Page 40 of All Fall Down

“Of course Emma is welcome as a member of this family. You’ve made your feelings about her quite clear, and while I can respect that, I would like to know if congratulations are in order.”

I open my mouth, my cheeks turning a lovely shade of candy apple red, but Jameson beats me to the punch.

“Do you believe everything you read on the Internet, Mother?” he asks dismissively.

“No, I don’t.” She folds her hands in front of her. “But, as your sister pointed out, and as my accountants informed me, your girlfriend is wearing a stunning, million-dollar engagement ring.”

“Holy shit,” I blurt out. I’d expected the ring cost bank, but not the actually contents of a small bank.

“Don’t get practical now, gold-digger,” Monroe says.

“You will not call her that,” her mother informs her as Jameson gets to his feet.

“None of this is any of your concern.”

“On the contrary”—Evelyn gestures for him to sit back down—“given the concerns Agent Mackey and the FBI have presented to me, and the speculations of the media, it’s very much my concern.”

“I’ve already addressed those concerns,” he says through gritted teeth.

“I’m not here to be part of a cover-up,” Monroe interjects.

“Maybe I should go,” I say nervously. The West family has enough to deal with without being overly concerned with my problems.

“Nonsense, this concerns you. I simply want to know if you two are married.”

“No,” I cry out, overwhelming Jameson’s more calm denial. He might not care about what his mother thinks of me, but I do. “And we’re not getting married.”

“Is that a placeholder, then?” Monroe asks.

“I told him he has to wait. I’m not marrying him to get the FBI to back off, and I’m not not marrying him to avoid the scandal. I just told him that I would marry him in a couple of years if we still want to get married.”

“That sounds very practical.” Evelyn’s lips twitch, but she keeps smile to herself. “I’m glad one of you is thinking clearly.”

“I’m old enough to get married,” Jameson reminds his mother.

“Yes,” she admits, “but your girlfriend it not. I’m glad you finally found someone to ground you in reality. Lord knows, I’ve never been able to.”

“Well, now that that’s out of the way.” Jameson’s voice is cold, showing neither the embarrassment I feel or the amusement his mother is hiding. “We should be going.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. There are other matters to consider.”

“I’m not pregnant,” I jump in, wondering if she’s concerned over that particular headline as well.

“I didn’t think you were, given that Jameson and I had an understanding.” She gives him a pointed look. “It would be quite miraculous if you were. Of course, now that you’re eighteen, I would ask that you wait a few years before you make me a grandmother.”

I flush. She knows exactly why he took me to New York.

“I think we need to discuss other situations, particularly the allegations your father is facing.”

“Stepfather,” I corrected her. Monroe rolls her eyes across the table. I don’t care if it seems like a petty difference to her, it’s a huge difference to me.

“Stepfather,” Evelyn grants me. “I have a few questions.”

I gulp, feeling a hard knot forming in my throat. “Of course.”

“You don’t have to talk about anything unless you want to, Duchess,” Jameson calls from the other end of the table, but I hold up my hand.

“I want to. This is a family meeting after all, and apparently, I’m officially a West, married or not.”