by Alice Ward
“We’re about ten minutes from the penthouse. We don’t have much time, are you close to ready?”
“I just have to put on my tux.” He hesitated for a moment. “I have some bad news, baby.”
“What?” I asked, my heart sinking.
“My mother read about the gala in the Times. She bought a table and will be there tonight with nine of her snarkiest friends.”
I absorbed the information then blew out a breath. “It’s okay. As long as you’ll be there, I’m happy to deal with your mother. And it’s not as if we have to sit with them,” I pointed out.
“I’ll be by your side the entire night,” he promised. “I’m even leaving my phone at home.”
My heart filled with gratitude and I remembered why I’d fallen in love with Drake in the first place. He had a way of knowing just what to do to make me feel better about any situation.
“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” I asked.
“I love you too, baby. I’ll see you soon.”
CHAPTER 7
e
“You look amazing.” Drake beamed at me as I stepped out onto the terrace. He held me at arm’s length and spun me in a circle. The skirt of my emerald gown belled out around me and then fell to my knees. The fitted, strapless bodice showed off the curves of my breasts.
“You don’t look so bad yourself.” I grinned back at him. The pale grey fabric of his tux highlighted the blue flecks in Drake’s eyes, and the perfectly tailored cut accented his broad shoulders. “Sometimes when I look at you, I still can’t believe you’re real,” I confessed, falling into his arms.
“I feel the same way.” He kissed me on the forehead and then we turned, looking out at the park as we held each other.
“Stephanie just started on Piper’s hair,” I told him, bringing a hand to my sleek up do. “She should be ready to go in about ten minutes.”
“Just enough time for a pre-gala glass of champagne,” he said, turning me towards the bistro table. A bottle was already open and waiting in a bucket of ice. Drake moved to the table and filled two crystal flutes.
“To you, Chelsea. You’ve worked so hard making tonight perfect for the donors. So I’m going to make sure that the gala is perfect for you.”
We clinked our glasses together and I sipped our champagne as the sun began to set over the park. I leaned back into Drake as he wrapped me in his arms from behind. I was about to turn and kiss him when his text alert chimed.
“I thought you were turning that off tonight,” I said as he pulled away from me and took his phone from his pocket.
“I will,” he promised, reading the message. His jaw tensed and his face flushed red, but he put his phone back in his pocket without replying.
“What’s going on?” I asked, the tension rising in my voice.
“Nothing that can’t be dealt with later,” he replied, leaning down to kiss me.
Just before our lips met, we heard someone clear their throat. I looked past Drake and saw Piper in the doorway. Her blonde hair fell in curls around her face and her cheeks darkened to a blush.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she said with a grimace. “I’m ready when you are.”
“No need to apologize,” Drake answered with a smile. “You look lovely tonight, Piper. I’ll text Vince and have him pull the car around.” Drake sent the message as we walked across the terrace. “And now I’m turning it off,” he announced, silencing his ringer.
That’s not technically off, but I’ll take what I can get.
We gathered our things and rode the elevator down to the lobby. Vince already had the limo at the curb, the back door open and waiting. Drake and I settled in to the forward facing seat while Piper sat down across from us. When he wrapped his arm around me, I felt his phone vibrate against my ribs.
“Baby, if you need to deal with business, I understand,” I told him with a sigh.
“One vibration means text message, Chelsea,” he reminded me. “If it’s an emergency, they’ll call. So Piper, is Martin meeting us at the hotel?” he asked, changing the subject.
Piper nodded. “He’s riding over with Oliver and Stacey.”
Drake’s phone vibrated again and his shoulders tensed. I didn’t want to fight in front of Stacey, but I couldn’t let it go unnoticed. I pulled away from Drake and crossed my arms over my chest.
“When you said you were going to turn your phone off, I thought you meant all the way off. This is ridiculous, Drake. If you’re going to leave it on, you may as well answer it.”
