Estelle brushed an imaginary strand of hair off her perfectly made-up cheek. "I just came over to remind you that the President of Greenlawn College is coming for dinner tomorrow night and he'd like to talk to you about that coaching job. And since members of the Board of Trustees will be attending, it's important that you be there."
"Important to Theodore, you mean."
"Any dinner party involving the college is important to your father." She batted her eyelashes in an obviously practiced move designed to silently sway him.He merely glanced heavenward, dismissing her.
It struck Annabelle, not for the first time, that this woman didn't know how to work her son to get him to do her bidding, Every move she made seemed to strike Vaughn the wrong way.
"It's also important to you, dear. Especially with their job offer on the table."
Vaughn shook his head. "I already told them and you, I'm busy with the lodge and the volunteer work I do at the high school. I don't want their job."
Estelle looked at Annabelle, treating her to a pleading, woman-to-woman glance. "Would you please tell him that it's more respectable to take a paying job as a football coach at a Region One college than to work for free with the juvenile delinquents who don't want to study hard enough to pass their classes?"
And now Annabelle understood what Joanne meant when she'd called Vaughn's parents elitist snobs. She tensed, waiting for Vaughn's reply.
"Those delinquents are kids that the system ignores." Vaughn's voice rose in anger. "Sports is their only chance of getting into a decent college, and if I can help them see that academics are important too, then I’ll have accomplished something," he said, gritting his teeth so hard the muscles bulged in his neck.
She didn't know why these kids were so important to Vaughn, but at least now she understood his goals. From a business angle at least, Annabelle could come down on Vaughn's side.
"Actually from a public relations perspective, volunteer work is much better than work for hire," she said to Estelle. "Vaughn obviously doesn't need the coaching job to make a living and if he's giving back to the students and to the community, it's admirable." Her defense of Vaughn came too naturally for her peace of mind and she told herself she admired his goals, nothing more.
"Yes, well you're merely a hotel manager, dear. You wouldn't understand the world of academia that Brandon comes from." Estelle studied her from behind her large-framed sunglasses.
Annabelle suffered the subtle put-down in silence. Apparently her men's-style plaid pants and white T-shirt hadn't passed Estelle's inspection. The thought had her biting back a grin. She chose to shut her mouth and let his mother continue.
"Vaughn has the opportunity to make his father proud and it's time he took it," Estelle continued, oblivious to the fact that she'd long since lost her audience.
"A Superbowl ring wasn't enough for the old man," Vaughn explained to Annabelle in a bored voice she didn't buy for one second.
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His father didn't find the biggest accomplishment in Vaughn's career enough? That had to hurt, Annabelle thought.
"Let's not revisit old drama again," his mother said. "You know how I hate airing family business in public. Just tell me you'll be at the dinner. Please."
"I agree with your mother," Annabelle chimed in, seeing the opportunity as a golden one.
"Like that's going to sway me." He folded his arms across his chest and stared stony faced.
She sighed. Whatever Vaughn's reasons for not wanting to attend this dinner, they couldn't be as important as the PR reasons for him to attend. College events would bring visitors who would need a place to stay. Though Vaughn didn't yet realize it, he needed the University President and Board Trustees on his side, referring guests to his lodge.
And since Vaughn was paying Annabelle to do her job, she damn well intended to push harder and explain her reasons to him later. "Your mother's right. I wouldn't understand academia," she said, neglecting to mention her college degree and her MBA. "But even a dinner party would be a nice diversion from this small town with no nightlife." She grasped his arm and squeezing tight. "Can't we go, please?" she asked him in a whiny, girlfriend voice.
His mother already thought them a couple. She saw no reason not to reinforce the notion.
He cleared his throat. "I don't think-"
"Oh, please? I brought a nice dress and I'd love an excuse to wear it."
Estelle remained silent, obviously weighing her options. Her son at the dinner party with his inappropriate girlfriend or no son at all. "Annabelle's right, Brandon. Give the young lady an excuse to get out of her sweats and dress up for a change."
Annabelle shot Vaughn a triumphant grin. Damn she was good at reading people and gauging their reactions. Estelle had played right into her hands.
"Fine. We'll be there," Vaughn said, patting her hand in a way that felt more like a slap than a love tap.
"I can't wait to tell your father." Estelle jiggled her keys and began to walk away.
Annabelle knew she'd pay later, but for now she was darn proud. She'd just performed her first duty as his publicist and garnered him an important public appearance with her by his side.