Princess in Lingerie (Lingerie 12)

“So, she isn’t just your maid,” Carmen said with victory. “I knew that wasn’t possible.”

“Mind your own business, Carmen. Every time you talk to a guy, I don’t assume anything.”

Carmen laughed loudly, like I made some kind of joke. “Anytime a guy comes anywhere near me, you treat him like a criminal.”

“Because he probably is,” I countered. “You don’t have good taste in men.”

“Excuse me?” she hissed. “When have you ever seen a guy I’ve dated.”

“I don’t need to.”

Mom sighed at our bickering. “Knock it off. We’re all together now, and we should be happy. We have so much to be grateful for. We have a new Barsetti, and Carter is going to be close by from now on.”

I never thought I would be happy to have my mother intervene. It reminded me of our childhood. Carmen and I didn’t bicker very much anymore, but then again, we weren’t around each other a lot. She was headstrong and opinionated, never afraid to speak her mind regardless of who she angered. It was one of the things I loved about her…but also hated. “Well said, Mama.”

Carmen rolled her eyes when our parents weren’t looking.

Mia brought dinner a moment later, and once everything was set on the table, she returned to the kitchen to start the dishes.

We talked about Reid most of the time, along with Vanessa and Griffin.

“I like Griffin a lot,” Mom said. “He’s got a dark side to him, but most men do. It’s natural.”

“I like him too,” Carmen said. “I’ve never seen Vanessa happier. She’s dated a few guys but never anyone who’s made her fly so high. I can tell he really loves her. Whenever we go out, I see the way he looks at her. I hope I find a man who will look at me the same way.”

I didn’t want to deal with that day when it arrived. Dealing with Griffin was already a pain in the ass. When it was my own sister, it would be even worse. I knew exactly what kind of monsters were out there. The last thing I wanted was for my sister to end up with one of them.

“I have no doubt you will,” Mom said. “When you find the right one.”

“Nunneries are cool too…” I suggested, half joking and half serious.

She rolled her eyes. “Should I tell Mia the same thing? Bet you wouldn’t like that…”

No, I wouldn’t. That was the only pussy I was screwing these days. When I tried to recall the last woman I’d been with, I couldn’t even remember a name. It was over two months ago now. It was hard to believe I’d been with the same woman that long.

“Mia is very pretty,” Mom said. “Where did you find her?”

Father and I agreed to keep up the lie, but now that Mom was asking me for details, I felt shitty for making up a story. “I asked a friend for a recommendation, and her name popped up. She’s good at taking care of the house, but she’s also loyal. I wanted someone I could trust.”

“She seems very nice,” Mom continued. “Does she live at the house, or does she drive home?”

Carmen watched me, interested in my answers.

I didn’t want to lie about all the details. It would just bite me in the ass later. “Yes. She lives here.”

“So you live with that hot piece of ass?” Carmen asked. “All the time?”

I glared at her. “Don’t call her that.”

“It was complimentary,” Carmen said. “She’s drop-dead gorgeous. Like, why is she a maid when she could be a model for Conway?”

“Not all women want to parade around in their underwear,” I snapped.

“Is there something wrong with women wanting to model lingerie?” She tilted her head to the side, cornering me into an argument on purpose. She was too smart for her own good and knew how to spin the narrative. If she got tired of being a florist, she could easily be a lawyer.

“That’s not what I said,” I argued. “Mia likes her job.”

“I can’t imagine anyone would want to wait on you,” my sister responded. “Mom did it for eighteen years and hated it.”

“I did not hate it,” Mom said with a chuckle. “I miss it, actually.”

“Why are you hung up on my maid?” I asked. “Do you want to date her? Because I can put it in a good word for you.”

Carmen narrowed her eyes on my face. “I’m sure she’s too busy with you.”

Father drank his scotch, doing his best to ignore both of us.

“Anyway,” Mom said. “Dinner was delicious, so she seems like a good addition to the house.”

“She is,” I said. “She also has a son who’s going to be staying here.”

“A son?” Mom asked in surprise.

“Really?” Carmen asked. “How old is he?”

“Eight,” I answered. “I haven’t met him, but he sounds like a good kid.”