Piper looked out the window while Drake shifted nervously on the leather seat. “I’m sorry,” he said, taking the phone from his pocket. “You’re right, a promise is a promise.” He held down the power button until the screen went dark.
That was easier than I thought it would be. Maybe I didn’t have to be so snappy.
I lowered my voice and took his hand. “Baby, I over reacted. I’m sorry. If you really need to leave the phone on, I completely understand.”
“No, Chels, I’m sorry,” he replied quickly, his face riddled with more guilt than called for. “This is your big night. I’m going to be here for you, one hundred percent. The phone is staying off.”
At that moment, my phone started ringing and we both burst out in laughter. “I didn’t make any promises,” I smiled, pulling it from my evening bag. “And this is definitely business,” I added as Pete’s number flashed across the screen.
“Hi, Pete. Please tell me that everything is okay.”
“Everything’s fine, but where the hell are you? The guests are starting to arrive, including a very pushy woman who claims to be Drake’s mother. She paid for a table of ten and brought ten women with her. She’s insisting that we put an extra chair at the head table, so she can sit with you.”
I sighed. “Just do it, Pete. Trust me; it’s easier than arguing with her.”
“All right. I’ll see you soon.”
I stuffed my phone into my bag and turned to Drake. “I’m eating my words about not having to sit with your mother.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, his voice a blend of confusion and anger.
“She’s at the hotel, bossing Pete around. She insisted that he add a chair for her at our table.”
“And you told her to do it?” he exclaimed, his head falling back on the seat.
“Do you think she’d back down if we told her no?” I countered.
Drake took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “No,” he finally agreed. “Mom’s not above causing a scene to get her way. You did the right thing.”
“Yeah, and I have a feeling I’m going to have to pay for it for the rest of the night.” I frowned.
He put an arm around me and kissed my forehead. “I’m not going to let her ruin that for you, Chelsea. If she steps out of line, I’ll have security escort her out myself.”
“Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that,” I said as the limo pulled up at the hotel.
“I think you should both relax,” Piper advised as we filed out of the car. “Didn’t Rebecca bring a bunch of friends? Surely she wouldn’t act out in front of them.”
I guess we’re about to find out.
I plastered a smile on my face and stepped into the crowded lobby.
***
“Chelsea dear, how wonderful to see you again,” Rebecca gushed, pulling me into a hug. “Thank you so much for arranging for me to sit with you. I can’t wait to get to know you better.”
I stood in silent shock as she kissed me on the cheek and turned to embrace Drake.
“What are you up to, mother?” I heard him hiss in her ear.
“I’m not up to anything,” she whispered before turning back to me. “I owe you an apology for the way I behaved the first time we met. Your relationship with my son came as quite a shock to me, and I didn’t handle it well. The two of you have made your intentions clear, and I’ve accepted that. I was hoping that we could start over tonight.”
Rebe
cca’s apology didn’t come across as genuine, but I accepted it to keep the peace. If she could fake it, so could I.
“Thank you, Rebecca,” I told her warmly. “That means a lot to us.”
“Now, I know that you’ll be busy all night but I simply must introduce you to my friends. They’re already seated at the table.” Rebecca took me by the arm and tried to lead me away from Drake. He stepped between us and took my hand.
“I’ll join you,” he insisted, staring down defiantly at Rebecca.
“Suit yourself,” she shrugged and moved deeper into the ballroom.
As we walked through the crowd, Drake leaned down and whispered out of the side of his mouth. “Whatever you do, don’t let her get you alone.”
“What do you think she’s going to try?” I whispered back.
“I have no idea. That’s what terrifies me.”
We reached Rebecca’s friends and she introduced them one by one. The women greeted me with warm smiles and offered heartfelt congratulations on both the engagement and the gala. Every single one of them wrote the society a five figure check. If Rebecca had been bad-mouthing me to them, they certainly weren’t showing it. As I thanked them all for their generosity, I spotted Oliver, Stacey, Martin, and Piper sit down with Pete and his wife Amanda. I excused myself and joined them, Drake and Rebecca at my heels.
