Four Day Fling(13)

“I’m not. Your family is great. Your mom’s a little bit of a loose cannon—”

“A little bit?” I looked at him. “She’s lost her marbles!”

He laughed, leaning closer. “I’m trying to be nice.”

“Just say it as it is. You might have noticed that my family tends to say what they think.”

“I figured that out when your dad told me I’m a fucking amazing player, but I need to stop wasting chances a spider could take.”

“Oh, God,” I muttered.

Adam laughed and touched my back. “Don’t worry, Red. He’s right.”

“Oh, Goddddd,” I muttered again. “I want to die.”

“There’s no need to be so dramatic. It’s fine. On the bright side, we didn’t have to handle the whole, “How did you two meet?” scenario.”

“Not yet,” I corrected him. “But the worst is yet to come.”

“Why?”

“My grandfather gets here tomorrow. He’s the worst of us all. He has a story for every family function and he’ll talk your ear off.”

“It’s a good thing I’m a patient listener.” He grinned.

“It’s too late for me, but you can still leave.” I finished my wine. “My mom is undoubtedly going to say I deliberately brought you as my date to upstage my sister.”

“Which you couldn’t have possibly done, because you had no idea who I was.”

“Adam. I can’t tell her that. I lose in every scenario.”

He looked at me for a minute, then laughed.

“This isn’t funny.”

“It’s ridiculous. I have a feeling this weekend might be the most fun I’ve had in ages,” he said.

“Really? Being in a room where everyone knows who you are is fun to you?”

“Well, it’s part of my job.”

“I mean here right now.”

He turned his entire body until he was facing me and leaned in. “Actually, nobody has recognized me at all. Only your family. For the most part, unless anyone here is a fan, they won’t know who I am.”

“Like me.”

He grinned. “Like you, Red.”

I blushed and pushed hair behind my ear. “I hope so. If too many people fangirl over you, my mom is going to kill me.”

“Should I set up a table in the corner if it happens? Send people in groups?”

“No. Pick me up, and we run, just like you promised.”

“Deal. Where are we running to?”

“Anywhere that my mother isn’t.” I snorted.

Rosie slipped into the other chair. “Okay,” she said, leaning over to both of us. “I think I convinced Mom you didn’t do this to upstage me. I heard her mention it to Dad who promptly told her to shut up and jumped in there. Then she got pissed at me for talking to her instead of entertaining my guests.” She gave me a grimace and pinched her fingers. “I’m this close to going Bridezilla on her.”

“Rosie. Shouldn’t you be entertaining your guests?” Mom appeared out of nowhere and gripped the back of a chair.

“We were just clearing something up,” Rosie said.

“Like what?”

“She’s not sure about one of the cocktails,” I lied. “I told her I’ll do the cocktails tomorrow at lunch, so she doesn’t have to worry.”

Mom looked at us suspiciously. “Which cocktail was she worried about?”

Ah, shit.

“Does it matter? It’s Poppy’s jobs to handle the cocktails,” Rosie said.

“Thank God,” I muttered.

“What was that?” Mom shot daggers at me with her eyes., “I coughed.”

“Hmm.” She scanned us all with one quick flick of her gaze and let go of the chair. “Rosie, Mark’s parents are looking for you. They have a gift for Rory in their room and don’t know what you’d like them to do with it.”

My sister shot me a look and stood up.

“It’s also time for the speeches after that. Poppy?”

“Yes?”

“Is your speech ready?”

“What speech? I don’t have a speech. I have to say something at the wedding, but not now.”

Mom stared at me. “You’re scheduled for a speech tonight.”

Through gritted teeth, I said, “Then unschedule me.”

“Are you going to upset your sister by not doing what you should be?”

I folded my arms and sat back in my chair. She wasn’t going to guilt me into this. Not a chance in hell. Nobody told me about speeches at this party, and I wasn’t going to stand up there and look like an idiot.

No way.

Mom sighed. “Fine. No speech. But I expect you to pay full attention.”

“Mom, this is a wedding, not a math class.”

She looked like she was going to say something, but instead clicked her tongue and turned to Rosie. “Come on.”

Rosie wiggled her fingers and followed Mom through the tables.

I let go of a heavy breath, rested my elbows on the table, then buried my face in my heads. “Fuck me.”

Adam laughed, rubbing his hand down my back. “Need a drink?”