Page 63 of Consequences
I turn to Sarah. “Divide and conquer, or…”
She sighs and drains her glass before handing it to Daddy. “It was like you said, all the single men and women are more likely to speak to me if I’m alone.”
“Come find us if you need to,” Daddy says.
She smiles and adjusts the clutch she’s holding. “Don’t worry about me, I can handle myself. I’ve come prepared for all eventualities.” With that, she walks off.
As we watch her get swallowed up by the crowd, her guard discreetly following in her wake, David says, “I suddenly don’t want to know what’s in her purse.”
I laugh. “Probably best. Come, Daddy, let’s go find some trouble.”
Daddy sighs at my wording, but threads our fingers together and allows me to pull him into the crowd.
“One of you better dance with me,” Sarah says around her glass, as she sits between Daddy and I while we finish up dinner. “If I get stepped on one more time tonight, I’m going to stab someone.”
“Doc is the one who grew up poised for this,” Daddy says quietly.
“You’re the cute twink,” I shoot back. “You two would get noticed more. Hopefully, by the right people this time.”
“Ugh,” Sarah groans. “If something doesn’t pan out, I’m never going to let Il Padrone live it down. I didn’t get all dressed up for nothing.”
“I appreciate it,” David says, from her other side. “I don’t even like girls.”
Somehow, this doesn’t make her feel better, and she glares at the Bratva heir. Daddy sighs at the two of them and scoots his chair back.
“Any suggestions, David?” Daddy asks.
Before David can respond, I hear the last thing I wanted to—my mother.
“Ashby.”
Grimacing, I push away from the table and stand, meeting her head on as she walks up to us, my father and an unknown man in tow. “Mother, I apologize for not coming to see you sooner.”
She purses her lips in disapproval, but will never outwardly say anything. “Yes, I saw you talking to the Williams’s son, and to Robert Grady. Both are good people to know, but really, Ashby, I taught you better than that.” She takes a few stepscloser and lowers her voice. “Especially after the things I’ve been hearing…”
“I explained about my assistant?—”
“I know what you said, but then tonight?—”
I interrupt her, which earns me a glare, despite the fact she did the same to me. “Oh, you mean escorting a beautiful, single woman to the event?” Holding my hand out, Sarah takes the cue and puts her hand into mine, allowing me to gently pull her into my side. “Mother, this is Dr. Sarah Ranlen. She and I are colleagues, and she asked Soren and I to accompany her tonight. Dr. Ranlen, my mother, Madeline Wescott. And my father, Arthur.”
My father takes his place at Mother’s side, and she lets him touch her, because we’re in important company. “Your mother is right, Ashby, we expected better from you. Making us come to you...”
I pretend to be sorry. “I do apologize. You’re correct, I do know better. I let my ambitions get the better of me, and that is no excuse.”
Mother sniffs, but appears to be mollified, for now. “Very well. This is better anyway, as now we can introduce you to the senator.”
I try to keep my surprise down, but as connected as they are, my parents don’t know anyone that high up…at least, they didn’t.Seems I need to keep more of a bead on society gossip, for more than one reason.
Daddy steps up to my side as the stranger takes a few steps forward, closing our little circle.
“Senator Seán Dowing. Pleasure to meet you, Ashby. Your parents have done nothing but sing you praises all night.”I’m sure they have.
“The pleasure is all mine, Senator. I do apologize for not coming over earlier. Had I realized?—”
“Nonsense.” The senator waves me off. “You’re a busy and important man, I understand. And even approve.” There’s something about the way he saysimportantthat gets my hackles up.
Dark blue eyes—not quite as pretty as Carter’s navy, but close—study me carefully. I thank all of my mother’s lessons on how to keep my emotions hidden, from showing him things I don’t want to.