“Hey, neighbor,” I said, wrapping Stacey in a hug. She looked beautiful in the black gown she’d hated so much at the boutique.
“Chelsea, the ballroom looks amazing,” she gushed.
“I’m proud of you, sis,” Oliver added, kissing the top of my head.
“Thanks, Ollie. Everyone, this is Drake’s mother, Rebecca Waters. Rebecca, this is my brother Oliver, my sister-in-law Stacey, Piper, Martin, Pete, and Amanda.”
Most of the table seemed intimidated by Rebecca, but my brother remained unfazed.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Waters. Please, join us.” He pulled out the chair beside him and Rebecca took a seat.
“It’s nice to meet you too,” she told him. “My son tells me you’re quite the salesman.”
Oliver gave me a quick wink and smile before focusing his attention on Rebecca. He kept her amused until it was time for me to take the stage and officially begin the evening. I stepped up to the microphone and greeted the crowd.
“Good evening and welcome to the one hundred and eleventh Founder’s Day Gala.”
The donors applauded as they found their seats. I launched into my welcome speech while the wait staff began passing salads and filling water glasses. I updated the crowd on the success of our student outreach program and gave a detailed list of the museum’s latest acquisitions. I went into great detail on the plans we had for the money raised at the gala, promising that every dime would be used to preserve our city’s rich history. As I spoke, I watched a tall blonde woman approach our table. Drake spotted her a moment after I did and jumped up before she could get any closer. He was obviously angry. He took the woman by the arm and led her to the edge of the room. Somehow, I managed to continue my speech like nothing was happening.
While I described the society’s goals for the year, Drake bent over the woman, whispered something into her ear, and then abruptly turned and left her by the wall. He sat back down at the table as if nothing at all had happened. I wrapped up my speech, introduced the small orchestra that would be playing throughout our meal, and fled the stage, eager to understand what the hell was going on.
“Fantastic speech, sis,” Oliver said, still clapping when I reached the table.
“Thanks,” I replied as Drake stood and pulled out my chair.
“Who was that woman?” I whispered into his ear.
“That was no one, Chelsea. I’ll explain everything later,” he whispered back, refusing to look me in the eye.
We sat down for what turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant meal. My heart skipped a beat when Rebecca asked about our wedding plans, but she was surprisingly receptive to our low key ideas.
“Extravagant weddings aren’t for everyone,” she agreed. “But I do hope that you’ll let us pay for everything. Low key or not, this is a Waters’ affair. Certain standards must be kept to.”
“Mother, I’m paying for the wedding,” he insisted. “Don’t start getting ideas in your head. Chelsea and I would be honored to have you there, but the only standards we’ll be keeping to are our own.”
His willingness to stand up to her made me forgive him for the incident with the blonde. From the way they acted, I assumed they were once in a relationship. I knew Drake had girlfriends before me, and we were bound to run into them once in a while. It wasn’t his fault she’d approached him and tried to cause a scene.
“Well, surely you’ll let us pay for something, as a gift?” Rebecca pressed. “We could hire a band for the reception, anyone you want. You’re my son, Drake. And you’re getting married. You have to let me be a part of it.”
I imagined for a moment how my own mother would feel if she had to beg to play a role in the wedding, and my heart filled with sympathy for Rebecca. As the night wore on, she seemed more and more genuine. I decided if Drake wasn’t going to offer her an olive branch, I would.
“A band would be fantastic, Rebecca. Thank you,” I said with a smile.
“You’re welcome,” she replied, rising from her seat. “I need to go to the ladies’ room. Chelsea, would you care to join me?”
“Of course,” I said, pushing my chair from the table.
Drake’s shoulders tensed and he grabbed my hand. I remembered his earlier warning and gave him a reassuring squeeze.
