Page 54 of For The Weekend
Fuck ’em all.
“What time does this thing end?” I whisper into Eloise’s ear, where we sit alone at a table in the corner, her father having vacated the seat across from us.
Robert Thorne is an okay guy. He doesn’t make Eloise nervous, so he automatically receives a pass from me, although he would’ve earned it anyway because he’s the only one here who’s tried to engage me in conversation. Not that I’m a great conversationalist, but he at least asked how Eloise and I met—when I carried in a bag of flour for her, not a lie—and how long we’ve been together—about three months, definite lie.
Coulda fooled me for how easy it feels to be with her, though.
She’s mine. For now. Even if it’s pretend. Even if it’s only for the weekend.
“I think we can sneak out soon,” she answers, meeting my gaze. “I’m going to run to the bathroom and make another lap around the room so it doesn’t look so suspicious, and then we’ll go. ’Kay?”
I nod and help to scoot her chair back, dragging my hand over the back of her thigh, the hem of her dress dusting my forearm. I’d like to flip it up and bend her over, see if I could make her skin flush as pink as the cotton.
I play out that fantasy in my mind for about ten minutes,only stopping when I start to get hard behind my zipper. That’s when I realize she still hasn’t returned from the bathroom and coast my gaze around, searching for her. There’re about thirty people here, and she’s not one of them. I stalk over to the door I saw her exit from and immediately spot the signs for the restrooms. Except I don’t need to go any farther than a few more steps because Katherine Thorne has Eloise cornered, her voice no more than a low hiss.
“…constantly touching and kissing you. It’s completely inappropriate.”
Eloise’s hands are balled into fists at her sides, her cheeks red from anger. “How is it inappropriate? He’s holding my hand and kissing my cheek. It’s not like he’s sticking his tongue down my throat.”
“It’s more than that, and you know it.”
“I don’t know it,” Eloise says, her voice rising, which earns a stern finger pointed at her.
I move to take a step forward when Katherine says, “He looks at you like he’s going to strip you down and have sex with you right in the middle of the room.”
I freeze.
’Cause she’s not wrong.
That is what I want to do.
Eloise rolls her lips over her teeth, obviously fighting a laugh, which pisses Katherine off more.
“He’s my boyfriend, Mom,” she says, and that sets me back on my heels. She’s introduced me as her boyfriend all day, but hearing her say it in that voice, like she’s fighting for me—for us—it feels real.
“So?” Katherine throws her hands up. “Doesn’t mean you two have to act like that.”
Eloise lets her head fall back to her shoulders, her eyes on the ceiling as she breathes a few times. When she speaks to hermother again, it’s much quieter, more defeated. I know before I hear the first word that it’ll make me rage.
“If I didn’t come with a date, you’d be disappointed. I come with a date, and you’re disappointed. Is there anything I can do that doesn’t make me a disappointment?”
Her words gut me.
And I charge ahead, speaking before I even fully form the words in my brain. “You’re not a disappointment,” I growl out, standing between her and her mother. I take her face in my hands. “You hear me? You are not a disappointment. You’re gorgeous and funny and smart and sweet.” I lower my forehead to hers, breathing life into my words. “So fucking sweet, my Eloise. Don’t let anyone make you feel any different.”
When I lift my head and find her eyes, she’s blinking rapidly, chin trembling. Almost like she doesn’t hear it enough.
Fuck that.
I twine our hands together and pivot, effectively blocking Eloise from her mother. If Beverly’s a viper, Katherine is a fucking vulture, shredding her own daughter to pieces.
I glare at the woman, and she visibly shrinks away. “You have anything to say to me? To my face?”
She purses her lips, trying to view Eloise behind me, but she can’t. I won’t allow it.
“You’ve had enough time ripping her apart, don’t you think?” I say, keeping my voice as even as possible. “Making her feel like adisappointment.”
“She’s not…” Katherine stands on her toes, peering around my side. “You’re not, Eloise.”
