She had a habit of doing that. Appearing out of nowhere like magic.
Like a wicked queen in a fairy tale.
“Penny,” Randall warned under his breath.
She gave him a weary look but moved into his side. He automatically embraced her and she leaned deeper into him. Their public affection was surprising.
I’d noted that a lot of couples in Henry’s set were so proper and aloof with one another in public. It took me aback to see Penelope Lexington, someone who came off as so cold, be an exception to the rule.
“Mother,” Henry said as he dutifully let go of me to lean over and kiss her cheek.
Her expression softened a little but then tightened when he immediately returned to slide his arm around my waist.
“You’re still here.” Her gaze landed on me.
“Mother.” It was Henry’s turn to warn her.
But as intimidating as she was, I didn’t want Henry to think I needed protection from her. “Mrs. Lexington, it’s nice to see you.”
“Liar.”
“Penny,” Randall groaned.
“I’m not going to pretend I’m happy Henry is dating this woman, and that’s final.”
“You pretend you like people all the time, Penny. You can’t stand half the people at this party and yet you’ll smile and compliment them, lying through your teeth.”
I shifted uncomfortably but decided to be just as direct as Henry’s mother. “Henry and I are together. I won’t be chased off no matter how rude you are to me. So, you can either pretend to accept this fact, or you can embarrass us all. That, however, is only going to lead to people gossiping about us, about you. Worse, pitying you. Poor Penelope Lexington having to put up with that woman dating her son.” Henry’s hand on my back tensed. “Or you could smile and pretend that you’re happy with Henry’s choice, and that you’re so far above them, only your opinion matters.”
Henry’s parents were silent for a moment but Randall wore a small, impressed smile.
Penelope eyed me like she’d never seen me before. And then she nodded. “You’re right.”
“Thank God,” Randall muttered.
Heeding my advice, Penelope pasted on a welcoming smile and gritted out between her teeth. “You’re very manipulative.”
“Mother,” Henry snapped.
“Smile, darling.” She grinned, looking around. “I might dislike your weather girl but at least she understands how things work around here.”
I looked up at Henry, disheartened, but relieved that there would be no public humiliation. He stared down at me, eyes apologetic. He had nothing to be sorry about and I kissed him to say so.
And also to annoy his mother.
A vile taste filled my mouth and I tried not to show it, I really did, but my God.
“Here.” Caine noted my expression, grabbed my arm, and turned me so my back was to the crowd and facing the woodlands that bordered the house. “Spit it out there.”
“Blech.” I did, wiping my mouth and turning quickly around as if nothing had happened.
Henry was shaking with strained amusement while Caine smirked.
Lexie gave me a sympathetic smile. “I tried to warn you.”
She did.
She did try to warn me that the square pastry with the orange stuff on it was the worst canape she’d ever tasted in her life.
“You didn’t warn me it tasted like fusty balls.”
Henry spat out the soda water he’d just sipped and Caine and Lexie jumped back to avoid it.
“What exactly do fusty balls taste like?” Caine said so seriously, it made me grin.
“Try one and you’ll find out.”
After wiping his chin with a napkin, Henry said, “Tell me, how on earth you know that the canape tastes like fusty balls?”
“Are we really having this conversation?” Lexie glanced around to see if anyone was paying attention to us.
“Because I’ve tasted fusty balls.” I shrugged, like it was obvious.
“Oh dear God.” Lexie looked up at the sky as if she were really calling to Him.
“Not mine,” Henry said indignantly.
“No, handsome, your balls are fine.”
“Only fine?”
“Now I feel a little sick.” Caine gestured to his stomach, looking pained.
“They’re better than fine,” I hurried to reassure my boyfriend. “Best balls ever.”
Lexie and Caine locked horrified gazes. “This isn’t happening.”
“So who had the fusty balls?”
“It is happening. Somehow it’s happening,” Caine said.
Henry and I both ignored him. “A guy I dated. It didn’t last past the fusty balls.”
“I’d think not.” Henry nodded. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”
“I’m sorry this entire conversation happened to us,” Lexie said to Caine.
Henry winked at me and I hid my mischievous smile as I sipped my champagne to rid myself of the fusty balls taste in my mouth.
I wasn’t surprised Caine and Lexie found a way to ditch us not too long later but it was worth it. Even more so because Henry was doing something for me.
He wasn’t flirting with any other women.
Of course he was always polite and friendly, but there was a noticeable difference in his demeanor. Some noticed, some seemed to think it was sweet, giving us this “aww” look; others glowered at me like I was the devil incarnate.
For some reason, even though this was what I wanted, I was also left uneasy.
“Can we go inside for a minute? Find somewhere quiet?”
Henry’s brow furrowed in concern but he nodded and immediately led me away from the crowd and into the house. We wandered through the halls until Henry stopped outside double doors. “This is Jeff’s office.”
“Who’s Jeff?”
“Lydia’s husband.”
“Who’s Lydia?”
He chuckled. “You don’t even know whose garden gala we’re at?”
“Nope.”
Once inside, he closed the door and I was surprised by how small the space was. In any normal house, it would be a big office but in this one, it wasn’t. It was cozy and masculine compared to the airy feminine style of the rest of the house. Lots of dark wood, dark fabrics, and lots of books.
Henry stopped near Jeff’s desk, watching me as I skirted the room, taking it all in. “So what did you need quiet for?”
Right.
That.
I grew still and reluctantly faced him. He was going to think I was unbalanced. “I’m worried that you’re not flirting with anyone.”
His eyebrows almost hit his hairline. “Excuse me?”
“Not that I want you to,” I hurried to say. “But I’m worried that you’re changing yourself for me.”
Thankfully, he looked more amused than angry. “Of course I’m changing for you. But you’re changing for me too.”
Surprised, I blurted out, “No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.” Affection and desire mixed in his eyes. “You didn’t want this. You didn’t trust this. But you let down your guard to give me this.” He gestured between us. I held my breath as he continued, “I can make the effort to not send signals to other women than I’m interested in them when I am absolutely not. I can make the effort so that you know I only want you. And I can do that because you made an even bigger effort to give a man, with not the greatest track record for monogamy, a chance.”