“Mom.” Gerrit cuts her off.
“Fine.” She rolls her eyes. “We can talk about that later.” She winks at Kinley.
Gerrit pulls out a chair for his mom. She sits down next to my sister. I’m about to try and sneak in between them, but Gerrit takes my elbow, leading me around the table and pulling a chair out for me. I sit down. Both his mom and my sister are watching us. He sits down next to me. I gasp when the chair starts to slide, pulling me closer to him. He hooked his foot under it to drag it over to him.
Mrs. Kane starts laughing. “I’m rather enjoying this.” Mindy comes back out a few moments later and brings out some waters for everyone before she brings out the first round of mini cakes.
“How did you know I was here?”
“I know a lot of things.”
I shake my head, which earns me a rare smile from him. One that makes him look more boyish than the normal suited-up Gerrit I’ve always come into contact with. He’s not even in a suit today, and I’m pretty sure that is a first for him. He’s in jeans and a black plain shirt that stretches across his broad chest. He looks like a normal guy. Except for the Rolex on his wrist that cost more than some people’s cars.
“You’re staying?”
“Yes.” He leans back, throwing his arm over the back of my chair and looking as relaxed as if he’s without a care in the world. As for me, I’m fighting not to fidget, a terrible habit of mine that Mom has been trying to break my whole life. It’s gotten better over the years, but times like these are when it’s the hardest for me to control.
“You look beautiful as always,” he whispers in my ear, and my whole body lights up. I swing my eyes to him. He grabs my hand, running his finger over the ginormous ring he gave me. We continue to stare at one another.
“Round one.” Mindy’s voice breaks me out of whatever hold that man’s handsome face has over me. She’s followed by a few helpers who go around the table, placing the first of the mini cakes in front of everyone. “I started off with a classic. Vanilla cake with vanilla bean buttercream. Simple but delicious.”
When the vanilla cake with fresh strawberry filling comes out, I moan. I feel Gerrit tense beside me. I steal a peak at him to see that he’s staring at me.
“Do you like the strawberry?”
He nods. My eyes linger on the hard line of his jaw, enjoying the dusting of his five o’clock shadow coming in. It looks good on him. I’m sure most things do.
“I’ve been craving strawberries lately.” His eyes drop to my mouth. I stare at him for a moment before my mind catches up to what he’s saying. I always wear strawberry lip gloss. It’s an obsession of mine.
“I think this is a winner,” Kinley declares in a low whisper. “No need to let them know before we’ve sampled all of them, though. We’re getting more of that cake.”
Gerrit’s mom, Evelyn, as she asked me to call her a few minutes ago, laughs along with my sister.
When the bell over the door sounds again, we all turn and look to see it’s my mother. “I don’t know why we had to come all this way for a cake,” she huffs as she fiddles with her purse. “I’m sure that soon-to-be husband of yours could have arranged for this to be done at home.” I drop my head, feeling embarrassed in front of both Gerrit and his mom.
“Oh,” Mom says in shock a moment later. I’m guessing she hadn’t realized that my soon-to-be husband was here. “You know because there is so much to do and only one of you.” She quickly tries to cover up her earlier complaint, and pretend that she wasn’t trying to put me down and was actually concerned with my well-being. “People coming to the house would be easier on you, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart? Kinley mouths, a look of confusion on her face. I’m sure I’d be wearing the same exact expression if I weren’t so upset that she embarrassed me. Gerrit's thumb lazily drifts across my back, his hand still on the chair.
“My wife can have whatever she wants. Wherever she wants it.” His unwavering gaze is locked on my mother. His jaw is hard, as though he’s trying to control his anger. I find that I’m the one reaching for his hand this time under the table. His eyes go to where I’m now stroking his hand before locking with mine. “Next time be on time or don’t show up at all.”
We all sit there in shock. I’m finding my future husband has many sides to him. It’s clear you don’t want to get on his bad one.