“Isabella?”
In the wake of her mother’s hoisted brow, Isa realized she hadn’t properly coached-slash-warned him of what to expect. Namely that her mother and father weren’t big fans of the “renegade” Cranes.
“Are you going to introduce me to your date?” Her mother’s smile was plastered on, but her eyes allowed her thoughts through clearly.
“Of course. Helena Sawyer, Eli Crane.”
Her mother’s expression slackened and her eyes traveled to Isa’s.
“Oh, really.” Rather than extend a hand for him to take, Helena brushed the pearl necklace at her throat. “I wasn’t aware Isa knew the Cranes…intimately.” Her hooded glare swept over to Isa as if to say, Aren’t we a little old for teenage rebellion?
“We are acquainted professionally as well,” Isa said, tucking herself closer to Eli.
“Josh will be disappointed”—her mother ran a judgmental gaze over Eli—“if you don’t congratulate him personally before we get started.” She took Isa’s wrist and gave Eli another fake smile. “If you’ll excuse us for a moment.”
“No, I don’t think I will,” Eli replied. Helena froze, scandalized. “We came together, didn’t we, Sable?”
Isa didn’t miss the sneer her mother shot her at the nickname, but Isa only smiled as she freed her wrist from her mother’s grasp and went to Eli. Since when had he become her safe space?
Helena’s mouth settled into a dissatisfied moue.
“Thank you,” Isa whispered to him as they followed Helena through the well-dressed crowd.
“You don’t have to play nice, you know,” he said as they followed.
“I do if I hope to blend with this crowd.” Everywhere she looked there were CEOs and corporate brass—and not just from Sawyer Financial. “I was hoping to make a good impression.”
“We will. But it doesn’t mean you have to adhere to the rules they set before you left. And you did leave, Sable.”
At the mention of the business she’d proudly built, she pulled her shoulders back.
“In fact, let’s have a cocktail before introductions.” Eli’s mouth played at the corners. “He can wait.”
“He can,” she agreed. And she liked the idea of making Josh wait for as long as they decided.
Eli shot Isa a full-wattage grin, his eyes on hers as he called, “Helena.”
When her mother turned, he announced, “We’ll join you in a few.”
Without clarifying or waiting for Helena’s approval, Eli turned on his heel and led Isa to the bar. She followed, liking that she had him to lean on. She had no problem battling her parents and had done it for years. But having him on her side was as surprising as it was amazing.
***
“You need to brief me before I talk to this guy.” Eli steered Isa away from her aghast mother, liking how he’d swept her out of there. What he didn’t like was that Isa didn’t tell him anything about Josh other than her parents wanted them back together.
“All you have to do is say ‘Nice to meet you’ and then we’ll go back to our table,” she said. “No briefing necessary.”
“I promise you, I will not say ‘Nice to meet you.’” He let out a noise halfway between a grunt and a snort. “How long did you date him?”
“What? Why?”
At the bar he released her to reach for his wallet.
“Champagne okay?” he asked.
“I guess.”
Since when did she not know what she wanted? He gave her his full attention. “Wine? Beer?”