Stealing the Bride

Court squeezes my hand. “Well, Steve, this isn’t my fire to put out. And why would I bother to fan the flames when you’re doing a great job pouring oil all over it?” He turns to me. “You want to stay, or head home?”

Dad’s gaze bores into me, willing me to stay put. But I’m done, even though I feel bad about not eating the rest of Mom’s cooking, because I know she put a lot of effort into it. “Home.”

And I walk out of a family dinner for the first time in my life.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Court

I follow Skittles out. The balmy air does almost nothing to calm my fury. I didn’t expect Steve to be overjoyed, but for him to be so blatantly hateful…

Fuck.

I want to rage, scream and throw things. But that won’t solve anything. It certainly won’t change Steve’s mind.

We climb into my Maserati. I’m steaming, and so is Skittles. She doesn’t need me for any anger fanning. She needs to forget her shitty dad and be happy she got what she wanted.

“You know, we should’ve asked your mom to pack us some of that pot roast before leaving.” I need to break the tension somehow. “Now your dad’s gonna get to enjoy it.”

She snorts. “Ha. He’s probably wearing some right now.”

I laugh hard at the image, then link our fingers tighter as I drive down the residential road. “I’m sorry I didn’t control my temper better, but he really pissed me off.”

“It’s okay. I felt the same way. Thanks for standing up for me.”

I shrug it away. “Was he this infuriating three weeks ago?”

“Not this bad. Probably because he was smug about me being unemployed.” Suddenly, she laughs.

I give her a funny look. Is this what happens when you’re at point-of-no-return anger? “What’s so funny?”

“Dad. He told me you were a perfect catch because you’re young and rich.”

“Hey, he isn’t wrong. I’m a fantastic catch.” Except I don’t want those to be the only attributes she associates with me. “Besides, I’m not just young and rich. I’m also pretty nice. Good in bed, too. I bet none of your other boyfriends got paid after a one-night stand.”

She giggles. “I thought you were mad I only left fifty bucks.”

“That’s all you had on you, so you basically paid me your entire fortune at that time.”

She leans over and kisses me. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Being wonderful and supportive.”

I smile. I can’t remember the last time a girl I was dating thanked me for anything. Now that I think about it, they just assumed they were entitled to everything I have because we were dating. And although Skittles is definitely entitled to everything I have, it’s nice to not be taken for granted. “That’s the prerogative of a billionaire. Supporting whoever you want.”

“Yeah, but it got you on my dad’s bad side. Trust me, he won’t be thinking you’re such a great catch after today.”

Oh good. That means I’m not the regressive asshole he wants me to be. “Who cares? It isn’t like he and I are going to get married. The only thing that matters is what you think of me.”

I feel the weight of her gaze as we stop at a four-way intersection. I glance over, wondering if she’ll say something. I know I love her, but does she reciprocate? Don’t women usually feel it before men? At least that’s what all those headlines on Cosmo covers make it sound like.

I let the car start to inch forward.

“Court, I—”

Something flashes in my peripheral vision. I slam on the brakes. “What the fuck!”