Page 23 of Holidate Scramble
"Excuse me?" Rhett's voice dropped dangerously.
"Oh, come now." Adrienne's laugh was brittle. "The sabbatical, the move to this quaint little town, and now—" she gestured toward me, "—the girlfriend young enough to be your daughter. It's textbook, darling. I’ll pray for you to get over this unbecoming spell quickly."
Heat flooded my face. Obviously we'd known about our age difference from the beginning but hearing it framed so cruelly made something inside me shrink.
"That's enough, Adrienne." Rhett's tone left no room for argument. "My life choices are no longer your concern."
"They are when they affect our children." She stepped closer. "Eliza called me, concerned about your... state of mind."
"Eliza speaks to me directly when she has concerns."
"Does she?" Adrienne's perfectly shaped eyebrow arched. "Perhaps you've been too distracted to notice her discomfort with your new... situation out here."
I felt Rhett wavering beside me, doubt clouding his features. This was clearly a practiced dynamic between them—her insinuations, his guilt. Before I could think better of it, I slipped my arm through his.
"Ms. Whitney," I said, keeping my voice level, "I understand you're concerned for your children. That's admirable. But they're adults, and so is Rhett. Maybe trust that they can navigate their relationship without interference?"
Her eyes widened slightly, clearly not expecting pushback from me. "My dear, I've known my husband—excuse me, myex-husband—for over 25 years. This rebellion of his never last. He always returns to what he knows. Small-town life and... short-term flings are merely temporary distractions."
"Then you have nothing to worry about," I replied with a sweetness that didn't reach my eyes. "If I'm just a distraction, I'm sure he'll tire of me quickly."
"Adrienne," Rhett interrupted, his voice steady now. "I appreciate your concern, misplaced as it is. But I'm exactly where I want to be, with exactly who I want to be with."
His words steadied me, even as I reminded myself this was just part of our fake relationship arrangement.
"If you'll excuse us," he continued, "we have an event to run."
Adrienne's lips tightened and nostrils flared. "We need to catch up before the gala, Rhett.Privately.”
"I'm afraid I don’t have the time," Rhett replied, guiding me away with a hand at the small of my back. I could feel Adrienne's gaze boring into our backs as we walked toward the entrance.
"I'm sorry about that," he said quietly once we were out of earshot.
"Don't be. She was awful to you."
"She's always been strategic."
"That's a diplomatic way of saying 'manipulative.'" I glanced back to see her still watching us, phone pressed to her ear. "I have a feeling this isn't over."
"It never is with Adrienne." He dragged a hand through his hair. "I should warn you, she'll probably dig into your background, looking for leverage."
"She won't find much. I'm pretty boring beyond my colorful sweater collection."
That earned me a small smile, but his eyes remained troubled. "I didn't know Eliza had concerns."
"Hey." I touched his arm. "If your daughter had serious concerns, wouldn't she talk to you directly?"
"Usually." He sighed. "At least I hope she would."
I squeezed his hand. "Talk to her yourself if you're worried."
He inclined his head, then seemed to make a decision. "Want to get out of here?"
I glanced around at the event in full swing. Volunteers staffed every station, the mayor was handling the welcome booth, and donation jars were already half full. "Everything's running smoothly. We could slip away for a bit."
"I have a better idea. Let's leave entirely."
"What? I can't just abandon the event."
