Page 27 of Heart in Waiting
Great. That just about ruined the entire night. Rachel Jackson loathed him more than anyone else. She hadn’t made it a secret either. Whenever Carter dragged him to a family dinner, she made a point of making him feel as uncomfortable as possible. How would she react to the fact that Dane was attending the fundraiser as Reese’s date? She’d loved Nolan and he’d never understand why.
To him, his brother’s charm had always been as oily as it was evil. Of course, he saw a side of Nolan no one else ever did. He didn’t hide his true nature from Dane and never had. His brother hated his existence and was the reason his time at Shelton Academy had been horrid. No one would have known their connection if he’d kept his mouth shut. They had different last names, yet Nolan felt the need to shout it to the rooftops. He let everyone know exactly who Dane was and the origins of his birth—had taken a particular glee from it too.
“I’m sure that your mother will be lovely,” Dane said as congenially as possible.
Reese laughed. “You’ve met my mother. There’s no need to pretend you’re excited at the prospect of spending an evening with her.”
“Well, we’re not here for her, are we?” Dane’s lips curled upward. “Do we have to be nice to her?”
He’d never been outright rude to Rachel Jackson, but he’d wanted to. His mother had always taught him to respect his elders and to treat females with the highest esteem. She didn’t want him to grow up to be a man similar to his father’s ilk. Dane had to be better than the man who sired him or she’d have smacked sense into him. She expected him to have higher standards. If not for his mother, Dane might have turned out differently. Maybe that was why Nolan did the things he did. He hadn’t had a mother who cared enough about guiding him on the right path.
“I don’t plan on it,” Reese answered him. “My mother has been particularly venomous lately. If I hope to survive her bite, I’ll have to develop one of my own.”
“That’s good. I don’t like how she talked to you the other night. Has she always been that way with you?”
“No,” she said slowly. “There was a time when I was the child she praised the most and I could do no wrong.”
“What changed?” Dane had a feeling he knew exactly what was different. He hoped he’d assumed wrong though. “Why does she seem to hate you now?”
“Oh, Mother doesn’t hate me,” she explained matter-of-factly. She shrugged and sighed heavily. “She’s disappointed. I’m still on the right career path, but I failed to secure a husband she approves of. She’d hoped Nolan would be able to raise me higher in the eyes of society, and well, we all know how that went.”
“Down the rabbit hole?” He couldn’t stop himself from saying it. Nolan was an asshole. She never should have dated him in the first place. “She couldn’t see him for what he was?”
“Could anyone?”
“I did.” When he was younger, he’d been excited to have a brother. He’d always wanted one, until he had the misfortune of getting his wish. That made him careful of hoping for anything. It was probably why he was so anxious with Reese. He’d never wanted anything as much as he did her. The only other time he’d come close to it was his desire for a brother, and look how that had turned out. Nolan bullied him incessantly and treated him like a loser. What if Reese turned on him too?
“You’re probably the sole person that did.”
“Perhaps,” he replied. “Claire probably did after he dumped her.”
Reese sighed. “That was my fault too. Though now I think I may have done her a favor. Maybe if they’d stayed together he’d have had an easier time of trying to kill her.”
They reached the table and checked the name cards. They found Reese’s spot, and the one next to it marked as her plus one. She didn’t have a date when she purchased the tickets. He wondered why she’d bought two when she didn’t have a significant other. Had she been hopeful she’d be dating by the time of the event, or was it a way to support her fundraiser?
“I don’t like to ponder to long on the motives of my brother. It’s enough to encourage a migraine.” He pulled out her chair for her. “Let’s talk about a happier topic.”
“Such as?”
“Dancing,” he offered. “Food? What’s on the menu tonight?
“I have no idea and didn’t care to ask.”
Rachel Jackson arrived at the table as Reese made that statement. “What is he doing here?” She gestured toward Dane. “Do they let anyone into these events now?”
Reese rolled her eyes. “He’s my date, Mother, and he’s not just anyone.”
“That’s right,” she said tilting her head to the side. “He’s here to protect you. I guess that’s okay then. I’d hate for your promising career to be ruined because your ex-boyfriend decided to murder you.”
“How kind of you,” Reese replied sarcastically. “You always think of what’s best for me.” Instead of sitting in the seat that Dane had pulled out for her, Reese glanced at him with a look of desperation. “Let’s go look at the silent auction now. We have some time before dinner, and I’m feeling restless.”
He had a theory on what had driven her to want to escape. “Anything you want.”
She led him away from the table and left her mother alone. He didn’t blame her. They’d have to sit through the whole meal with her acerbic assault. They’d both be better off delaying that as long as possible. On the bright side, he’d be able to dance with Reese later. Maybe, just maybe, it would be as magical as the first time too...
