I step inside. “Blue Porter. Garrick’s girlfriend.”
“Oh, girlfriend,” the other man says. His hair is pitch black. Both of his ears are pierced, and he has a stud in his lip. He’s shorter than Theo, and the sleeveless hoodie he’s wearing shows off sharply defined muscles. “Garrick just said he was bringing a date. Girlfriend is serious.”
“Not that serious.” I hope it’s the right answer. I should have asked Garrick more about our fake relationship, but I got distracted.
Garrick wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me deeper into the house. “We’re serious enough that if you try to steal her away, Mav, I will kick your ass,” Garrick says.
Mav hoots. “Don’t threaten me with a good time, brother. It’s been too long since I’ve tested my skills against you.”
Mav offers me his hand. “Maverick Riverton. How’d you get a name like Blue?”
“It’s a family name,” I lie. It’s the only correct answer among wealthy people who don’t understand silly mothers who care more about a good time and attracting the right man than they do about propriety. “Where’d Maverick come from?”
He grins. “Mom said I shot out of her like I was looking for trouble. Maverick just fit.”
Okay. So maybe they’re not the typical rich people.
“That is not at all how I put it.” An elegant woman dressed in wool slacks and a fitted angora sweater, her blonde hair gleaming in the light of the chandelier overhead, smiles serenely as she sashays over to me. She sticks out her hand. “Miranda Riverton. You must be the reason my son’s been refusing to come home.”
“Mother,” Garrick says in a warning tone.
“I highly doubt that,” I say. “Until about a month ago, he was doing everything in his power to drive me out of town.” I’m improvising to keep from taking the blame, but also because her suggestion belittles the importance of Garrick’s business.
Miranda’s brows rise just enough to make it clear the older woman isn’t using Botox. Her beautiful, nearly wrinkle-free skin results from good genes or expensive treatments. Probably both. “That sounds like a story I’d like to hear.”
She turns and walks away, and I let out a breath of relief before she looks back over her shoulder. “Come along, dear. I’ll introduce you around.”
Garrick walks toward her with me, but she narrows her eyes at him. “Your father would like to speak to you. He’s in his study.”
“I’m not leaving Blue alone,” Garrick says.
I wrap an arm around his waist to keep him close.
“I promise I’ll be nice. Maisey’s dying to meet her.”
Garrick sighs and looks down at me. He doesn’t have to ask. I see the question in his eyes.
I let go of his waist and slip out from under his arm. “I’ll see you soon.” I put a firm emphasis on soon to let him know not to spend too much time with his father. Part of the deal is that I won’t leave him alone, but I don’t know how to do that without causing a scene.
Garrick looks absolutely devastated to be letting me go. What kind of monster is his father?
His mother loops an arm through mine. “We won’t keep you apart for too long. Don’t worry.”
“He’s just worried I’m going to steal this girlfriend like I did the last one,” Maverick says.
“Tilda only went out with you because we’d already broken up.” Garrick’s already walking toward a door on the far end of the entrance hall.
“Keep telling yourself that,” Mav says. “We all know who the most desirable Riverton is.”
Hudson threatens to take that bet, suggesting a competition to see who can get the most numbers at the bar tonight. I don’t hear the rest because Miranda drags me out of the foyer and down a long, dark hall.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Garrick
I’m in my parents’ house for five minutes and already I’m letting go of my plan and forgetting all my boundaries. It’s unbelievable how quickly I fall back into old patterns once I’m around my family again.
And this walk to my father’s office is a very familiar pattern. Whenever I fucked up, which was often, I was forced to go to his office, where I’d endure a lecture and sentencing. There was never a trial. My side was never allowed to be heard. I’m the family fuck up. Of course, I was at fault.
