Page 53 of Mr. Aster
“You are a good soul to believe such a thing,” I said sincerely. I looked at Darcy, smiling at me with her blue eyes lighting up in a way that made me feel…soothed. “Andyouare a saint for writing that in your articles when you and I are both keenly aware that is merely a front.”
“Front or not,” Tina said with a newfound sense of confidence, “I have my hopes set high that when Margot Aster arrives, she will feel like she’s at an exotic spa while our husbands handle business.”
I sucked in a breath. “I’m truly a bit worried, Tina. I’m afraid my mother will not see this as anything other than a mission to get to the bottom of the place where she believes her son was brainwashed to go against his family’s wishes.”
“I will prove you wrong, and when you come back, she’ll be begging for a wedding date.”
I exchanged glances with Darcy, who didn’t seem as worried as I was about my mother raising hell for Tina while I snatched Darcy away from Margot’s ridicule.
“My mom has dealt with worse,” Darcy said, probably reading my mind from the concerned expression on my face. “However, I think the responsible thing for me to do is to stay here sinceIinvited your parents to our home.”
“I understand that,” I answered, knowing Darcy started this entire mess but in no mood to point fingers. “Tina, I will have my pilot and the chopper on standby should you need to escape.”
Tina chuckled. “From the way you both seemed so concerned about this,” she looked from Darcy to me, “you might want to keep it on standby to rescueyourmother.”
“True,” I laughed.
“You kids go and have a great time. I’m glad you’re going to take some personal time away from the winery to focus on my daughter. It’s beautiful when you show the woman you are falling for that she is worth more than money, if you know what I mean.”
“Thank you,” I said.
I was uneasy leaving the Burkes to deal with my parents, but I would make the best of this situation. My only concern now was how long Darcy and I would be able to get along before I started pissing her off again. Though, I didn’t think that would be a problem anymore. She seemed to be much calmer with my new demeanor, and I understood why. I wasn’t being a horrible dick to her and everyone else, and it felt quite nice.
Chapter Twenty-One
Darcy
Ihad no idea what had gotten into Sebastian, but this new guy I’d been around since dinner last night was much more tolerable. I wasn’t going all in and saying that I completely trusted thischange, but he’d come out of the shell he’d been hiding in, and that interested me.
Regardless, just because Sebastian wastolerabledidn’t mean I wanted to hightail it out of here and go on a vacation with the man. I’d just been on Jake Mitchell’s luxurious yacht, so I didn’t really want to leave for another extravagant vacation, mainly because it appeared he’d invited everyone along. That meant it wouldn’t be a vacation at all; it would be a trip of constantly lying to my friends by faking a relationship with Sebastian. It was exhausting to even think about.
“Hey,” I said, following him and his smiles—yes, smiles. And yes, he looked impossibly handsome while wearing them, too.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a hint of arrogance rather than his usual dickish tone that I’d grown accustomed to.
“The only person around here who goes byma’amis my mother when the cleaners are here, so please don’t call me that.”
“I see the vacation is getting off to a lovely start,” he teased, then turned and slid his hands into his pockets. “So, no calling you ma’am.”
I nodded. “It’s just as foreign to me as being called my full name,” I smiled at him, seeing his eyes brighten, recalling my name’s origin story. “Shit,” I shook my head and couldn’t resist smiling at him in return. “I won’t lie; this softer, happier side of you, which emerged last night, is quite handsome.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he said. “So, what’s up? I need to make a few calls before we leave for the airport.”
“Well, speaking of menot lying, I don’t think it’s a good idea that we take this trip with my friends. Granted, I’m notsuperclose with all of them, but I’m close enough not to want to lie to them about us. It makes me feel shitty.”
“You know the drill,” he said with an arched eyebrow. “We must make this believable.”
“Why not just make it believable to your parents and call it done?”
“I’m in no mood to be in their presence,” he answered with an unreadable expression. “And I know you will not be able to tolerate them either. You could barely tolerate my presence, and I was merely insulting you by requesting a change of décor. I wasn’t insulting you in the worst ways imaginable, as both my parents will undoubtedly do after they arrive.”
“I can handle myself. We’re not really a couple, anyway. I can deal with any insults your parents throw my way.”
“Well, allow me to put it to you this way. I prefer you not to be subjected to it. I don’t want to hear it or see it.”
“Let’s call it what it is,” I challenged him. “You’re running away from them.”
“Fine,” he shrugged. “I’ll call it that, no problem. We leave in about ten minutes. Pack for a very warm climate.”
