Page 109 of Wicked Angel
“Oh!” Mom looked genuinely excited, which she was. “How lovely!”
“Your daughter’s being modest,” he told her. “I hired herdespitemy sister.”
My mom laughed again, charmed. She loved all the rock stars and roadies who’d come into my sister’s life. Many of them treated her like a mom figure because she was, honestly, an awesome mom. But many of them flirted with her, too. My mom was a beautiful woman.
“I can’t wait to hear all about it over dinner,” she said, her eyes meeting mine. My mom wore A-line dresses on a daily basis, with cutesy aprons when she was in the kitchen, and never had a hair out of place, like she was in some 1950s ad for baking products. But once upon a time, she’d hitchhiked down the west coast with my dad to hang out on the beach and go to rock shows on the Sunset Strip for an entire summer, even though her parents tried to forbid it. Back then, she had teased bangs and wore dramatic eyeliner, lacy gloves and corsets à la Madonna’sLike a Virginalbum cover. I’d seen my parents’ photo albums; Felicia Delacroix wasn’t half as innocent as she looked now.
She wasn’t naïve, either.
I could tell, she thought Johnny O’Reilly was hot as hell. And probably a heap of trouble. She was giving me that subtle, probably unconscious look that said she’d never understand my taste in men. And that she didn’t believe for a minute that he was just my client.
But then again, she did love Flynn. She probably wasn’t ready to meet any new guy I might bring home, for any reason.
“Thank you for having me,” Johnny said politely.
“You two head on into the dining room. Your father’s in there,” she told me, lightly rubbing my back like she did when I was a little girl and I was overly excited about something—as if I looked like I needed soothing right now. Did I? “Thomas!” she called up the hall. “Get them some wine, will you? I have canapés coming!” Then she disappeared into the kitchen.
I glanced at Johnny as I led him deeper into the house; I could hear my niece’s tiny, adorable voice, chatting away with her grandpa and her daddy in the dining room.
“You get used to it,” I told him.
“Used to what?”
“Felicia Delacroix’s over-the-top ‘awesome mom’ thing. Believe it or not, it’s genuine.”
“She’s very nice,” he said politely. Maybe practicing his manners as per my tips in the car.
“She’s like a greeting card come to life,” I said under my breath.
“She seems to adore you.”
“What can I say? I’m freaking adorable.”
I expected him to roll his eyes or something. Instead he just looked at me. We were doing that extended eye contact thing again and I wasn’t sure why. We were also standing in a dark hallway again, alone, paused just outside the dining room.
I tore my gaze away when it was clear Johnny was never planning to. Sheesh. I tugged discreetly at the neckline of my dress to get air. It was fucking hot as hell in here, with his eyes on me like that.
Where did he get off, looking at me like that?
Oh, God. Don’t think about him getting off.
When we walked into the dining room my dad was standing by the bar in the corner, and he was indeed pouring us wine. Elle and Seth were standing nearby, and everyone looked at us. I waved at Dad.
Emma squealed when she saw me and launched herself at my legs. “Annie Angie!” That was what she called me, because she hadn’t quite gotten the knack of pronouncing “Auntie” yet.
“Hey, peanut.” I gave her a squeeze. My niece had just turned four and she looked cute as ever in a little velvet jumper, her blonde hair in wild curls.
I met my sister’s eyes. “You couldn’t warn me that my ex-boyfriend was in the driveway?” was the first thing I said to her, in front of everyone.
“I did. Check your phone.”
I dug it out of my purse as Johnny went to shake hands with Seth and my dad. There was a text from my sister on my phone.We’re coming to dinner. Flynn is dropping us off. See you soon. XO
Oh.
Elle had come over and gave me a hug. “You okay?” she asked me. Her eyes said,And why are you bringing Johnny O’Reilly to dinner with our parents?
“I’m fine.” I glanced over at Johnny, who was now chatting with my dad and my brother-in-law. Weird.
