She hooked her arm in mine, and we headed to the patio. “How did he land Miranda?”
“He’s on his best behavior around her. Wait and see. He’s like a lovesick puppy with his wife, though I haven’t figured out if it’s her money or her he’s more crazy over.”
“He’s really dumb if the answer isn’t his wife. She’s cool as hell.”
“That she is.”
Brunch went by in fits of awkwardness, followed by fits of eye-rolling boredom. Abby’s dad, Bob, liked to golf, and Andrew liked to talk about it, so that dominated much of the conversation. I was grilled by both Bob and Andrew about my classes, and Abby took it upon herself to talk about hers. All the while, Helen ate her fruit and waffles and periodically held my hand under the table.
Toward the end, I had started to relax, probably due to the extra vodka in my two Bloody Marys, but a lot came down to sitting beside Helen, who was so unbothered by it all, it was impossible not to take that in. She really didn’t give a fuck what any of these people thought about her, but she’d also made an effort with her dress, her smiles, her answers, to make a good impression—and that was all for me.
Leaning close, so my mouth brushed her ear, I whispered, “I love you.”
She smiled without turning her head and squeezed my fingers with hers. The words didn’t need to be spoken back for me to hear them.
“Theo, son,” Bob wiped his mouth with his cloth napkin, “I didn’t see the i8 in the drive. Is it in the shop?”
Abby giggled. “Daddy, Theo doesn’t have the i8 anymore.”
“Oh, really?” Bob sat forward, resting his arms on the table. “What are you driving these days?”
I cleared my throat. “The Toyota in the driveway is mine. I wanted something less flashy.”
Andrew scoffed. “He sold the i8 without saying a single word to me and came home driving that piece of shit parked out front. Let’s just say I was not pleased.”
Miranda laid her manicured hand on his arm. “I explained to Andrew what happened. Theo had a friend in an emergency situation that required money to solve. Theo didn’t want to ask me for a handout, so he proposed selling the i8. You know me, I can’t say no to helping a friend, and I am well aware Theo never liked my old car, so I helped.”
Helen’s ease had disappeared, leaving her stiff and shifting uncomfortably in her seat. I took her hand in mine, stroking her knuckles to let her know I was right there with her.
Andrew sent me a hard glare from across the table. “I’ve yet to hear who this friend is and exactlywhythey needed the money.”
“It’s private,” I gritted. “All of this is private.”
Abby giggled again, and her eyes landed on me. “Well, it can’t be Helen. She has a job I’ve heard isverylucrative.”
I stood so fast, my chair scraped on the patio stones. “Enough, Abby.”
Abby’s eyes rounded. “What? It’s not like it’s a secret Helen’s a stripper. Everyone knows. All the frat boys like to go watch her dance on the weekends.”
Bracing a hand on the table, I leaned across, jabbing a finger in her face. “What happened to you? Are you so fucking jealous and spiteful you have to go after a girl who never did a single thing to you? Or is this who you’ve always been, and I was too stupid to see it?” I shook my head when her mouth fell open. “I don’t give a shit what your answer is. Anything good we ever had is erased. I don’t know your name anymore. I don’t recognize your face. You do not exist.”
Abby gasped, and she wasn’t the only one, but I didn’t care. She could be jealous and rude and get her little digs in. I’d swallow it down. It didn’t matter what she said to me. But this? No, this would not stand. She’d gone way too far.
Helen’s warm fingers wrapped around my wrist. “Theo, come on. It’s okay.”
“Is this true?” Andrew boomed, his face bright red and throat mottled.
I started to respond, but Helen got there first. “Not entirely, but it’s also not untrue.”
Enough was enough. I wouldn’t allow Helen to be subjected to any more of this. Unwrapping her fingers from my wrist, I caught her hand, tugged her to her feet, and started striding for the door. My father barking my name stopped me.
He spoke to my back. “Wait in my office, Theo. We need to talk.”
Without turning around, I nodded and continued inside. Once I’d gotten Helen well away from the patio doors, I backed her into a wall and bracketed her head with my arms.
“Are you okay?”
She stared back at me, earnestness in her expression. “Are you? You must be so embarrassed.”