Page 45 of Never Marry the Best Man (Whatever It Takes #4)

Tom

A short, extremely uncomfortable silence ensued, then Evan laughed. It was the laugh of someone who feels sure there is a joke being played but isn’t quite so sure what it is.

“Very funny. But how do you know each other? Are you in the wedding business?”

“I am lately,” Tom answered, radar pinging, his attempts to take in all the tension in the room and sort it into a solid understanding of the issues failing. This oddly did not bother him.

His own extended family had trained him well.

For emphasis, he kissed the side of Ranney’s head.

He’d only had two sips of his drink, but they were generous sips, and he was already feeling expansive from chatting with Mame.

In fact, he felt quite like a master of the universe.

The kiss he'd shared earlier with Ranney set his mood, giving him an unambiguous sense of their potential together.

He was already making B she seemed to know how much Evan loved her cooking, and she also knew he would probably be picking up takeout.

“You’re killing me. Can I get a rain check?”

“I’ll put some in a container for you. I know how Ilene is.”

While Charlene went to pack a to-go bag as Evan chuckled, he walked over to say goodbye to his mother, who had been uncharacteristically quiet since he arrived. Before he reached her chair, the reason for her silence became apparent.

She’d been thinking.

“Your solution to Tom’s problem has a flaw,” she informed her daughter.

“That seems to be the general opinion,” Ranney said drily, swallowing with a click Tom heard in his heart. “Which one do you mean?”

“It’s too cloak-and-dagger. It looks like you’re trying to hide something, which you are. What we need is an actual ceremony, with guests, family and friends.”

At Ranney’s sharp intake of breath, Mame added quickly, “It doesn’t have to be big–after all, it is your second marriage. We can have it here, in the garden. Say forty people. You can wear an ivory suit. It will give us a chance to meet Tom’s family.”

“I’ve already met Tom’s family, some of them, at least.” There was a note of panic in Ranney’s normally unflappable voice. “And no! This is not a real marriage, Mame, you know that. Thank you, but no.”

“Hmm…” Evan said thoughtfully. “Any kind of legal ceremony would just complicate things. But a blessing or celebration of some kind? A reception? It certainly makes the whole thing look less suspicious to any authorities who might look into it. I think it could reduce our exposure.”

“ Reduce our exposure?” Ranney sounded incredulous. “It completely exposes what was supposed to be completely private! Forty people–you can’t be serious! This was supposed to be a favor I was doing for a friend. It’s not real but you’re trying to make it real… Tom, tell them!”

“I don’t know,” he said slowly, enjoying this. “Evan’s an attorney. If he thinks this would be the best course of action, maybe we should listen to his advice.”

“It’s not his advice, it’s Mame’s, and she just wants to have a party to show all her friends who I married! Wants to repeat the phrase 'Lady Phillips" as often as possible. She wants to buy a new dress and a lot of flowers and meet your father, the duke!”

“Ranney!”

Tom barely heard Mame’s shocked protest. Ranney’s voice was shaking and full of tears, and he instinctively reached for her, wrapping her in his arms. A small clattering noise from the doorway briefly drew everyone’s attention as Charlene, bearing a soup tureen, perceived the drama and made a quick U-turn back to the kitchen.

“Whatever you want is fine,” Tom murmured. “I just want you to be happy. I’m perfectly okay with telling the world you’re my wife. In fact, that’s exactly what I want to do. But we made a deal, and this is your call.” He kissed her cheek. "And my father is an earl," he whispered. "Mame said so."

"That doesn't help," Ranney whispered back.

“Evan,” Mame said shakily, “help me up to my room, please. I’m not up to having dinner tonight after all. Tom, I so enjoyed chatting with you. Please come by anytime and we’ll pick up where we left off.”

“I’ll do that,” he replied. “It would be my pleasure.”

Leaning on Evan’s arm, she looked years older than she did an hour ago. “Good night, dear,” she said as they passed Ranney.

“Mamie–”

“We’ll talk another day. I’m tired now.” She and Evan disappeared inside.

“That went well,” Ranney said wryly, after a moment’s pause. “I’m so sorry, Tom. This was a bad idea.”

“No, it wasn’t. It’s just normal family dynamics, it will all blow over. I hope I didn't offend her?”

“It's me, not you. I shouldn’t have lost my temper. She’s my mother and she’s getting older.

She’s wonderful and I love her, but she can be a steamroller sometimes.

And Evan showing up, that was bad timing.

Or... planned by Mame. Who knows? It's suspicious enough. And the job contract talk, all the judgment. I just felt backed into a corner, like being a teenager again. I wish you hadn’t seen it. ”

“Are you under the impression that my family is always beautifully behaved and free of conflict?” he asked, smiling. “Or that we have no big personalities in the group? No outspoken or opinionated parents or grandparents?”

Charlene reappeared, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Well. It looks like plans have changed. Would you like to come into the kitchen and have some bisque?”

“That sounds like a very good idea,” Tom answered, but Ranney looked doubtful.

“Maybe we should just leave? We can get dinner someplace on the way.”

“You could do that, but I’ve got a big pot of bisque in there that’s never going to taste any better than it does right now.”