Scott’s mother is easy to pick out of the assembled group, as she’s the only woman old enough to be such. Reading her face, I think she’d rather be anywhere but here, but it’s better than Robert, who gives me an icy look. I do my best to keep my chin up as Scott turns to me. “Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Madison Parker. Maddie, this is my father,” he says, continuing around the circle.
Everyone except for Olivia is coldly hostile, especially Robert’s date. Or maybe it’s his girlfriend, I’m not sure. Either way, she’s younger than me, and while I hate to be judgmental, she probably doesn’t know a thing about business except how to spend Robert’s money.
Olivia, though, gives me a polite handshake. “It’s good to finally meet you. I’ve heard you were pretty, but I think the rumors don’t do you justice.”
Before I can thank her, Chase speaks up. “Yep, seems my little brother did something right . . . for once.”
For some reason, I feel a need to defend Scott, but before I can, he responds to his brother himself. “Chase, jealousy is not becoming. By the way, where is your date?” Scott says, looking around like Chase’s date might be hiding somewhere in the atrium.
The sting seems to hit its target as I notice a slight flush to Chase’s neck, but his expression doesn’t change. “My date is here. She simply ran to powder her nose.”
Robbie approaches, offering a handshake of greeting to each male Danger before thrusting his elbow out to Olivia and they excuse themselves to mingle.
A redheaded stunner strides toward our group, her tiny frame incongruous with her large presence. Chase watches her approach with a predatory smile, “Oh, here’s my date now.” The pixie smiles coyly and Chase introduces her. “This is Gabrielle Williams. Gabby, this is my mother, Patricia Brookhurst.” He continues around the group, and I catch Gabby’s subtle glance up and down Scott’s body as she shakes his hand. Her handshake with me is limp, so I make sure to squeeze back extra-hard, communicating without words that he’s mine.
Scott’s mom breaks the small talk suddenly. “Well, enough chitter chatter. Shall we head upstairs and get this show on the road? I’m sure we’d all like to get the presentations over with.”
I look at Scott. Is his mother always this rude? He’d told me that his parents’ divorce wasn’t exactly amicable, but that his mom made her dutiful appearances at business functions because she retained a voting share in the business as part of the divorce settlement. But for something Scott has told me is a pivotal moment in the company, she seems shockingly blasé about tonight.
“I agree, Mother. I think Madison and I will head upstairs.” He dips his chin politely and leads me toward the bank of elevators. One dings, and we step inside, blessedly alone for a moment.
“Brrr . . .” I say with a smile.
“Oh, come on now. That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Scott asks. “I think Olivia actually likes you.”
“Are you kidding? She was polite . . . but the rest of your family hates me.”
Scott laughs lightly, taking my hand. “They hate everyone. I think they even hate themselves sometimes . . . except Chase. He thinks the whole world revolves around him.”
“Is he always so . . . I don’t know, an ass?”
Scott laughs again. “No, unfortunately, that’s usually reserved just for me. Keep your eyes open and you’ll see what I mean. For now, it’s time to mingle.”
Mingling turns out to be a nearly exhausting half hour of Scott and me moving around the room, shaking hands and being introduced to more people than I can remember. Most of them are men, although there are a few women. I don’t include the dates because it seems a lot of them are merely accessories.
Scott, though, always makes sure I’m introduced, and while I can’t add a lot to the conversations, I do what I can, and Scott never lets me be ignored. Still, by the time we sit down to the dinner portion of the evening, I’m glad to have only one table of people to deal with. We make our introductions, and I make it a point to memorize these people’s names since I’ll be with them for the next couple of hours.
Scott leans over and whispers in my ear, “You’re doing great, a total natural. You’ve got everyone in the palm of your hand. Me