With no one around, I use the time to sneak off undetected. Instead of going up the stairs, I hurry down the side hallway away from the dining room. I remember there being a library that Stewart said no one ever used, but I can’t remember which room it is. Luckily, all the doors are open. I hurry down the hall, past a couple of guest bedrooms and bathrooms until I reach the last door on the left. Found it.
Inside the library, the walls are stacked high with shelves, full of old and new books. I love the smell and breathe it in; it’s relaxing. There’s an alcove in the corner that overlooks the backyard. I sit down by the window on the plush, burgundy cushions and pull out my laptop. Once it’s fired up, I log into my accounts and get started. There’s so much work I have to do it’s insane. Just taking a weekend off will put me about a week behind.
About an hour passes without interruption, but then I hear her voice echoing down the hall. Shit. I save my work and shut my laptop as fast as I can, shoving it into my computer bag just as my mother walks into the library. She spent the day with us at the spa as well, along with my Aunt Beth. I swear, my mother could seriously pass for a woman in her thirties with her sleek, platinum blonde hair and perfect skin. Everyone says I’ll look just as youthful when I’m her age. I can only hope so. If only she didn’t like to hound me about my life choices.
“There you are,” she calls out, sounding exasperated. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
I stand and straighten my dress. “Just been in here taking a break from the crowd.”
She stares at me, clearly not believing any of it. “Uh-huh, I bet. Were you working?” Her gaze averts to my computer bag sitting on the floor and then back up to me. “You were, weren’t you?”
Groaning, I roll my eyes. “I can’t help it. I’m so behind right now. You have no idea how much work piles up on me this time of year.”
Pursing her lips, she shakes her head. “And what does this new boyfriend of yours say about you working all the time?”
I shrug. “He understands.”
Her eyes narrow. “I’m starting to think you’re lying to me about this guy.”
Grabbing my computer bag, I huff. “Jesus, Mom. You’re killing me. No wonder I don’t like to come home. All you do is rag on me about finding the right man and getting married. Why can’t you be happy that I’m successful all on my own?”
Her lips do the little pouty thing she always does when she doesn’t get her way. “Honey, I’m very proud of how successful you are. I just want you to be happy.”
I walk toward her. “I am.”
Her pout disappears and is replaced with a sly smile. “Good. Then you’ll be even more happy when your date gets on a plane and comes here. I want to meet him. Not unless he doesn’t exist. If that’s the case, then I should probably get on the phone and get my friend’s son here. You remember Joshua Buchman, right?”
Oh, dear God, not Josh. He was the biggest douche bag in high school. Not to me, since our mothers were friends, but to a lot of other people he was entitled and a complete jackass. He graduated two years prior to me and was captain of the water polo team. I have no doubt his parents paid his way into Harvard because there’s no way in hell he got there on his own with his grades. Now he was in politics and probably even more of an insufferable tool than before.
Anger overcomes me and I’m about to tell my mother exactly what I think of her plan when Kellan saunters into the room. “There you are, sweetheart.”
My mother turns to him and then to me, her brows furrowed. “Is he talking to you?”
Kellan winks at me behind her back and gives me a look to play along, but I have no clue what to do so just smile and nod. “Yep. Right on time,” I say.
He comes up to me and drapes his arm over my shoulders. My mother stares at us, her eyes lit with excitement. “What’s going on here?”
“Yeah, Kellan,” I say a little nervously. “What’s going on?”
He kisses the side of my head. “I think it’s time we tell your mom the truth. She deserves to know. There’s no reason to keep her in suspense any longer.”
My mother gasps and claps her hands. “Are you two together?”
Kellan and I look at each other and I can see that he’s loving every minute of it. At least with his plan, I don’t have to worry about Josh Buchman showing up as my date. I plaster on a huge smile and turn to my mother. “Surprise. We were going to wait and tell everyone tomorrow at the wedding, but you kept hounding me.”