Page 73 of Convenient Rivals

“Oscar, I need... Oh, hello Gregory. What are you doing here?”

“Can’t my boyfriend visit me at work?” asked Oscar, without thinking.

His mother was lost for words. A rare moment. He glanced at Gregory and he was smiling. They’d said “I love you,” so boyfriends were a given, but they hadn’t discussed the “when to share it with others” part. From the look on Gregory’s face they were good, although he hadn’t planned on telling his mother this way. At least he wasn’t hard anymore; the appearance of his mother was the perfect anti-aphrodisiac.

“That’s still a thing then, is it? No offence, Gregory, but your lot is too uncultured to be associated with the Montgomery name.”

Gregory laughed, which didn’t please Oscar’s mother. It was hard for Oscar not to laugh himself, but he’d learned amazing self-control around her. His mother was obsessed with the Montgomery name, given it belonged to her father, and when she’d met Oscar’s father, his grandfather had insisted the man take her surname. It was unusual at the time, but it happened because Oscar’s grandfather was a man who got what he wanted. How he would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for those conversations.

“And what is so amusing?”

“I don’t disagree with your description of my family, Mrs Montgomery. But don’t worry, they won’t be invited to the wedding.”

She turned and looked at Oscar. He caught Gregory shooting him a quick wink, so got the message to play along.

“Yes, I hope you and father will come, though. We’ve decided to just have a small ceremony.”

“Camden Registry Office,” said Gregory. “It’s very convenient for the Pizza Express afterwards.”

His mother looked like she was going to faint. It shouldn’t amuse Oscar, but it did.

“I won’t allow it,” she said, huffing and clutching her chest dramatically. She wasn’t having a heart attack, more like clutching her pearls.

“I’m almost thirty. I can marry who I want, where I want. We’re going to double-barrel the surnames. Montgomery-Balfour.”

“I think Balfour-Montgomery sounds better,” said Gregory.

“It does sound better. Yes, I like it.”

It was hard not to laugh as his mother continued to gape at them. Oscar glimpsed Josh outside at his desk, covering his mouth, so he was listening to it all. What else had he been listening to before his mother arrived? Oscar decided not to give that too much thought.

To be fair, Balfour-Montgomery did sound better. Double-barreling was one thing, but to have the Montgomery name go last would be unspeakable.

“When did this all happen?” she asked, trying her best to recover.

“Last week,” said Gregory. “We don’t want a long engagement. In fact, we’re planning to have the wedding before Oscar’s thirtieth next month.”

His mother’s face paled. That sneaky fucker. Oscar knew what he was doing before his mother confirmed it.

“You know, don’t you?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“I think I need to speak to my son alone,” she said to Gregory.

Ever the polite boy – apart from that potty mouth when they were alone– Gregory nodded.

“My fiancé will stay put, thank you.”

“It’s fine, Oscar, I can –”

“You’re staying,” he said sternly.

Gregory gave him a look that told him he’d be getting paddled for that later, then he nodded and closed the door, blocking out Josh and the rest of the office. Oscar moved out from his desk and gestured to the casual seating area he had on one side of his office. There were four chairs, and he liked to do his meetings there with his direct reports, so there wasn’t the barrier of the desk between them. He’d read it in a book, and liked the idea. Claire had taken the piss out of him for a month, but now had a favourite seat and would glare at anyone else who sat in it, including Oscar.

“What do you know?” his mother asked.

“No. We’re not doing it that way. You tell me everything.”

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