Thirty and a Half Excuses (33 page)

“Ms. Rose Gardner,” the butler announced to the room.

My stomach fell to my feet as at least twenty faces stared at me with curiosity and disdain. Resisting the instinct to flee, I tried to smile. “Hello.”

A middle-aged woman glided toward me, the picture of beauty and grace. Her dark hair was swept up, and her makeup was impeccable. Her black evening gown sparkled, matching the diamond pendant at the base of the throat. She looked like a model, even though I guessed her to be in her fifties. She extended her hand toward me as she looked me up and down, a cold expression in her eyes. “So you’re the Rose we keep hearing about.”

I swallowed, fighting the urge to wipe my palm on my dress before shaking her hand. “And you must be Joe’s mother.”

“Elizabeth Simmons, but everyone calls me Betsy.” Her cold tone matched the chill in her eyes. “You may call me Mrs. Simmons.”

Her ugliness stole my breath. It was going to be an uncomfortable evening.

An attractive man who resembled an older version of Joe moved beside her. Looking even less thrilled to see me, he shook my hand as well. “J.R. Simmons.”

“Hello,” I forced out.

The other people in the room were all openly gawking.

“Is Joe here?” I asked, angry with myself for sounding so timid. My gaze swept the room again.

Joe’s mother gave me a cold, sly smile. “He’ll be along in a moment.”

As if on cue, a woman’s laughter floated in the open door to the gardens. Hilary appeared in the opening, her dark red hair piled into a glamorous up-do. Her long, red, body-hugging dress was slit nearly to her hip and dipped low to show her cleavage, making her fair complexion look porcelain. She clung to a man who wore a dark gray suit and tie. When she saw me, Hilary broke out into a dazzling smile. The man looked up, and my face flamed with embarrassment and surprise.

She was with Joe.

Joe’s mouth gaped in terror.

Everything in me screamed to turn around and run to my truck and drive all the way home. I might have done it if my feet hadn’t been frozen to the floor.

Joe shoved Hilary’s hand off his arm and pushed his way through the crowd. Moving next to me, he put his hand around my waist, leaning down to give me a chaste kiss. “Rose, I’m so happy you made it.”

Feeling like a rat caught in a trap, I didn’t answer.

Betsy turned to her guests. “Now that we’re all here, let’s move to the dining room.”

Everyone filed toward the doorway as Joe took my hand and pulled me into the entryway, panic in his eyes.

“Joe,” his mother called out to him. “You’re needed in the dining room.”

He ignored her, dragging me down the hall and pushing me into an office with paneling on the walls. Shutting the door behind him, he pulled me into his arms and lowered his face to kiss me.

I put my hands on his chest and took a step back. “No. Stop.” I turned away from him and walked toward the desk at the back of the room. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“I didn’t know my parents had invited all these people.”

“I don’t care about that.” I shook my head. “No, I do. Why didn’t you tell me it was formal? Do you know how stupid I look?”

He tried to wrap his arms around my waist, but I pushed them off. “Rose, do you even have any idea how beautiful you are?” He grabbed my arms and spun me around. “You don’t need a four-thousand-dollar dress to make yourself more attractive.” His hand slid up to my neck. “I don’t care what you’re wearing. You’re the only woman I see.”

My face burned with anger. “I could see that when you walked into the room.” I was jealous, and I hated myself for feeling like that. Months ago Neely Kate and Joe had convinced me I had no reason to be jealous of Hilary, but after Joe’s revelation the previous day, I was no longer sure of anything.

Regret filled his eyes. “Hilary?”

I didn’t answer.

“I can explain.”

“Why is she here, Joe?”

“I didn’t invite her. I swear.” His other hand clutched my cheek, keeping my gaze on him. “My mother insisted that I come to dinner tonight, and she said you had to come too. I didn’t realize it would be a social function, or I wouldn’t have asked you to make it. I figured she only insisted because she found out that I was in town, and I’m rarely here.”

“Why didn’t you call and warn me when you found out?”

A sheepish look filled his eyes. “I didn’t find out until you were almost here. By then it was too late for you to change, and I didn’t want to make you any more anxious than you already were.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I don’t even own anything that dressy.” I glanced toward the door. “I bet they’re all in there laughing right now.” And I bet Hilary was having the biggest laugh of them all.

