“Well most of the guests have RSVP’d, and it looks like we’re going to have about two hundred,” Mom is saying. She shakes her head. “And that’s mostly from my side. It’s a shame you don’t have any family besides Zane. I’m glad most of your friends from work can make it.”
Bill hunches his shoulders and stabs at his roast beef. “They’re more like acquaintances than friends,” he mutters. You can totally tell he only invited them because Mom must’ve hounded him into it.
“Zane, when are you going back to L.A.?” she asks, and my ears perk up, waiting for his response.
“Tonight. I’m all packed up,” he says.
“Oh, that’s a shame you have to go so soon after we just got back.” Mom sighs. “You’ll be able to come back for our engagement party, right?”
Zane flashes her his killer smile. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
He glances over at me and catches me gaping at him. I hastily look away, slamming my hand down on the table. My fingers hit the edge of my spoon that’s balanced on the plate, catapulting a blob of mashed potatoes into the air. It lands with a splat on Bill’s shoulder. He doesn’t even notice.
While I’m wiping the mashed potato blob off his shirt, Mom turns to Zane again. “So, did you and Violet see a lot of each other while Bill and I were gone?”
Eek!
Zane manages to catch my panicked gaze, and his eyes sparkle with mischievous malice. “Oh, a fair amount, wouldn’t you say, Violet?”
I grit my teeth and rub harder at the damp spot on poor Bill’s shoulder.
“That’s good. I’m glad you two are getting to know each other.”
“Oh, yeah,” Zane says and smirks at me. “I had her for dinner once. Best meal of my life.”
Oh, my god! “Really?!” I snap, glaring at him.
I feel like I might burst into flames. How could he say that, with that smile on his face?! And look at the suggestive way he's slowly chewing his asparagus.
Oh, god, they’re gonna know what we did! They…
“I think you got it out, Violet,” Bill’s voice interrupts my frenzied thoughts. He tries to pull away from my vice grip on his sleeve.
“Don’t say things like that!” I blurt out, accidentally glaring at Bill. “I mean—uh, sorry!”
By some miracle, Mom is completely oblivious to Zane’s double meaning dirty talk. “I was almost worried that you guys wouldn’t get along,” she laughs.
Zane chuckles along with her. “Well, Lily, we did have a bumpy ride in the beginning, but now Violet’s like the little sister I never wanted.”
I kick him under the table. Hard.
“Ouch!” Mom yelps, and looks down. “Violet! Did you just kick me?”
I gulp, eyes widening guiltily, meanwhile Zane—the jackass—is making muffled sounds behind his fist. “No!” I deny, and cut my gaze to Bill, silently implicating him.
It only goes downhill from there. After dinner, I yank Zane by the front of his shirt into the bathroom. I just shut the door when he shoves me against it, trapping me with his body.
"Are we doing it in a bathroom?" He grins down at me. "Violet, I’m shocked."
"Oh, shut up!" I place both hands on his chest and try to push him back. He doesn't budge. "How could you have said those things in front of my mom, you pervert?! What if she had caught on?"
Zane just shakes his head. He braces a hand against the door, above my head. "Oh, come on. Parents only hear what they want to. Your mom's so distracted by the wedding plans, I could do this in front of her, and she wouldn't even notice."
He presses closer, trailing kisses down my neck. I shiver uncontrollably.
And just like that, we're making out wildly against the doorway. In the bathroom.
I can't help it—Zane does something amazing with his hand, and I moan loudly.
"Ssh!" He laughs and presses a finger over my lips. I freeze under him.
Suddenly, there is a knock on the door.
"Violet? Is that you in there?"
Mom!
I stare helplessly at Zane. Oh, crap!
"Uh, no, it's me, Lily," Zane answers, saving me. "I'm just having some problems with my…zipper."
I snort loudly. Zane, his dark eyes dancing, covers my mouth. We both snicker at Mom's silence.
"Oh," she finally says in a subdued way. "Well, let me know if you need any help. Oh—no, I didn't mean it like that! I just meant if you—oh, no. Okay, I'm going to go! Well, good luck!"
Zane rests his forehead against mine, trying hard not to laugh. "Okay! Thank you!" he manages to say.
We both collapse in laughter. Zane's hand is still over my mouth, so I bite it. He winces and pulls away with a little smirk.