“Oh, yes, Briar and I are well acquainted,” he adds, and I bite the inside of my cheek to stop from laughing out loud.
If only they knew.
“Dinner will be served in two minutes.” Tobias’s voice filters through the room, and I turn just in time to see the door shut.
I take a deep breath and prepare myself for what is likely going to be the longest and most uncomfortable dinner of my life.
Chase escorts my mom to her seat, pulling out her chair, and when Travis touches the small of my back, I jump. “Just go with it,” he grumbles, so quiet I almost don’t hear him.
I nod, feeling more unsettled with his hands on me than I did when I discovered he was my new stepbrother.
Now if my skin would just stop tingling where the heat of his hand presses against me, that would be great.
He leads me to the table and pulls out a chair for me before sitting between me and Chase, opposite my mom. Why they need an eight person dining table for the four of us is beyond me, but I’m not about to voice my questions.
Just as he sits, the door opens and servers appear, placing a plate in front of each of us before disappearing without a word.
Is this really how the other half live? Not even acknowledging their staff?
I resist the urge to roll my eyes as Chase smiles at me. “So, Briar, how is everything going at Saints U? I trust you’re settling in well?”
“I am, thank you. And thank you for getting me in so last minute.”
He waves me off before picking up his cutlery. “It’s nothing. The dean is an old friend of mine. I assume the dorms are to your liking? Your mom thought you’d feel more comfortable there for your freshman year. Personally, I don’t like the lack of security. I’d have preferred you to have stayed here, or lived with the boys.”
I balk at his last comment and take a sip of my drink to try and hide it, because absolutely not. The thought of being stuck inside four walls permanently with Travis… no, I’d rather peel the skin from my fingers.
“The dorms are great, my roommate is awesome, as are the girls across the hall. It’s been a good way for me to meet people,” I offer, and he smiles, nodding, seemingly happy with my answer. He turns his focus to Travis and I let out a breath, looking down at my plate of whatever the hell this is. I glance up at Mom, but she’s too busy giving Chase googly eyes to notice my dilemma of whether or not I can actually eat what's on the plate before me.
“It’s duck,” Travis whispers to me when Chase asks my mom a question.
“Thank you,” I murmur back, grateful that he seems to have dialed back his intense hatred of me for the evening, even if it’s all just a show.
I manage to navigate my way through the five-course meal, trying not to groan over the delicious salted caramel and dark chocolate mousse for dessert, which I was definitely too bloated to eat, but forced myself to anyway.
Everyone knows you have a second stomach for dessert. It’s the rules.
When the table is clear and Tobias comes to offer coffee, I jump at the chance. I need to be caffeinated, otherwise I’m going to go into a food coma. The guys decline, and Chase pours himself another two fingers of whiskey, but Travis declines since his glass isn’t empty. He’s been nursing the same one all night.
I guess Travis got his drink of choice from his dad. I swear it’s the only thing I’ve actually seen him drink.
“If you ladies will excuse us, I just need to walk Travis through some business from this week before he takes you both back to campus, Briar,” Chase announces, pushing his chair back and standing.
I open my mouth to object, but Travis squeezes my shoulder as he stands and I shut it. Apparently, now is not the time to argue that I’m an independent woman who doesn’t need a chauffeur.
Travis and I had that exact discussion earlier, so I’m not opposed to hashing it out again, but something about Travis’s demeanor makes me shut up.
Instead, I nod, and Chase kisses my mom's cheek before they leave the room.
“Isn’t he wonderful?” Mom sighs dreamily once they leave, and I laugh softly.
“As long as you’re happy, that's all I care about, Mom,” I answer without actually answering. There is something about Chase Kensington that puts me on edge. Maybe it's the warnings from everyone else, maybe it's just my read on him. Whatever it is, I’m not sure I like it.
“I am. Happy, I mean,” she says with a wide smile. “This is it for me, Briar.Heis it for me. The part of me I always knew was missing.”
I nod, letting her ramble on about her happily ever after rather than speaking the retort about how a life with money definitely isn’t what she was missing. When Tobias brings me the coffee I pleaded for when he came in earlier, I thank him profusely, grinning wider when I notice the huge swirl of whipped cream on top. Somehow, I resist the urge to squeal with happiness as I taste the peppermint in the chocolatey coffee delight.
He is too good to me already.