Page 14 of Give My Everything
Ben, though—that man towers over me. Tall, lean, and toned with long legs and broad shoulders, he looks like he could be a swimmer, or a runner.
“Well, we’re happy to have you, of course,” my mother continues. “Come with me so I can let Robert know you’re here. I’m sure he’d love for you to sit at the head table.”
I have to hold back a chuckle. The head table. EvenI’mnot invited to sit at the head table.
A minute ago, she couldn’t bear to have me anywhere but at her side. Now she’s ready to run off and leave me behind so she can spend time withBenjamin Calloway.
“As much as I’d love that, Mariana, I want to make sure my girl is doing okay first,” he says, turning his body to face me. He steps closer, his hands coming up to each of my biceps to give them a light squeeze. “You look like you’re not feeling a hundred percent, sweetheart. Should we get you some water?”
There’s an extended pause, and I can feel my mother radiating next to me, her emotions bubbling up and ready to burst out of her at any moment.
“I’mfine,” I reply, my voice low, my jaw locked in both irritation and disbelief, wondering just what the fuck he thinks he’s doing.
“Yourgirl?” The surprise in my mother’s voice would be laughable if she didn’t also sound so damn delighted. She turns to look at me. “Remington, why didn’t you tell me you’re seeing Benjamin? I would have stopped walking you around from man to man in an instant.”
“You’ve been taking Remington around to find an eligible bachelor?” His voice sounds wounded. “See,” he says to me, his voice dropping so as to pretend the words areonlyfor me, though I know that’s absolutely not the case. “This is why I told you we should just tell your family about us. We don’t have anything to hide, sweetheart.”
“Ben,” I say, interrupting him before he can say anything else, that same vein of nausea beginning to push its way through my body again.
I glance at my mother and see she also has a slightly wounded expression, like the fact that I’d keep my relationship with Ben a secret physically pains her.
There isn’t a relationship, though I can’t say that now. How would I explain it?
I take a deep breath and look to Ben, realizing I don’t have room to make this decision anymore. He’s effectively just made it for me.
My nostrils flare and I feel a wave of emotion well up inside of me.
“I didn’t want… I felt like…” I start my sentence twice, trying to figure out the right thing to say but failing.
“She was worried about how it might look to other people,” Ben interjects, his eyes radiating sympathy as he watches me struggle with my words. Then he looks to my mother. “She and Lucas had been ending for quite some time, but things weren’t over officially until just a few weeks ago. She didn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea about the timeline and how things are between us. You understand.”
As irritating as he is, he’s alsoverygood at this—something I’m not sure if I should admire or despise.
My mother’s smile returns. “Oh Icompletelyunderstand.”
“Mom,” I say, wanting to end this conversation as quickly as possible before there are more questions to answer and more lies to tell. “Would you mind giving us a minute? We’ll be back in there soon.”
She beams. “Absolutely. Take your time. Lovely to see you, Benjamin.”
“You too, Mariana.”
And then she glides out of the foyer and back into the main hall, probably feeling thankful that she no longer has to play wingwoman to her single daughter and can just go enjoy herself at my father’s side.
I spin to look at Ben, glaring at him with every bit of anger and irritation I can muster.
He just smirks at me.
“What the hell were you thinking!?”I hiss, realizing I sound just like my mother.
“I was thinking you were going to say yes to a marriage proposal, and what better place to be seen together than your father’s business event. It implies parental acceptance.”
My eyes stay wide and I throw my hands out.
“I can think of at least amillionplaces that would be a better place for things to begin. Not here, in front of my family before they even know we’re together or—”
“See? I told you—you were planning to accept.”
I lift my hands and place the heels over my eyes, frustration barreling through me with swiftness.