“Rose,” he pleaded.

“Why were you alone with Hilary?”

“I wasn’t with her, Rose. I swear. I showed up to a room full of people and had to get away from everyone so I went to the garden.” His fingertips trailed along my cheek as his eyes searched mine. “I went out to my mother’s rose garden. Every time I see the roses I think of you.” His lips lowered to mine, and he gave me a soft kiss. “I love you, Rose. There’s only you.” He kissed me again, more insistent this time. “I was by the roses when Hilary showed up.” His head lifted. “She told me that she was happy for me.”

I pushed him away. “Then why was she hanging on you?”

“She wasn’t. We were walking in together, and she must have seen you and grabbed my arm. She’s trying to make you jealous. Don’t let her win. Please. You have to trust me.”

Two days ago, I would have believed it all. But Joe’s confession had rocked the foundation of our relationship. I didn’t know if that was fair to him, but I couldn’t help the way I felt. “I walked into that room alone, Joe. I needed you. Why weren’t you there?”

“I’m sorry, Rose. I didn’t realize it was so close to seven. I just needed to get away from everyone for a moment.”

I understood his need. I felt it now myself.

A knock on the door jolted me, and Joe turned around as the door opened. The butler stood in the doorway. “Mr. Simmons, your presence is immediately required.”

Joe’s eyes sank closed. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

I wanted nothing more than for this night to be over, but I’d promised Joe I’d come. Brushing past him, I walked to the doorway. “I don’t want to stand out more than I already do, and everyone will be looking if we’re late. Let’s go.”

We walked to the dining room in silence, but Joe slipped his hand in mine. I clung to him despite my anger. I needed him to get through this. But when we entered the room, everyone was already seated. The only two empty chairs left were situated at opposite ends of the table.

Joe’s hand tightened.

His mother looked up with an icy smile. “Joe, you’re seated next to the Wilders and Rose, we have you with our dear old friends the Whitehills.”

Joe stood still for several seconds, his body tense, as he and his mother engaged in a staring contest. “Mother, seeing how Rose is my guest, I would prefer to sit with her.”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, Joe. Everyone is already seated. We’re not going to shuffle our guests around like we’re playing musical chairs.” She shook her head condescendingly, narrowing her eyes at our clasped hands. Then she glanced up at my face. “Unless Rose feels so out of her element that she can’t handle dinner without you holding her hand.”

Joe’s face reddened. All conversation in the room stopped, everyone’s focus entirely on Joe and me.

I kept my gaze on Betsy. I knew what she was doing. Mason was right. People could only make me feel bad about myself if I let them. “Joe, it’s fine.”

“No, Rose. It’s not.”

I turned to him and forced a smile. “Don’t be silly. I’m fine.”

Finally, Joe gently pulled me toward the empty chair at the left side of the table. He leaned into my ear. “I’m so sorry.”

Joe pulled out the empty chair while everyone watched. I looked up into his face, hoping for reassurance, but what I found there was barely contained rage.

“As soon as dinner is over, we’re out of here, okay?” he forced through clenched teeth.

I nodded before I sat, my head pivoting to take in the people around me as I pushed down my panic. Betsy watched me with a saccharine smile.

Joe walked around to the other side of the table, his body tense as he sat in the chair next to…Hilary.

This just kept getting worse. I’d been so focused on where I was supposed to sit that I’d paid no attention to who was sitting at the opposite end of the table.

Hilary glanced up at Joe with a bright smile, which she then turned toward me.

I wished I had ten-foot-long legs so I could kick her.

Dinner was awkward as I tried to figure out which fork and spoon to use with which course. The older couple next to me made a limited attempt at conversation out of politeness, but gave up as soon as they realized that I was from Henryetta and had worked in a DMV until a few months ago.

When the roasted chicken breasts were served, Joe’s mother looked down at me. “So, Rose, Joe tells me that you own a nursery.”

I tried to smile. “Yes, my sister and I opened it last week.”

“In Henryetta.” I picked up on her condemning tone of voice.

I lifted my chin, tired of these people looking down their noses at me. “Yes, in Henryetta.”

“They’ve done a great job with it,” Joe added, his eyes on me, offering me support. “They took a rundown space and turned it into a thriving business in less than two months. They’d be a great model for your small business program, Dad.”

