Page 102 of Mr. Aster
The funniest part was that while Sebastian and I were working our asses off to get everyone to believe this fake relationship, no one here was even questioning it. Who knew? Sebastian’s parents were hard to get a good read on, and my parents were gullible as fuck, so I was just going with the flow at this point.
“Speaking of the vineyards,” Sebastian said, his parents entirely focused on their food and no longer any of us. “Why were you preoccupied with visiting San Francisco while I was away for the last week?”
If looks could light a person on fire, Sebastian would’ve burst into flames when his father abruptly set his knife and fork to each side of his plate and leveled his son with the darkest stare the man could probably muster.
“I could send the exact question your way, Sebastian,” he started, “because I amverycurious as to why you chose to take a last-minute vacation to Mexico when your mother and I were due to arrive to find out more about what was going on with you and yournew relationshipand to go over the vineyard’s business models.”
“The vineyard was fine without me here and having Jim Mitchell join us in Mexico allowed him and me to walk through the numbers while there. He and I have devised an excellent model we would like to see integrated moving forward,” Sebastian said, looking toward my dad in a friendlier manner than the look he’d just given his father.
“Mr. Mitchell has informed your father of the newest models, and he is very pleased,” Margot said while her husband virtually seethed beneath the surface of his skin. “That is why Mr. Mitchell will be flying here first thing tomorrow to go over the plans you derived on your vacation in Mexico.”
“Then, I’m unsure why I’m being questioned about visiting the country without my father’s permission,” Sebastian argued, his irritation bubbling on the surface.
“Because your mother doesn’t join me on business trips,” Sebastian’s dad stated in a low, calculated voice. “She merely came along to meet the woman who invited us here,” his eyes fell on me, “only for you to change your minds and plans at the last moment.”
I felt a full internal cringe at the memory of when I called this pissed-off man and told him to come out and see for himself that his son was in a happy relationship, only to have Sebastian change the plans at the last minute.
“Um,” I said, still at a loss for words.
Sebastian covered my clenched fist with his strong hand and smiled at me reassuringly. “She had no idea that I’d planned to take her to Mexico to announce to our friends that we were engaged,” Sebastian answered calmly, almost humorously. “It was very last minute, and there was no room for debate. I insisted we go, and though Darcy was devastated not to be here to receive both of you, she was fine with going.”
“I see you took enough care to invite yourfriendsto announce your engagement. Perhaps you can inform your father and me when you had planned to announce this to both of us?”
“You found out the same way they all did, obviously.”
“John?” Sebastian’s father answered. “You mean to tell me your brother called and informed them?”
“No,” my mom finally spoke up, her cheerful voice cutting through all this insane back and forth. “That’s not how we found out, anyway.”
Margot’s lethal gaze went to my mom. “Pray tell, how did you learn of the news?”
“Oh, you know. We found out from social media just like the rest of the world,” my dad answered.
At that moment, the only sound to be heard was the clang of Margot and Sebastian Aster’s silverware dropping onto the table.
“Social media?” Sebastian’s dad growled, looking only at his son. “I see our family is a sudden joke to you now?”
Sebastian instantly stood, and I knew it was because his dad was about to unleash the demon that’d been thrashing inside him all throughout the dinner.
“If you will please excuse my parents and me. I believe we must have a discussion before words are said at this table that cannot be taken back,” Sebastian said.
His dad rose. The sharply dressed, silver-haired man who matched the same dominating height as Sebastian reached down for his wife’s delicate hand, which she refused to give.
“I am not leaving this table,” Margot snapped. “I have not finished my meal.”
“Mother, we should take this conversation in another room to have the privacy that the situation calls for,” Sebastian said.
“And for what?” she said menacingly. “So thattheyare not insulted for believing the asinine notion that they might be married into our family?”
“Precisely,” Sebastian countered.
This family was in one hell of a situation for a fantastic write-up in my gossip column magazine. Too bad the repercussions of writing about them would most likely land my ass in jail after they dug something up to destroy my life.
“I feel they should learn exactly what they are marrying into,” Margot said.
“Margot, let us retire to another room. Sebastian has done enough to cause embarrassment for the family for at least a decade with all the foolish decisions he’s been making since sending him out here for business andnotpleasure.”
“I will see you later this evening,” Sebastian said with a warm smile.
