Page 94 of The Bad Boy Prince in Love

Chapter 50: Those Europeans

Hallie’s mother wasthe first to regain her ability to speak.

“I don’t know what’s going on in here,” Vivian began, “but we didn’t raise you to be like this, Hallie!”

“I didn’t know you were invited!”Hallie fired back.

“How can we not be invited to our own daughter’s housewarming?”Vivian replied.

Hallie would have loved for them to be shocked and appalled like this a mere couple of months ago, but things had changed so much since Luke came into her life.She wanted her parents to keep thinking of her as the good daughter.

“Sam, Vivian!”Luke walked over, somehow seeming less drunk than he was.It must have been his secret princely ability to appear presentable at a moment’s notice.“It’s nice to see you both.Don’t worry, Hallie would never do anything irresponsible.I’m keeping an eye on her.”He gave them a humorous wink.

Hallie noticed Terry’s victorious smirk in the background.Her sister would just love this kind of thing.Maybe she was the one who convinced their parents to come all the way to the city just to see Hallie caught unawares.

“I don’t know,” Vivian said, bristling as she gazed at the half-undressed people staggering and writhing around the apartment.“Is this really a way to celebrate a housewarming?”

“Honey, it’s okay,” Hallie’s father said, “Luke and his friends are bound to get a little rowdy now and then.They’re European!They have different ideas over there, more free spirited.”

“This is different all right,” Vivian scoffed.

“Yeah, you know how it is over there,” Sam went on.“People are always running around in their underwear.”

“I guess...”Vivian said, and Hallie could see she was calming down.

“I’m sorry you were shocked, Vivian,” Luke said.“I don’t normally celebrate in such an unruly way, but I just wanted Hallie to have a good party.”

“It’s very thoughtful of you,” Vivian said, smiling at him.

It seemed Luke had worked his magic again.Hallie was grateful he had only been doing his ‘mild’ drinking.And as an extra bonus, Terry looked peeved.

“I don’t fucking believe this!”Terry said and stormed out of the apartment.

“Now what’s the matter with her?”Vivian asked.

“Just being Terry,” Sam replied.

Hallie could not believe how much she was getting away with, all thanks to her princely fake boyfriend.

***

THE NEXT DAY, HALLIEmet her mama for lunch at a Mexican restaurant.Although Hallie slightly dreaded the meeting, her mama looked glad to see her.

“Sorry about last night,” Hallie said as they sat down in a booth.“I didn’t know Luke was going to invite all his crazy friends.”

“It’s all good,” her mama said, “Sometimes I forget you’re a grown up, and as long as no one got hurt, everything is fine.”

Hallie would have though it was obvious she was a grown up, and it had made her endlessly frustrated in the past that her parents didn’t seem to see it.She had waited such a long time to hear her mama say it!

“So is Luke being a good boss?”Vivian asked.

“Yeah,” Hallie said.He had a very relaxed leadership style that was almost non-existent, but it seemed to work.“He trusts in my opinion as a marketing expert, and as a local, to figure out how to attract Texan customers.”

“That’s great!”Vivian said.“I just had a good feeling about him.”

“Why?”Hallie asked.

“I don’t know.He seems like a really good guy.And besides, you look happy.”