Joe’s father didn’t look excited about the prospect. “Is your degree in horticulture or business?”

I took a drink of my water to stall, and then set the glass onto the white tablecloth. “Neither.”

“Where
did
you go to college?” Hilary asked, smiling so wide her whitened teeth nearly blinded me.

Balling my hands in my lap, I leveled my gaze at her. “I went to Southern Arkansas University for a semester before my father died. Then I went home to take care of my mother.”

Joe’s mother’s eyes hardened. “You don’t have a college degree?”

“No, and I’ve managed just fine without it.”

Joe looked tongue-tied.

A few people coughed.

“And what exactly do you mean by managed?” J.R. asked, his face hardening.

Joe’s face reddened. “I don’t see what difference it makes what her definition of managed is.”

The woman sitting on the other side of Joe put her hand on his forearm. She looked like an older version of Hilary. “It’s a fair question, Joe.”

Joe started to get out of his seat.

“Now, now,” Joe’s mother lifted her hands. “He’s right. We’re interrogating the poor girl.” Only she didn’t look very sorry when she gave me a condescending look of sympathy.

Joe sat in his chair, watching me for some cue about what I wanted to do.

“This is a happy night, we don’t want to mar it with poor manners,” Betsy continued. “J.R. and Joe have a special surprise announcement tonight.”

Joe’s eyes flew open in surprise. He leaned into his mother’s ear, but she didn’t respond to whatever he said, intent on cutting up a piece of chicken.

His gaze turned to me. I snuck a glance at the people around us. Would it be more humiliating to sit through the rest of this disaster or get up and leave? Sighing in defeat, I offered him a tiny smile of acceptance. I had promised to come for dinner, and I wasn’t going to break my promise. But after that, I never wanted to step foot in this house again.

Joe’s shoulders slumped, and he barely touched the rest of his food throughout the rest of the meal, refusing to look at me. I tried to eat, but everything tasted like chalk dust. I would have given up, but Hilary kept flashing me her smile. She knew I was uncomfortable. I didn’t want to make her any happier about that than she already was.

What was this big surprise, anyway? I could tell that Joe was caught as off-guard as I was. That scared me more than anything.

Everyone else ignored me, not that I minded. I was done with pretending and wanted this dinner to end so Joe and I could leave.

When dessert was over, Joe’s father stood, motioning to someone standing in the doorway. One of the catering staff handed out champagne flutes while another poured champagne into the glasses.

J.R. raised his up, looking down at Joe. “As everyone knows, Mike Morgan was running unopposed in the state senate race, but he was forced to drop out due to health concerns.”

I felt lightheaded. Mason’s prediction was coming true, and there wasn’t a darn thing I could do about it.

J.R. lifted his glass up. “It is with the utmost pride that I announce that my son, Joe Simmons, is entering the race for the Arkansas state senate seat!”

Joe’s lips pressed together and his eyes hardened as everyone clinked their glasses together shouting, “Cheers!”

Hilary clinked hers with Joe’s, but he ignored her, glaring at his father.

No one bothered to touch mine.

“It’s already the end of September,” Joe’s father continued. “We only have a little over a month to get this campaign rolling, which means we need to take off running. We’ll get started first thing in the morning.”

Betsy stood. “If everyone wants to adjourn into the living room, we can discuss business in there.”

All the guests stood and left the room as Joe jumped up and headed toward me, livid. But J.R. grabbed Joe’s arm. He tried to jerk out of his father’s grasp, but then J.R. leaned into his ear. Joe’s face turned white, and his anger faded as he accompanied his father out of the room.

What had J.R. said? I started to follow, but Betsy intercepted me, blocking my exit. “I hope tonight was a satisfactory demonstration of what your life as a senator’s wife would be like. I’m not sure how long you’d survive when you find it a struggle to answer the most mundane questions about your education and your breeding.”

I finally found my tongue. “Breeding? Is being a senator’s wife akin to being a horse? Do I need to provide my pedigree papers?”

She laughed, but the sound was brittle. “I can see Joe’s attraction to you. You’re a pretty little distraction from all his troubles over the past year. But it’s time for Joe to resume his family responsibility. He’s been groomed for this his entire life.”