Page 22 of Theo
Theo hadn't taken his eyes off me."What do ya say, Ace?"
I turned back to my mom.She looked almost amused."You might need this."She handed me the satin clutch I'd bought for the day, a day that was turning out nothing like I'd expected.
I leaned forward and kissed her cheek."Love you, Mom."
"I put your phone inside.Call me," she whispered back.
I reached back and fiddled with the stupid clasp on the necklace.The weighty rocks slipped down off my neck, and I handed them over to Joan.For the first time since I'd met her, she was speechless.I lifted the front of my dress.I was still only wearing flip-flops, the perfect getaway shoes.Who needed glass slippers?I was always more suited to flip-flops.
My heart was pounding.Everyone had gathered in the small landing area to see what was happening.There were plenty of gasps, and a few cell phones came out to film.I avoided looking at George, but I could feel him shooting daggers at me from his eyes.The second my hand landed in Theo's, I knew I'd done the right thing.
Theo didn't hesitate.He turned and looked at the guard blocking our path."C'mon, bro, you know you hate working for these rich fucks.This one's for our team."The man stepped out of the way.
Cormac and Crusoe brought up the rear as we headed past the awestruck spectators.
"We'll have all of you arrested," Joan screeched.I'd never heard her speak in anything but a clipped, measured tone.
I was glad I'd opted for the simple dress.I had to hold it up to keep from tripping on the front hem, but it didn't hinder my escape.And that's exactly what it felt like—an escape.
Theo held tightly to my hand as we raced to their car."Uh, so that necklace.It was fake, right?"he asked.
"Nope.Worth a quarter of a million."
We stopped at the car."Shit.Not sure I would have handed those back."Theo reached up, took hold of my face and kissed me lightly on the lips."Yep, still the best fucking lips in the world."
"Yeah, yeah, Mr.Romance," Cormac said."You need to save your best lines for somewhere else.There's an angry mob heading this way."
A good portion of the guests had poured out the front doors.George was leading the crowd, his face red with rage.
"Lacey, get back here now.You can't be serious.Get back inside!"
Theo opened the passenger door before hurrying around to his side.Crusoe and Cormac piled in the back.Theo yanked the car around, and he raced down the long, winding driveway.The gates had been left open for the arriving guests.We zipped past a few cars, and he shot out through a break in the traffic.
I sat back and realized I might have been in a state of shock."Did that just happen?"I asked but I hadn't really meant to say it out loud.
"It sure did, Ace."
Cormac sat forward."Nice dress, Michaels, but probably overdressed for where we're going.Where are we going, bro?"
Theo looked over at me."There's this crummy little motel about twenty miles down the highway."His smile melted me, and suddenly, I was as liquid as the five-hundred-dollar-a-yard silk on my dress.
I felt a blush warm my face and just smiled in return.After our sexy phone call, I'd been thinking nonstop about being in Theo's arms.I supposed that was what made it so easy to leave the wedding.That and the fact that I was miserably unhappy about the whole thing.Being in Theo's old car with his brother and cousin, I felt myself transported back to my teens when living life to the fullest and being crazy happy and in love was the order of the day.
"Uh, Theo," Crusoe said dryly from the back seat."What should the two of us do while you two do whatever it is you're planning to do in a crummy motel room?"
Cormac was scrolling through his phone."Dude, I know exactly what we'll be doing.There's a pool hall with topless dancers just a few miles from the motel.Drop us off there, Jones," Cormac said in a snobbish tone."Shit, I think that one bite of caviar has made me a rich asshole now."
"You've got part of that right," Crusoe said.
I laughed.Theo shook his head."Didn't want to show up to the house alone in case there was a whole army of security."
"That's right," Cormac said."He had to bring along his own badass bodyguards."
"Yeah, that's what you two were," Theo said sarcastically.He reached over and took my hand."Hey, I'm glad you came with us."
"If I hadn't, it would have been kind of embarrassing for you."I stopped."Never mind.I forgot who I'm talking to.Theo Stone doesn't do embarrassment."
"Not true and I wouldn't have been embarrassed cuz I couldn't give a shit about those rich fucks.I would have been heartbroken … again … because you, Lacey Michaels, are the one girl who unconditionally owns my heart."
