent of tension running through Logan's family. Sue was practically glaring at Harlan playing up to Mom and Mom playing up to Caleb. Caleb was fixated on Mom. At least it took the heat off Logan and me.

"What is it you do for a living, Melissa?" Sue opened her menu and perused it without giving Mom the courtesy of looking at her.
 

I'm sure she thought she had Mom now, but you don't mess with the mistress of deceit and comebacks.

Mom laughed in that rich, self-deprecating way that absolutely turned men on and was known to charm the savage beast. "I marry wealthy men and divorce them for big settlements."
 

Startled by Mom's response, Sue dropped her menu enough to give us a view of her face. Her forehead creased and her lips curled very slightly at the corners. She was pissed.

Mom, who could read other women with the same skill she applied makeup, must have seen Sue stewing. But her expression remained sweet and cloyingly innocent. "It's a rough job, always looking for the next ex. But it's been lucrative so far." Her voice was practically a purr, full of humor and charm.

Everyone laughed but Sue. She glared at me, her gaze bouncing between Logan and me like I was the spawn of evil Aphrodite, a gold digger in the same vein as Mom.

Mom laughed like she was laughing at herself, but it was clear she was laughing at Sue. "Don't worry. Ellie doesn't take after me. She insisted on going to college and actually learning a useful skill."

Amber had been unusually silent. She jumped in now, leaning toward Harlan and capturing the stage. "Harlan, how were the business plan competition entries this year? I'm sorry I couldn't make it to judge the early rounds."

Harlan barely seemed to notice her. "Typical. Some good. Some mediocre. You'll be at finals?"

"I'll make an appearance." Amber was showing off now, too. "After I give the keynote at the Mom's Weekend breakfast."

Mom leaned over and whispered something in Harlan's ear. It was noisy in the restaurant. I couldn't hear what she said, but Harlan's eyes lit up. Mom was showing Amber who was queen at this table. Upstaging the former pres of the Double Deltsies. I was proud of her.

Not to be ignored, Caleb touched Mom's arm to get her attention. Then whispered something in her ear.

"I hope they're going to pass it on," I whispered to Logan. "I like the telephone game. When it gets to me, I'm going to make up something outrageous."

He laughed. "This is more fun than watching Collin and Zave try to pick up girls when they're drunk."

That was the way it went through ordering, appetizers, salads, and entrees. Harlan to Mom. Caleb to Mom. Amber trying to cut in. Sue fuming. Logan and me in our own world, watching the show.

Just before dessert, I pulled out my cell phone and snapped a selfie of Logan and me and texted it to Tay and Nic. Then I snapped a picture of the table and texted that, too, with the message:
Having a bloodbath. The fangs are out. Mom's winning. Great sport. Wish you were here. Ha ha.

Amber got a phone call. She sighed with self-importance. "I have to take this."

Like anyone cared.

She excused herself and left the table to take it. Mom excused herself to run to the ladies' room.

Logan leaned in and whispered to me, "Shouldn't you go with her? Girls usually travel in packs."

I was just about to suggest it so I could corner her and tell her to tone it down with Caleb and stay away from him when she subtly shook her head and warned me off.

Caleb watched her walk away with unveiled appreciation and lust. "I'll be right back. I gotta take a leak."