Page 122 of The Bet
Chapter 35
Dinner with his mother. Thank fuck it was over.
She’d wanted to grill him about the bust-up with his brother. How did she know about these things, because he hadn’t said a word to her and neither had Tobias? There was an unspoken pact between the brothers not to involve their mother in any personal matters, including sibling disagreements because they both wanted an easier life.
He hadn’t even ordered his first bottle of beer when she’d asked what was going on with him and Tobias.
He’d spent the rest of the evening, shoveling his food down as fast as he could, and wished he’d taken an Uber instead of driving to Lafont & Moreau in The Lancaster. That had been the first clue. His mother always picked the most expensive, most exclusive restaurant in the city when there was a ‘problem’ she needed to resolve. She probably assumed that in the quiet and discreet surroundings, there wouldn’t be much cause for anyone to raise their voice.
He’d discovered that she had asked Tobias to come along, but “he was busy, you know how hard it is with Savannah being so tired all the time now.”
The news took him by surprise, that Tobias had carried the grudge even now. Usually his brother thawed out after a few days. His temper was quick to ignite, and as fast to thaw.
“It’s nothing, Mother.”
“If it’s nothing then why is your brother not here?”
“Ask him.” And hadn’t she already given an excuse as to why Tobias couldn’t come?
He deserved an award for lasting the eighty five minutes it took to get through the meal. His eating time had been fifteen, but it was his mother who had dragged it out minute by painful minute, taking her sweet time.
He had been contemplating the recent contract with Hennessy, and even though they had drawn up legal documents, he was now seriously starting to consider coming out of the deal.
It would set his new business back by months, until he found a new investor, but he didn’t see that he had a choice. Even though he’d mentioned it to her a few days ago, it wouldn’t do much harm, would it, if he told her that he was pulling out for sure?
He called her but her cell phone went to voicemail, and he didn’t bother leaving a message. Maybe he would turn up on her doorstep. He needed an excuse and this was as good an excuse as any.
When she opened the door, her look of happy surprise told him that he’d done the right thing.
“Did we have a meeting arranged?”
“No,” he replied, giving her a quick once over, and trying not to hyperventilate. “I was passing through.” She was wearing some kind of ripped t-shirt and tight, tight, tight leggings.
He tried to not let her body detract from his thoughts. He’d come here for a reason, dammit. What was the reason? “I had dinner with my lovely mother.”
“Why are you saying it like that?” she asked, motioning for him to come inside.
“I’m just glad it was over. I should have called. Sorry. I was in a hurry to escape.” He felt as if he needed to explain his sudden appearance.
“In a hurry to escape from your mom?”
“Yes. She’d asked Tobias, and he hadn’t come, and she wanted to know why we had fallen out, and I wasn’t in the mood to explain.” It was awkward, explaining all of this without looking at her, and he was conscious of the fact that he was staring at the floor. Because staring at her in that skimpy outfit was doing things to him.
“You’ll have to excuse the mess,” she said, moving some books off the ottoman. He ventured a glance at her as she lifted the books and it looked as if her clothes were painted on. No doubt it was going to give him a sleepless night getting that image out of his head.
“You don’t need to tidy up,” he said, folding his arms, as he watched. She was wearing what looked like a baggy tee but with two slits at the side, and joined up at the bottom. When she turned, he could see her bra top underneath, soft and seamless.
“What…” he cleared his throat again, as blood rushed straight to his manhood. He felt his breath hitch in his throat. “What are you wearing?”
“I was supposed to go to a yoga class,” she explained. “But I ended up vegging in front of the TV instead.”
He felt his balls tighten.
“You go to yoga dressed likethat?”
“Yes, the gear has to be like a second skin so that it doesn’t get in the way of the yoga poses.”
Jeez. He’d get a hard-on just being in a yoga class like that.
