Page 101 of These White Lies

I set my beer bottle down hard enough to cause every head around the table to turn toward me. I meet Todd’s eyes. “That’s probably why she’s one of the most successful attorneys in her field. She’s learned that her energy and time are worth something and those who aren’t worthy get left behind.”

His smirk vanishes. A few people drop their gaze and shift in their seats.Good.Theyshouldbe fucking uncomfortable. This is her family, for fuck’s sake. They should be cheering for her, not pissed off because she made a name for herself.

Elizabeth’s cheeks are pink, and I can’t read her expression. Is she mad? I might have overstepped with her brother-in-law, but I’ve officially reached my limit. I can’t listen to these people try to diminish my Firefly’s light for one more second.

Caroline is shaking her head laughing when she rejoins us. “Those boys are more exhausting than my class.” Picking up on the tension around the table, she looks around. “Uh-oh. What did I miss?”

“Nothing,” Elizabeth offers her sister a half-smile.

I stand and offer my hand to her. She takes it without hesitation, and when I close my fingers over hers, I feel that beat. That strange flow of energy I always feel when I’m touching her. Fingers entwined, I keep her close as we head inside, across the porch.

Should I apologize? I don’t want to because I’m not sorry.

Behind us, Caroline’s voice is sharp. “Why do you have to be like that? I don’t blame Beth for not coming around if this is how y’all act.”

The door shuts behind us, thankfully muting the outside noise. My pulse is still riding high, every muscle wired from the effort to keep my hands off that asshole at the table.

Elizabeth leans into my side like she’s trying to anchor herself—or me. Maybe both of us. I breathe in her warm skin and let the scent calm me.

That’s when I notice the group of women across the kitchen, one of whom is staring at us like she’s just spotted a unicorn. Her eyes are wild and wide, and she is practically vibrating with excitement. Her stemless wine glass sloshes as she points at me, bouncing on her heels.

“Holy shit, it’s you!” She blurts out, loud enough for a couple of heads to swivel our way, and then she beams at Elizabeth. “Nice work, Beth. He’s a hottie.” She smirks at me. “Nice to see you again.”

Elizabeth’s groan is barely audible, but I feel the way her shoulder dips. The woman sets her glass down and starts toward us with single-minded energy, completely oblivious to the audience watching us curiously.

When she stops directly in front of us, I feel the deep breath Elizabeth inhales against my side as her posture becomes ramrod straight. “Brady, this mouth is my cousin Laura.”

I give the young woman a polite nod, my brain already flipping through information trying to figure out when I’d met her before.

Laura’s grin is mischievous. “Technically, we didn’t meet last time. I only saw you across the parking lot, andyouonly had eyes for Beth.”

For a moment, I’m confused, and then the memory snaps into place, but Laura is still talking.

“I drove Lia Everton to Atlanta.” She looks at me, willing me to remember, and I give her a wary nod. “You know. That movie star client of Beth’s. I had to pick her up from a cabin in the mountains, and you were at her condo, doing some kind of security thing.”

Laura looks vaguely familiar, and she’s correct that, that day a year ago, when I swept Luke’s wife’s condo, I was transfixed by Elizabeth.

It was the first time I’d seen her since the party, and without a mask. While her eyes hit me like a sucker punch, it had taken me several moments to put together why.

“Beth said she didn’t know you, but you were staring at her like a creeper, so I knew there had to be more to it. Beth is never uncomfortable, but she was?—”

She doesn’t get the rest out because Elizabeth smacks her palm over her cousin’s mouth with a feral smile. “Shut up, Laura.”

Laura blinks, her cheeks crinkling in a smile under Elizabeth’s hand, while half the women in the kitchen appear as if someone just handed them front-row seats to the best gossip of the year.

I slide my arm around Elizabeth’s waist

“What’s going on?” Elizabeth’s mom asks. “When was this?”

Laura holds her hands up in surrender, and Elizabeth drops her hand to her side. “No big deal, Aunt Jean. I’m just teasing Beth.” Then she hisses so the older women can’t hear. “I’ll be good, I promise.” Laura giggles, and Elizabeth gives her a hug, relaxing for the first time in what feels like hours. “It’s good to see you.”

“You, too.”

“Are those pains in the ass giving you a hard time?” She angles her head toward the screen door.

“It’s fine.”

The word grates on my nerves. It’s not fine. I can’t say I blame Elizabeth for not running back all the time if this is how her family behaves.