“I’ll be fine,” I whispered, following Rebecca away from the table. She took me by the arm as we navigated around the other tables.
“I’m very impressed with what you’ve done here tonight,” she told me as we stepped into the lobby. “I look forward to attending your future events.”
“This is the last one,” I explained, pushing open the restroom door. “Next Friday is my last day at the society.”
Rebecca surveyed the room, making sure we were alone. She lifted her head in the air and turned up her nose, morphing into the woman I’d met at the boathouse. “So,” she sneered. “You quit your job the moment my son put that gaudy ring on your finger?”
I stared back at her, unfazed. “You did a really good job out there,” I told her, my voice flat. “For a moment, I actually believed you were trying to be supportive. I actually felt sorry for you.” I reached over and locked the door so we wouldn’t be interrupted.
“I gave notice at my job because Drake and I are in love. We don’t want to be apart so right now, that means I’m going to travel with him. I’m also going to go back to school. When all of Drake’s current projects are wrapped up, he’s going to slow down and focus on smaller builds that are closer to home. You don’t have to like me, Rebecca, but you’re going to have to get used to me. Because I’m going to marry Drake, no matter how hard you try to stop me.”
Rebecca narrowed her eyes. “If you really think that marrying Drake will magically slow him down, then I’m the one who feels sorry for you,” she spat. “Not that you’ll ever get to the altar. There are things about my son you don’t know, Chelsea. Deliciously scandalous things that his father and I buried to protect our family’s name.”
“What are you talking about?” I demanded, instinctively bringing my hands to my hips.
Rebecca smiled back at me with evil amusement. “Oh, I think I’ll let you stay in the dark a little longer. It’s so much more fun this way. I do hope I’m there when this all blows up in your face. I don’t think it will be long now.”
“Why do you hate me so much?” I thought out loud.
“Because you don’t have the decency to see that you’re not good enough for my son,” she replied, her voice so syrupy sweet I was tempted to slap her.
“Your son with all of the scandalous secrets?”
The fake smile disappeared from Rebec
ca’s face, quickly turning to a scowl. “Drake has made his mistakes. But he’s a well-bred young man. And he deserves a woman with a similar, exceptional background.”
She’s talking about us like we’re livestock.
Rebecca brushed past me and unlocked the door. I took a few deep breaths and told myself that her threats and warnings were baseless. I wanted nothing more than to flee to the safety of the penthouse, but I still had an event to run. I returned to the ballroom and Pete met me near the stage.
“Where have you been, Chelsea? The wait staff just cleared the dessert plates. It’s time for the orchestra to wrap up and the band to start.”
“I’m on it,” I sighed, watching Rebecca laugh with Oliver. I turned away and climbed the short staircase to the stage, signaling the conductor that his set was up. He nodded and the instruments slowed to silence. The crowd applauded and the musicians bowed, and then I stepped back up to the microphone.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Battery Park Orchestra,” I said, gesturing behind me. As the final round of applause wound down, I glanced through the room and spotted Drake at the bar.
“I’m happy to announce that the cash bar is open and all proceeds will go directly to our elementary outreach program. And now, without further delay, please welcome the Manhattan Historical Society’s very own Brandon Harris and his band Black Pony.”
The crowd cheered again as the curator of the musical instruments wing took to the stage with his cover band. The guitarist played the opening rift of a Beatles classic and half of the crowd moved to the dance floor. I descended the stairs, scanning the room for Drake. I finally saw him at the edge of the room, leaning against one of the ornate support beams.
I wasn’t the only one who had my eye on him. As I moved to join him, the blonde woman crossed in front of me and beat me to it. They leaned together, sharing hushed whispers, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Something was going on and I was going to figure out what.
I moved slowly, approaching them from the other side of the beam. As I neared, their words became crystal clear.
“You shouldn’t have come here, Alex. Not tonight,” Drake insisted.