Page 116 of The Main Event

“This is a surprise.” I had no idea what else to say. “Um … I didn’t realize you were planning to come. All of the tables are spoken for.” If I was lucky, they would leave.

I wasn’t that lucky, though.

“Oh, we bought tickets,” Mom said. She wasn’t smiling. “The whole family is coming.”

I felt suddenly sick to my stomach. “The whole family?”

“Yes,” Dad replied. “We’re here to see what all the fuss is about.”

That’s not why they were here. They were here to pressure me … and ruin my life. If they’d purchased tickets, though, there was very little I could do about it. This was not the time to start a scene.

“Well, pick a table,” I replied. I kept a firm grip on Daisy’s waist. “I’m sure you’ll have a lovely evening.”

“Oh, that’s what we’re counting on,” Dad said. “It’s going to be a lovely evening for everybody. I can’t wait.”

That made one of us.

28

TWENTY-EIGHT

Ihad no idea what the appearance of Jax’s parents meant, but it couldn’t be good. That was the one thing I was certain about. I managed a smile, although it was strained, and took a step toward Jared Hunter.

“I’m Daisy Reynolds.” I extended my hand.

In his ridiculous costume—that was not the sort of thing we wore in Salem because it lacked imagination—he eyed me as one might eye a bug that he wanted to squash. “Hello.” He didn’t take my hand.

Next to me, Jax made a grunting noise, and I knew he was irritated. The new owner of the Hunter Hotel getting in a fight with his parents wouldn’t go over well, though, so I squeezed his wrist in an attempt to get him to look at me. When he finally did, I was shocked at how grim he appeared.

“I’m going to get your parents settled,” I said to him in an even voice. “I’ll make sure there’s enough room for the rest of your family at the same table.”

Jax opened his mouth, and for a moment I thought he was going to suggest something else. He didn’t, though. He simplynodded. “Okay. I’ll head up to the lobby and track the others down.”

“Oh, I’m sure that won’t be necessary,” Jax’s mother Delilah said. She was just as prim and proper as I remembered from our brief meeting in Boston. “They can follow signs to find the ballroom. We did.”

Jax narrowed his eyes. “I’ll look for them. Just one second and I’ll let Daisy show you to your table.” He took my arm and pulled me away from his parents, making sure we were out of earshot before speaking. “Do not let those people manipulate you.”

“Those people?” I was amused despite myself at the drama he was tossing around. “Do you mean your parents?”

“No. I mean those people.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Daisy, they’re going to try to mess with you.”

I’d already figured out that part myself. “I know. You don’t have to worry about me, though. I can handle myself.”

He didn’t look convinced. “You know how to handle yourself with reasonable people. My parents are not reasonable, and believe it or not, they’re better than the rest of my family.”

He was obviously frightened of something specific. I couldn’t figure out what that something was, though. “What do you think they’re going to do?”

“Nothing good.” He was grim as he flicked his gaze toward his parents, who were busy casting dark looks around the ballroom. Clearly, they didn’t think my decorations were delightful. “How did they manage to buy tickets without us knowing?”

I shrugged. “We just sell the tickets. We don’t write down the names associated with them. That way people can sell them to others if something comes up.”

“Right.” He nodded, seemingly taking it all in. “How did they even know about the big Halloween party, though? I mean …in case you haven’t figured it out already, my parents are not Halloween party people.”

“Oh, I think that’s fairly obvious,” I said. “Your father is wearing a suit worth more than my car and carrying around a mask on a stick.”

“I guarantee those masks are something left over from some ritzy party they attended, and they only have them because they didn’t want me to accuse them of trying to ruin the party. This way they can pretend that they’re just trying to spend time with me.”

“We could kick them out,” I suggested. “We can give them a refund on the tickets.”

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