“Lor, there’s a picture I wanted to show you in the auction. Will you come with me?”
“Of course.” I began to stand when Atticus placed a hand on the back of my chair, stopping me.
“How about we all go?”
Nodding, he stood at my acquiesce, pulling my chair out, and I inwardly swooned at the gesture. As a group, we made our way to the room the art had been set up in. Atticus eyed Imogen’s dress now that he could see the back, making a face, but I was happy he didn’t make a scene.
He leaned over to whisper. “Why do I feel you were the one to encourage that dress?”
“What’s wrong with it?” I asked, blinking my eyes innocently at him. He growled, the sound going straight to my clit, and I gasped at the sensation.
“Careful, Bellezza, don’t forget what I told you about lies.”
He nodded his head forward, and I turned slowly, finding Nat and Stacy waving at us. Walking over, I embraced them both, happy to see them.
“You both look gorgeous! How are you? Cami with you?”
“No, she didn’t answer at her apartment either,” Stacy answered.
Nat bit her lip, glancing at Atticus before excusing herself. I watched as she approached him, and they walked off out of sight.
“What’s that about?” Stacy asked.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. I didn’t think for one second that Atticus was interested in Nat or vice versa, but it did worry me that she’d taken him away to talk. Secrets were starting to pile up, and I couldn’t find my way out of them. When I spotted Jude motioning for me, I excused myself from Stacy to join him.
“Is this the one?” I asked as I approached. He nodded, fidgeting as he waited for me to see. Gasping, I clasped my hand over my mouth as I stared at the photo. Tears rushed to the surface, and I did nothing to stop them this time. “Did you do this?”
He nodded, and I finally wiped my tears before I pulled him into a hug, clinging to him. When I felt like I could speak without crying, I drew back and peered at it more. I noticed Jude wiped his eyes too, but I let it slide, the emotion too real to diminish today. He’d used photos I’d taken when I was younger, photos he’d taken of me, his own images, including ones of him, and had morphed them into a collage. As I stared, tilting my head, a shape began to emerge.
“Is that…”
“A penguin,” he answered, a bright smile on his face. He pointed to the piece's title, and my tears wanted to explode out of me again. Misfit Penguins.
“Oh kid, you’re gonna make me a sobbing mess.”
He laughed. “Sorry, I just thought we needed a family picture.”
Any chance I had of keeping them at bay broke, and I started crying again. I felt a large body pull me into their arms, and from the scent of fresh cotton and slight sandalwood, I knew it was Sax. He held me for a while, rubbing my back before he gave in and asked the question.
“Spitfire, what’s wrong? Who do I need to beat up? What did you do, little watchdog?”
“Me? Nothing, I just told her it was a family portrait. I didn’t think she’d cry this much. Lor, I’m sorry if it was presumptuous.”
His doubt had me pulling away, wiping my eyes. “Jude, no! I’m not upset at all. I’m overcome with emotion because it means everything to me. Everything.” I reached out, grabbing his hand as best I could with Sax’s arms wrapped around me still, holding me to his chest. At the rate I’d been crying tonight, I was scared to look at my face. Jude looked at Sax, a satisfied look on his face as he took in the big man, causing me to laugh.
“Loren, it seems you’ve decided to humiliate your father and me further,” a voice from behind said. My blood went cold, and I turned, my eyes spitting daggers at my mother. Today was not the day to mess with me, and Jacqueline Hanover was about to discover why.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I’d asked your opinion. In fact, I never have, and yet you think you can give it whenever you feel like it. Well, not anymore. I’m done, Mother. I know you and Brian are up to something, and I will find out. So, you might as well come clean now and save yourself some humiliation.”
I saw fear flash for a second before she swallowed, lifting her nose up in the air. “I don’t know what you mean. Clearly, this was not the black-tie event I expected if they let riff-raff like your companion in. I think it’s time for me and my money to leave. I’ll be sure to tell my friends on my way out. Your event is going to fail, just like everything else in your life has without me.”
Scoffing, I prepared to let her have it again, but someone else stepped in.
“Mrs. Hanover, Jacqueline, is it? I don’t think we’ve had the displeasure to meet yet. That’s been on purpose on my end, at least. It’s good you’re leaving, since you couldn’t afford anything here, anyway. Isn’t that right?” Atticus asked politely, an air of regalness she’d never be able to replicate dripping from each word. He continued on, not giving her a chance to respond, and I could kiss the stubborn man for how brilliant it was. It was entertaining when his ire wasn’t directed at me.
“As for your friends, who are they exactly? If what I’ve heard in the circles are true, you’ve hit up all your rich friends for a loan, and they’ve all declined you. Seems your poor behavior has finally caught up to you, Jacqueline. So, please do enjoy your trip out of the benefit. We don’t need anyone of your kind here.”
“My kind! Listen here—“