Page 38 of Breaking the Rules
She perched on the edge of the cushion.
“Well, what would you like us to know about it?” her father asked amicably.
It was one way her parents’ therapist had taught them to ease into sticky conversations.
Waverly took a deep breath and launched into her script. “I’ve been feeling like my life’s been moving so fast lately. There’s always a movie, a project, an event. And then all the social stuff.”
“You have been going out a lot lately,” her mother agreed.
Waverly nodded. “I started to feel out of control, and it all just kind of came to a head. I wanted to get away for the weekend to think. I was supposed to meet a friend in Tahoe.” She felt the pressure of Xavier’s hand on her low back. “But I just wanted to be alone. So I went north, and then there’s this bear running out in front of me.”
Her parents were watching her in rapt fascination. Xavier was watching her with amusement. The smug bastard had won. He was staying, at least until she could find Dante and clean up this mess.
“Anyway, the bear was fine and so was the tree, but the rental car got pretty banged up. And I just remember sitting there thinking that if I’d been going slower it wouldn’t have happened. And maybe slowing down was what I needed to do everywhere else, too.”
“Oh, Waverly! Were you hurt?” Sylvia asked.
Waverly shook her head. “Just a couple of scrapes and bruises.”And a gunshot wound,she added silently. “I made a couple of calls and left immediately for a really nice place in Hawaii. They focus on relieving stress and reestablishing priorities. It was almost like a vacation.”
“How do you feel now?” Robert asked Waverly, rubbing his wife’s shoulder with his hand.
“Focused and ready to kick some ass.” That, at least, was the truth.
“That’s wonderful, darling,” Sylvia glowed at her. “I’m so proud of you for tackling your issues head on. You’ve always been so brave.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Waverly squirmed in her seat, and Xavier stroked his hand down her back.
“So forgive me for being so blunt, but where’s Dante? And why is Xavier here?” Sylvia asked. “Not that I’m not very happy to see you, of course,” she said to Xavier.
Waverly opened her mouth then closed it. “How about you take that one, Saint?” Why should she be the only liar tonight?
Xavier moved his hand to her shoulder. He was staking a claim in front of her parents, and she was mortified. “I saw the news and knew that that wasn’t the Waverly Sinner I knew. So I called Robert—”
“Youcalledhim?” When Waverly tried to stand up, Xavier tugged her back down next to him.
“Be quiet,” he told her. “We were both understandably concerned, so I flew out to her to assess the situation. It’s clear someone was feeding the media false information, and I have concerns that it could be someone with a vendetta against Waverly. So I’m happy to resume my role until we can figure out who’s behind the character assassination. As for Dante, we don’t know where he is. It’s been reported that he’s on vacation, and he may not know about Waverly’s… accident.”
“Oh, dear. Are you two off again?” Sylvia asked.
“No!” Waverly said, looking at Xavier instead of Sylvia. “No. We’re just… things are complicated, and I’ll straighten them all out when I see him again,” she finished lamely.
“I must confess that I’m happy to have you back, Xavier,” Robert said.
“There is one other thing I think you both should know in the spirit of full disclosure,” Xavier told them.
Waverly turned to stare holes in him.What was he doing?
“I plan to marry your daughter as soon as I can convince her to give me a second chance.”
Sylvia’s crostini tumbled to the patio. Robert blinked rapidly.
“Xavier!” Waverly hissed at him.
“Angel, I just don’t want them to be surprised if I cart you off to Barbados, and we come back married.”
“I am going to cart your body to Barbados and dump it in the ocean,” she threatened. “He’s insane,” she said, turning to her parents. “He’s clearly suffered a head trauma in the last few years and has lost his damn mind.”
Sylvia covered her laugh with her napkin. Robert was not so subtle with his amusement. He laughed loud and long. “Remind you of someone, don’t they?” he asked, nudging his wife.
