simultaneous looks of death from Rori and her mom hit her dad at the same moment.
“Well, I hope you like this show as well,” was all Rori said. “I think you’ll find a lot of the pieces relatable.”
Mike hid a smile at the comment. An insult hidden inside a pleasantry? He hadn’t seen this side of Rori before: the well-bred bitch side. He’d certainly had a peek at the well-bred part of her, but for the most part she’d kept her kitty claws in around him.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Mike piped in, earning a cautionary look from Rori. “But I asked to tag along on your tour so Aurora doesn’t have to waste time giving me a separate tour. So please don’t mind me as I shadow you. I’ll just be listening in.”
“Of course,” her father said, giving Mike a once over. That alone would have been weird, but the look was compounded by the fact that Teddy looked him over at the same moment.
Yeah, Mike definitely wasn’t going to get along with Rori’s dad. Rori’s mom made no comment at all as Rori pointed them toward the exhibit hall and got the awkward ball rolling.
As far as tours went, Mike noted it was succinct and fact-based. No personal details, no stories about the pieces, and no praise from her parents who both seemed to regard the exhibit critically. Their lack of support was only slightly more disconcerting than Teddy’s instant attachment to the sculpture Rori had done of heart-shaped male and female hips.
“Oh, Richie, I want it!” she pled. “I love it!”
“We’ll see,” he said like a patient parent.
Mike watched Rori’s mom closely. She didn’t say a word throughout the entire tour, choosing instead to communicate her opinions through momentary looks aimed at her daughter whenever she had a moment of displeasure. Which was quite often.
What a mind game, was all Mike could think. How did a person stay sane in a family like that? He wanted to send Rori a few looks of encouragement, but quickly realized that she was purposefully avoiding him. And while that irked, he got it.
It wasn’t until everyone was sampling the wine that had been chosen for the following evening that Mike had a moment with Rori. She was frazzled, but Mike had dealt with frazzled women before. For once that night, he knew exactly what he needed to say.
Sliding in next to Rori as he grabbed a glass of wine, Mike leaned in and whispered, “What can I do to help?”
“Besides make the bubblehead disappear? It’s enough just to have my mom and dad here.”
He considered that. “Is that it? The girlfriend gone and things won’t be so rough?”
“It would be a godsend,” she said without hesitation. “But no need to try to step in, Mike. Girls like that don’t walk away from men like my dad unless they’re looking at an upgrade. You’re cute, but you can’t buy her a mini-mansion and a car for every day of the week.”
Mike smiled. “You and your pessimism again.”
“Realism,” she countered.
Mike narrowed his eyes playfully. “Twenty bucks says I can win her over and make you eat those words.”
She laughed, he was guessing for the first time that day. “Are you kidding? I’d give twenty bucks just to have that leech off my dad for five minutes so I can talk to him.”
A corner of his mouth quirked up into a smile. “Well, I am a man for hire.”
She studied him. “You’ll distract her for five minutes?”
“Yes, but that will be before I steal her away completely.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “No charge on that one.”
Her smile changed to a frown, which had Mike hiding a smile. He couldn’t be sure, but he would have bet money that it was jealousy that narrowed her eyes. Rori didn’t want him hitting on Teddy, even if it was fake. It was almost time to make his move. Thank god.
“I hate to burst your bubble, Mike,” she said. “But you are not an upgrade from my dad. You don’t stand a chance.”
“Oh, ye of little faith.”
“Oh, me of lots of experience,” she countered.
“Well, get ready to eat your words then,” he said with a smug smile before pushing away in Teddy’s direction.
It was to see how exactly how much he could ruffle Rori’s feathers.
Chapter 51
It took a minute to break the code on Teddy. She wouldn’t even make eye contact with him, until he pointed out one of his cameras. That’s when he got his bite.