Page 21 of My Silver Lining

Lulu had gone completely silent over the last part of the conversation, and I wasn’t sure that she was still breathing.

“You okay, Wildcat? Just overcome with emotion about your parents and I finally meeting?” I asked, winking at the phone screen.

She nodded. “Yes. That’s exactly it. We’ll see you soon.”

“Love you, Lulubelle,” her mother said, and her father gave a curt nod.

“Love you, too,” she said.

I said my goodbye, just as she ended the call and turned her imminent rage in my direction.

“What the hell was that?” she shouted.

I leaned back on the couch and reached into my pocket, pulling the green stone of protection out and holding it in front of me to ward off her attack.

She slapped it out of my hand and pushed to her feet as it rolled beneath the coffee table. “You were supposed to spend five minutes impressing them. Not agree to fly to Malibu with the family, you jackass. Charlotte will sniff you out like a vampire at a blood bath. She’s not oblivious like my parents, and she isn’t easily fooled.”

Lulu paced in front of me.

“You’re overreacting,” I said over my laughter. Her parents were great. People loved me. This would be a piece of cake.

“What if we find a reason to have you admitted to the hospital? We could use the pool stick to break one of your kneecaps,” she said, her hands on her hips like she was completely serious.

“My God. You would harm me just to keep me from going to Malibu for a few piña coladas and some family fun?” I reached for the malachite stone on the floor and tucked it back into my pocket. “Good luck with that. My kneecaps will remain unharmed. I’m going to meet Gramps for his big day, and I’ll charm the shit out of the ice queen, Charlotte. And then you’ll return the favor and pour it on thick the following weekend. We kill two birds with one stone.”

“What if I choose to save the birds and kill you instead?” she hissed.

“You’re shit out of luck. I’ve got the green stone, Wildcat. And I’m looking forward to meeting your family and enjoying some warmer weather. You had me at beach house.”

six

. . .

Lulu

“I cannot believeyou’re taking him to Gramps’ birthday weekend,” Henley said over her laughter, as I listened from the other end of the phone.

“Tell me about it. All he had to do was remain quiet and play along, but he couldn’t follow simple directions.”

“That’s not really Rafe’s speed. He beats to his own drum. But the good news is he’s the life of the party. People love him,” she said. “If anyone can pull this off, it’s him.”

“Well, he better. I’m not going to just stand by while Charlotte accuses me of having a fake boyfriend,” I hissed. “Even if it’s true, she will not be the one to figure it out.”

Henley chuckled. “I couldn’t agree more. And you leave tomorrow? What’s the plan?”

“I ignored him for the last two days because I was seething that he messed up the plan, but I stormed over there this morning and told him that we were having dinner tonight so we could come up with anewplan. You know, learn about the other so we don’t look like we’re faking it.”

“You know, this might actually be great. You always get stressed at these family gatherings and having Rafe there, on team Lulu, might make this weekend easier.”

“He’s hardly on team Lulu. The man can’t stand me. And the feeling is mutual. And now he keeps holding up that damn stone to me like a shield, as if I’m the source of all his pain. He’s ridiculous!”

She was laughing hysterically when the back door pulled open. “Hello, lover. I’m home.”

“Ah… he’s here, and once again, he entered without knocking.” He wore dark jeans and a white button-up, and his dimples were on full display.

The sexy bastard was working my last nerve.

“I’ll let you two go fight it out. I love you. Call me after and let me know how much you know about your new man.” She chuckled.

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