Page 112 of Ruthless Prince
She didn’t reply to him again. All I heard for the next minute or so was a flurry of footsteps as she headed farther down the hall, and then the squeak of a cubicle door. I pulled out the earbuds and slipped my phone back in mypocket.
“Everything okay at the office?” Quinn asked when I returned to thetable.
“Yes, it’s fine. A colleague just wanted to know where a reportwas.”
“Ah. It’s wonderful how dedicated you are to your work.” She gave me a simpering smile and clicked her fingers at a waitress to bring morewine.
Another course of food came out just as Willow returned to the table. “Don’t worry, I didn’t try to escape or tell anyone the truth,” she muttered near my ear as a waiter deposited a plate in front of her. “I spoke to my father, and that’sit.”
“I know. I heard. Nice slap, by the way,” I said. Her face dropped as she realized I’d already started listening in on everything she said when we were apart, even if it was only for a fewminutes.
Stephen came back a while later, citing stomach troubles as the reason he spent so long in the restroom. I could make out a few faint pink lines on his face from where Willow hit him. He kept trying to make eye contact with her, but she ignored him and pointedly focused on a conversation with herbrother.
“Are you coming back home after this?” Jared eventually asked, staring at Willow with hopefuleyes.
She stiffened. “Um.What?”
“That’s a good question, actually,” Quinn interjected. “Now that you’re back from your trip to the country house, are you coming home, or are you spending one more night withLogan?”
Willow turned her panicked gaze tome.
“Actually, she’s not going back to the White House,” I said. “We’ve decided to move into Thorne Housetogether.”
Quinn’s eyes bulged. “What did you justsay?”
“I said she’s moving in withme.”
“No. That’s completely out of the question.” Quinn dropped her spoon and glared at Willow. “My party promotes traditional values. Do you have any idea what our supporters will think if my unmarried young daughter shacks up with her boyfriend? I’ll look like a completehypocrite.”
You are a complete hypocrite,I thought, narrowing my eyes at her. “You don’t need to worry about that,” I replied. “Because we’ve decided to get married. As of this morning, we’reengaged.”
Willow’s body went rigid as shock registered in hergaze.
“What?” Quinn practically screeched across the table. “Engaged?”
I smiled. “Yes. I didn’t give her a traditional diamond ring, because I knew someone might see it before we made the official announcement, and I didn’t want crazy rumors flying around before we had the chance to confirm it ourselves. So I got her this necklace instead.” I gestured to Willow’s collar. At the same time, I slid my free hand onto her right thigh and squeezedhard.
She regained her composure and pasted on a dazzling smile. “The pendant is alexandrite, Mom. It used to belong to a royalfamily.”
Quinn sneered. “How romantic,” she said, practically spitting out the sarcastic words. She waved a hand toward her throat. “Take it off. This isn’t happening. You two arenotgettingmarried!”
I raised my brows. “I thought you said you were glad your daughter is with me,Quinn.”
“It’s Madam President to you, young man,” shesnapped.
“Darling, calm down,” Stephen said, reaching over to pat her hand. “He has a point. You did saythat.”
Quinn’s cheeks flamed. “I said it because I thought they were just dating,” she replied, turning to look at him. “I thought they’d get it out of their system and break up eventually. Marriage is a whole different ballgame.”
“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, Madam President,” I said, lips twitching as I suppressed asmile.
She swiveled back around to face Willow. “You’re far too young for this. You’re only twenty-one, and he’s only twenty-four. You don’t have the wisdom or experience to understand what a proper marriageinvolves.”
Willow looked down at her plate, hands trembling in her lap. “We’re old enough to make our own decisions, Mom,” shesaid.
“No, you’re not. Even if youwere, this engagement is absurdly premature. I only found out you were seeing each other two weeks ago, and now you’re suddenly getting married and moving in together?” Quinn shook her head. “It’s ridiculous. Absolutely out of thequestion.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “With all due respect, Madam President, I’ve been waiting for Willow my entire life,” Isaid.
