“You’re good?” he says quietly, knowing I’m okay.
I nod and lick my lips.
“Dex says he’ll meet you downstairs.”
Helen’s voice interrupts us, and I remember we’re in someone else’s house. Helen is walking back into the room. An amused look spreads over Cal’s face at my reaction, and he lets me go. I glance at Helen in total embarrassment, but she just smiles as she flops onto the couch and crosses her legs.
“I’ll see you later, okay?” he says and steals a kiss from my neck.
“Stay out of trouble,” Helen says in a motherly tone as he grabs his jacket.
“Don’t I always?” He winks at us both before leaving the room.
I fold my arms around myself. Here I am in a strange house with a woman I don’t know at all. What’s there to be nervous about? I expect awkwardness to fill the room, but before it does, she begins to speak.
“You’ll get used to that,” she says, lighting a cigarette.
I look at her curiously. “Used to what?” I hope she’s not a chain smoker. I have to deal with enough of them at work.
“Oh, sweetie.” She laughs and walks toward me.
I hold my breath from the smoke.
“We have a lot to talk about.” She smiles deviously before linking arms with me. “Let’s go on the terrace,” she says, leading the way.
I can already see this night is going to be interesting.
When we reach the terrace, my jaw drops to the floor. I thought Cal’s view from the penthouse was amazing.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” she says, making herself comfortable at a beautifully set table to the right of us. “I was the same way when I first saw it.”
There’s all-white furniture on the terrace, which stretches for miles, and lit candles drown out the smell of her cigarette before we reach the door.
“Of course it wasn’t like this,” she says, waving at the impeccable outdoor furniture and luscious greenery that lines the balcony wall, “but I saw the potential.”
“You did this?” I ask in shock as I sit next to her. The balcony’s done in a completely different tone from the Gothic rooms I walked through.
“Well, the design and such. I told the decorator exactly what I wanted, and she did it,” she says, putting out her cigarette.
“This is so beautiful,” I admit, still taking in my surroundings.
“Thank you. I wish Dexter would let me have my way with the rest of the house, but he says a man’s house is his kingdom, or something to that effect,” she explains with another toss of her hair. That seems to be her signature move, and she uses it to very good effect. “So give me the story of you and Cal. I know the watered-down version Dex passed on to me. Men are so vague about things like that.” She rests her chin in her palm as if she’s ready to hear a good tale.
I exhale. I don’t really like getting into details either. I never feel comfortable talking to people about things like that. “Well, we met where I work. I ran into him, literally, and he spilled a drink on me.”
“And how long have you been seeing each other?”
“About five months.” Actually, it’s been five months and fourteen days, but who’s counting? “And now I’m here to get approval from you guys, I suppose.” I laugh, feeling a bit more comfortable with her.
“Oh no, Lauren, don’t worry about us. Cal does what he wants. He’s here to show you off,” she states in a matter-of-fact tone. “In fact, just between you and me?” She leans in as if she’s giving away a top secret. “You’re the first girl he’s brought to meet us, or at least me.” She winks at me.
I can’t help but smile, but for some reason, knowing that makes me feel nervous all over again.
“So there must be something to you other than being stunning.” Helen giggles, and I blush at the compliment. “Dex and Cal have a thing for beautiful women, and beautiful women have a thing for them.” She sighs, shifting in her seat. I swallow my nerves, but she notices my expression. “Don’t worry, it takes more than a pretty face to sway them. They aren’t idiots like the average male.” She chuckles.
“How long have you known Cal?” I ask, still feeling a little uneasy.
“Let’s see, I think this year—about six years. Yeah, that’s about right.”
“So Dexter and Cal are really close?”
“Like brothers. It’s good for them, especially since Dex is an only child, and Cal doesn’t really have anyone.”
I can’t help but feel sad at the last part of what she says. I knew Cal was adopted, but I never really thought about him not having anyone. I know his parents have always been a sore subject. After my parents’ deaths, I felt alone, but really, I always had a great relationship with Raven. I just assumed he and his adopted parents were cordial, if not close.
“How did you and Dexter meet?” I ask, changing the subject.
She smiles softly. “He was at a benefit for Chicago General, where I used to work. I didn’t know who the hell he was, but he walks up to me and says, ‘I’ll donate a million dollars tonight if you go out with me.’ Now here I am, disgusted by this audacious man who, I assume, is a liar. So I told him, ‘If you donate a million dollars, I’ll run around this hotel naked,’ so he laughs and walks away. I didn’t think anything else of it. Ten minutes later, the superintendent of the hospital announces that Dexter Crestfield Jr. has just donated ten million dollars to the hospital, and when I see him walk up there, my heart just stops.” She laughs, and I join in with her.
“It gets better. After his speech—during which, by the way, he held eye contact with me the entire time—he walks right up to me, leans over, and whispers, ‘I’d prefer my house,’ and leaves me his number,” she finishes with a grin.
“Wow,” I say, shocked. “That’s a great story.”
“Yeah, he’s such a snide son of a bitch. But I like that about him, and he’s sweet when he wants to be. Well, you know what I mean. Cal is a cocky bastard himself.”
I’ve never thought of him as cocky as much as confident. He doesn’t care what anyone says or thinks about him because he knows that they all either want to be him or sleep with him, depending on their preferences. He does what he wants, when he wants. It’s just routine.
“Enough about us. What about you. Kids, marriage?” she asks, lighting up another cigarette.
“With Cal?” I ask, confused.
“Well, yes, or period,” she says, taking a drag.
“I—well, we haven’t known each other that long.” I stutter a little over the answer. She’s really getting to the point, isn’t she?
“Well, are you the type of girl who dreams about getting married or wants to put it off as long as possible?”
“I see myself married with a family one day. I’d love to travel abroad then come back and do something that really makes a difference, but I don’t know. Marriage at least is pretty far away.” I laugh.
“You never know.” She chuckles.
I look at the sunset.
“What I mean is that I was the same way. When I met Dex, I planned to just have fun with him and ended up falling in love. Two years later, he asked me to marry him, and no one says no to a Crestfield.” She laughs, putting out her cigarette. She then pulls out a pack of gum.