Jeff smiled politely. “It’s just a bunch of cows grazing in fields most of the time.”
She laughed, and her breasts began fighting to escape her tight dress. She began running her fingertips lightly across her chest, right above her cleavage.
What. A. Bitch. Hello? Wife is sitting right here.
Jeff reached for my hand and looked at me as he gently kissed the back of it. “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”
I smiled because I knew what he was doing. “Yes, more than once.”
He leaned over and kissed me tenderly on the cheek. “I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you, too.” I got lost in his green eyes.
“Arianna, do you work outside the home?” the bitch asked.
Without pulling my eyes from Jeff, I answered, “No. I help run the breeding business, and I train horses as well.”
“Oh my. Do you have any children?”
I pulled my eyes from Jeff and looked over at her. Why is she being so chatty and asking a million questions? “Yes. We have a son, Luke, and a daughter, Grace.”
Her smile faded a bit. “I see.” She stood up and leaned down toward her date. She said something to him and then looked back at me. “Excuse me, won’t you? It was a pleasure talking with you both.” She looked at Jeff and winked. “Good luck with all those horses and cows.”
He nodded his head and smiled. “Enjoy your evening.”
I watched as she walked away.
My mother walked up and placed her hands on my shoulders. She leaned down to kiss me on the cheek. “Ari, dear, I’m exhausted. Your father and I are heading back to our hotel. Would you and Jeff like to have dinner with us tomorrow evening? We leave early the next morning.”
I turned to her and smiled. “We’re leaving then, too. Dinner with you and Daddy tomorrow would be great.”
Jeff stood up and then reached for my hand to help me up. We followed my parents out of the ballroom and to the street.
My father looked at me and grinned. “If you don’t want to your hotel yet, your car will take you anywhere y’all want to go.”
“Thank you, Daddy, but Jeff and I are both exhausted. I think we are heading back to the hotel.”
My father looked over at poor Jeff and glared at him.
I let out a giggle. “Daddy, stop being so mean to the love of my life.”
He let out a gruff noise. “Dinner tomorrow evening around seven?”
“Sounds good, Daddy. Good night, Mom. Sleep well.”
“Good night, sweetheart,” my mother said. She kissed me on the cheek and then kissed Jeff.
My father reached out and shook Jeff’s hand. “Good night, Jeff.” He turned and gave me a hug as he whispered in my ear, “I see how much he loves you, and it warms my heat. But I will never let the little fucker know that.”
He pulled away as I started laughing.
“Night, Daddy.”
Jeff walked up and opened the door to our car, and I practically crawled inside. I was beyond tired. I just wanted to go back, take a hot shower, and go to sleep.
Jeff slid in next to me. “The Brown Hotel, please.” He looked at me and asked, “What did your father whisper to you?”
I giggled. “He told me that he sees how much you love me, but he would, and I quote, ‘never let the little fucker know that.’”