Page 69 of Empty Net

My mother called the morning after Fox and I slept together and demanded we be here for lunch. It didn’t matter to her that Fox had practice before his game tonight. It was what she wanted, and because Fox is who he is, he accommodated her, even when I tried to shut her down.

“Right.Hockey.Such a violent game.” She says it with such disgust. Maybe if she knew how hard he worked or all the sacrifices he’s made for it, she’d appreciate it more, but knowingher, she wouldn’t. So I don’t bother with trying to explain it to her. “And what have you decided to do with your life, dear? Are you going to be a hockey wife? Isn’t that what Auden gave up her company to do?”

I bite my tongue—literally—because we both know Auden has done so much more with her life than my mother is giving her credit for and shrug. “I’m not sure. I’m still trying to figure things out since she sold Sinclair Properties.”

“That was a terrible deal she took. She could have made so much more money had she held out for a bit longer and didn’t take the first thing she was offered.”

“It wasn’t about the money, Mother. She already had enough when she decided to sell. It was about finally putting down roots.”

“Right. Because that father of hers moved her around so often. What kind of man raises a child like that?”

A damn good oneis what I want to say, but I don’t get the chance. Fox comes barreling into the restaurant, drawing several heads his way, mine included.

He looks good. I’ve seen him in a suit a few times now, and they always look perfectly tailored to him, but I like something about this simple side of him even more. His slacks are pressed neatly, and he wears a soft blue sweater, a collared shirt underneath. He looks preppy, like a frat boy playing dress-up, and normally, I wouldn’t be attracted to it at all, but I am. I am so beyond attracted to it that I can’t look away. Those brown eyes of his that I looked right into as he fucked me so hard my legs shook for ten straight minutes after find mine, and he smiles.

My mother follows my line of sight, looking pleasantly surprised.

“Well, he cleans up nicely. I’ll give him that,” she says as if he wasn’t wearing a suit the last time she saw him. Further proof that nothing will ever truly please her.

She stands when he approaches the table, but he doesn’t stop to greet her. No, he passes right by her and sweeps me into his arms, pressing his lips to mine in a chaste yet searing kiss. I’m not proud to admit that I’m out of breath when he pulls away.

“Hi,” he says simply, that all-too-familiar smile pulling at his lips.

“Hi yourself,” I say back, my own grin that I can’t seem to get rid of when it comes to him firmly on my face.

He sets me back on my feet and finally turns to my mother. “Selene,” he says, just a hint of that Southern drawl of his coming out as he takes her hand and kisses the back of her knuckles. “It’s wonderful to see you again.”

She looks momentarily affronted but soon melts under his grin. “Arthur, I’m so glad you could make it.”

“I apologize for being late.” He holds the back of her chair as she settles back into it, then slides it forward. “Practice ran a bit longer than expected.”

“Oh, that’s quite all right,” my mother says as if she wasn’t just complaining about his profession minutes ago.

Fox strides back to me, pulling my chair out just like he did my mother’s. Only when he slides my chair toward the table, his hand brushes against the back of my neck, a reminder of the way he held me to him as he spilled down my throat the last time I saw him.

I waited for the morning after our night of sex to turn awkward, but it never did. If anything, it helped make things easier between us. We weren’t pretending not to be attracted to one another anymore.

Fox settles into the chair beside me, his thigh pressing against mine—did someone turn up the heat in here?—and I swear he scoots his chair even closer.

“I’ve already ordered some starters and a bottle of wine,” my mother announces.

“Unfortunately, I’ll have to stick with water for this lunch. I have a game to play tonight.”

My mother hums disapprovingly, lifting her half-empty glass of sauvignon blanc to her lips. “Well, more for me, then. Lilah, you should probably cut back, yeah? You were such a chunky little girl. I know you swell up easily. You don’t want to be puffy for the wedding.”

Embarrassment floods me. Is she seriously doing this right now? In front of Fox? Ugh. I can’t imagine what he thinks of all this. Does he think I’m weak, letting her talk to me like that? Or worse, does he agree with her?

Fox’s hand finds the back of my neck again, massaging it, requesting my attention, and I turn to him. There’s no judgment in his eyes, but there is something else, something I can’t entirely place my finger on. It feels familiar but out of reach.

“Just in case I forget to tell you later, you look stunning, Lilah.”

I’m taken right back to the last time he said those words to me when I was sitting on his countertop in nothing but my bra.

“Thank you,” I tell him, pretending my cheeks aren’t on fire right now.

I peek over at my mother. She watches us with hard eyes, and I can’t tell if she’s pissed that I didn’t take her bait like she hoped or if she’s looking for a crack in our façade. Truthfully, I don’t think she will find one because even I’m struggling to.

She reaches into the oversized purse hanging off the back of her chair. “I’ve brought along your grandmother’s ring. It’s about time I was able to give this to you. I thought you might never settle down.”

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