Filthy Beast(68)

I can’t help but smile at that. “There’s mom,” I say, pointing. She’s walking quickly toward the back of the ballroom, heading right toward Belinda Stitcher, the woman who headed up this whole thing.

Belinda is standing with a man that I’ve never seen before. He’s wearing a tuxedo, like everyone else in this place, so he must belong here. But he’s younger than most of the men, maybe in his late thirties at most.

And he’s handsome, incredibly handsome. He has striking blue eyes and close-cropped brown hair, a bit longer on top, combed back. His jaw is square and there’s a bit of stubble on his chin, like he couldn’t be bothered to shave for this event. He nods at Belinda and walks away quickly before my mother arrives.

I only get a glimpse of him, but I’m fascinated. I’ve never seen a man like him before at an event like this. He looked rugged, handsome, not at all like the stuck-up and stodgy old men that typically come to a charity event.

“Who was that?” I ask Peter.

He shrugs. “Who knows? Probably a waiter.”

I smile half-heartedly at his joke. Even Peter can be stuck-up sometimes.

We watch as mother accosts Belinda. They speak for a moment, and suddenly mother steps back, her eyes wide. And then the conversation begins again, this time with a renewed frenzy. Mother looks angry and Belinda a little overwhelmed.

“What’s that all about?” Peter asks me.

“I’m assuming she doesn’t approve of my future date,” I say.

“Of course she doesn’t.” Peter gives me a look. “Unless he’s old money and powerful, Regina Tillman does not give a shit about him.”

I laugh softly. Mother breaks away from Belinda, looking angry. I’ve seen that look before, and I don’t like it at all.

Peter waves at her, and she spots him, sighing to herself. She walks over to the pair of us, glancing around like she’s afraid that someone will notice something is wrong.

“Well, mother?” Peter asks her.

“Don’t be rude, Peter,” Mother says, though her heart isn’t into it. She looks at me, a frown on her face.

“What?” I ask her.

“I found out who your date is, and you simply aren’t going.”

I pause for a second and it hits me.

My date has to be that man.

“Who is it?” I ask her, my heart beating fast.

“It doesn’t matter. You’ll go with Milo and that’s that.”

“Mother,” I say softly. “Tell me.”

She looks a little surprised. I don’t often stand up to her. Which is probably why she actually listens for once.

“His name is Gavin Waller, and he’s not appropriate, not appropriate at all.”

I don’t recognize the name, but Peter laughs out loud. “Waller! He’s that young guy, made a mint selling guns to the military before making even more on the stock market.”

“It wasn’t guns,” my mother says. “He sold flooring laminates.”

“Boring. I prefer the guns,” Peter says.

“Was that him?” I ask my mother. “Talking to Belinda just a second ago.”

She pauses and nods. “That was him. And Sadie, he isn’t appropriate for you. No, not at all. We’ll go with Milo.”

“He won me,” I say loudly with more force than intended.

It surprises me almost as much as it surprises Peter and my mother. They both stare at me like I’ve gone insane.

My mother snaps out of it quicker than Peter. “Sadie, what did you just say?”

“He won me,” I repeat, a little softer. “And he bid a lot of money. The hospital needs that money. I’m going on that date.”

She stares, shocked. “You absolutely are not.”

Peter laughs and grins at my mother. “She has a point, mom. That was a lot of money. If she backs out, imagine how it’ll look?”

Peter nudges me, and I understand where he’s going with this. “We’ll look stingy,” I say. “Like we don’t care about sick children. It’ll be a scandal.”

The dreaded “s” word brings my mother up short. She chews her lower lip for a moment, thinking. “We can’t afford to appear like we hate sick children,” she says slowly.

“Mother, Sadie simply must go,” Peter says.

“He’s right. I have to go. It’s my duty.”

Mother agrees, nodding. We just played on all her weaknesses. Image, duty, and the fear of scandals are all serious motivating forces for our mother.

“Very well. We’ll figure it out.” She looks away. “Come on. Let’s go join your father.”

Peter grins at me and I feel a thrill run through me. I don’t get my way very often in this family, and it feels good to finally stand up for something.