Page 51 of Power Move

“It was a gift,” I answered.

“I am silently judging you for fighting me about paying for brunch.”

“Judge me all you want, Davey, but this is just how I am.”

Davey tossed my bags into the waiting car and sped to catch Daphne and his mother. I gathered if we lingered, people would suspect something was up. I hung back with Chloe.

“He has a crush on you. Watch out,” Chloe said.

I coughed, horrified. “What?”

“Davey. He has a crush. I can tell. He gets all aggro and prince on a white horse. I’m not saying he’s a red flag, but... he’s a man-child and he’s not… without his issues. None of them are. His mother is a pain in the ass. I am warning you woman-to-woman.”

“Good to know.” I broke into a sweat.

The Delphine’s compound gave little indication about the house hidden behind its grand stone fence. Once the gates opened, a gorgeous country house emerged, set just above the dunes. Lake views abounded. It was big as could be and somehow effortlessly elegant in a way only billionaires could make it. Danna Delphine had good taste.

“Come with me,” Daphne beckoned. “I put you just around the corner from me. If you needanything, just let me know. I want you to make yourself at home.”

“This is too much, really,” I said. “The hotel would have been totally fine.”

“Well, I would have worried too much. You’re new and it’s a lot. The party animals are over there, and you’d have to explain dozens of times why you weren’t drinking. I wanted to make it easier.”

“I appreciate that.”

My room looked over the boardwalk and shoreline. The breeze felt wonderful. The bathroom had a big soaker tub. It was better than any hotel. I was living a life of luxury. Mona’s parents had a wonderfully decorated grand house in the Lake District, but it paled in comparison.

Lovely or not, I was staying in my baby daddy’s family’s place—the family who had no idea we even slept together, let alonethat I was pregnant with his love child. We kissed, didn’t talk about it, and now I wanted to run for the hills but couldn’t.

Davey

During sunset, we hosted dinner for everyone on the patio. A chef worked in the kitchen while I observed the table setting. Where had Mum put Eva? I was seated at one end of the table—though not the head—and Mum at the other. She’d placed Claire and our CFO around me. I went down to the other end to find Eva was right there—right by Mum. I flew around to the other side, praying she’d be near Lanie or Chloe. No such luck. She put her across from our Chief Marketing Officer. All he’d do was flirt all night and back Mum up because he was a kissass.

“David Jr.!” Mum spoke as if she knew I was onto her.

“Mum, please,” I groaned.

“You better not be moving those seating cards around, Davey!”

“I would never do that, Mum,” I said.Though I would if you’d disappear.

“I very carefully curated the table for balanced discussions. You said she got on with Norm, so I put him on this end. And she doesn’t know the marketing boy?—”

I kneaded my temples. “He’s our CMO, Mum.”

“Well, he is young and handsome, and she could do worse. Do you know that she drives aHonda?”

If you only knew, mother.

“Are we judging people on the cars they drive now?”

“She has a very well-paid position at a prestige company. She’s an up-and-comer. The people who want to succeed take pride in their appearances.”

I investigated the living room, where Daphne and Eva appeared deep in conversation. In her jade-colored dress, Evacouldn’t be more beautiful. I didn’t know what my mother was talking about.

“She’s a pretty girl,” Mum insisted. “She should have a car to match, is all.”

“I agree,” I said, “but I think it makes more sense to put me in the middle. We’ll put the least senior people on the outside.”