Making the Grade (12 page)

God, I’m meeting his father.

“So Brian’s dad…” Sydney paused and dusted a crumb off her lips. “The man’s an asshole with a capital A. Don’t be surprised if he looks at you like you’re scum.”

“That’s if he’s not leering at you.” Hailey sighed. “Poor Dylan told Gage and Derrick all about the guy. He used to be Judge Goode’s therapist.”

Faith didn’t know if she liked Dylan being chatty about a former patient. “I thought doctor/patient privilege was sacred.”

Sydney nodded. “It is. Dylan wasn’t talking about his sessions; he was telling the guys about when he met the judge at Brian’s party. Not a great scene.”

“Oh. So?” She hung the black dress on the back of her closet door and put the red pumps near her dresser. Now for the earrings…

“Judge Goode kind of freaked out when Dylan confessed to falling in love with his daughter.
And
with Harper.” Sydney chuckled. “Dylan kissed Harper right there on the mouth in front of everyone. So Judge Goode turned on his heel and left.”

“That was something to see,” Hailey agreed. Apparently she’d been there as well.

“But the real gossip about Brian and Freddy’s dad, well, according to Freddy, who told Dylan, who told Derrick—” Sydney started.

“Geez, Sydney. Get to the point.” Faith glared over her shoulder at the wordy redhead.

Sydney flipped her the bird.

“Nice.”

“I had the nail manicured just for you.” Sydney snickered, and Hailey laughed as well. “Anyway, Judge Goode has always treated Freddy like shit and tried to mold Brian into his perfect little Mini-Me. Freddy went to live with her mom as a kid, but the judge demanded Brian stay with him. Brian, always a ‘Goode’ boy, obeyed Daddy.”

Faith frowned. Brian had been right. The whole play on words with his last name wasn’t that creative. “What exactly is the judge’s problem?”

Sydney shrugged. “Everything? Unless you have a pedigree that goes back to the English monarchy, he views you as scum. So Freddy says. And from what I heard, he put Brian through hell, making his kid work harder than everyone, taking away his fun, his friends. Sounds like the guy is a real piece of work, withholding affection until Brian performed to the judge’s expectations.”

“Wow. And I thought your mom was bad,” Hailey teased Sydney.

“I know. My mother’s vanity knows no bounds, but I’m still her pride and joy—if only because I make her look good. Brian is hot, rich, successful, and never good enough for his father. It’s sad.”

“Only if Brian is still trying to gain his dad’s approval,” Faith added. She frowned, wondering if her presence would hamper Brian’s chances of bonding with his father, or if Brian would even care. He acted like his father still annoyed him, but he was making an effort to attend the charity event.

“Good point.” Sydney nodded. “Tonight should be interesting for you, to say the least. You get to hang out with Augusta’s hoity-toity. Good luck.” She stood and dusted her hands together. “But if anyone needs to sell or buy a house, drop my name, would you?”

Hailey laughed. “Yeah, and if they want a house built, tell them about WCC.” Gage and Dylan’s construction company.

“Gee. While we’re at it, I might as well pimp out Dylan’s psychiatric services too, hmm?”

Sydney nodded. “Not a bad idea.”

“You guys are nuts. I’m not going to talk up the Warrens’s businesses.” Faith sighed. “I’ll be praying all night that I don’t trip over my own two feet or drop food on my dress.”

“That’s classic Hailey. You’re the demure, sexy arm candy. You’ll be fine.” Sydney slapped her on the back, and Faith nearly stumbled.

“Hey. I’m not that clumsy.” Hailey awkwardly got to her feet. “At least, I wasn’t until Junior showed up. Blame Gage.”

Faith walked her friends to the door with promises to tell all tomorrow. Sydney had a point. Faith had attended her fair share of fancy parties, usually on the arm of some rich guy she’d grown to detest. She knew how to play the game. But for Brian, she wanted to be better than amazing. She wanted him to shine.

“I’ve got it bad, and I know it.” She finished doing a few chores around the apartment, then showered and readied for her night with the man coming to mean so much to her.

What to do about her feelings remained a big question. Brian had outright told her he wanted them to be exclusive, that he wanted more from her than just sex. Before she’d come to believe in herself as worthy of a future with a man who treasured
all
of her—not just her breasts—she would have jumped at the chance to be Mrs. Brian Goode.

Now? She wanted to be loved for herself. Brian acted like he wanted the whole of her. He treated her with such care, and he’d given her pleasure before seeking his own. Trusting that he meant what he said, however, was another thing entirely. Especially because she was afraid she’d fallen in love with the guy.

All of it was too soon. But she couldn’t help her emotional attachment. She thought about him all the time. He’d gone
fishing
with her. She smiled at that, especially remembering what followed. Then she took a deep breath and tried to stop thinking about their time together the past weekend. How amazing he’d been in bed. How he seemed to go to the heart of her with every kiss and caress.

“Focus, hussy. No more sex.” She kept telling herself to pull back, but damn if she could figure a way to do it when he looked at her with his big blue eyes. Then he’d flex or laugh in that deep voice, and she’d go all quivery and girlie.

With any luck, tonight would show her another side of Brian. Among his peers, who would he prove to be? The man she was falling in love with, or another Dr. Pain in the Ass in disguise?

Chapter Nine

Faith took a sip of champagne and tried to hide a grimace. She did better than Brian, who looked like he wanted to throw up. Seeing his reaction brought to mind what he’d said at their first date about champagne. She put her glass on the tray carried by a passing waiter and didn’t bother hiding a smile.

“Hell. I need a cold beer,” Brian muttered.

“Me too.” She tucked her arm in his. They stood around a ballroom amid
the
money in Augusta. There was more bling on the women in the crowd than she’d seen the one and only time she’d visited Tiffany’s in Atlanta with Jeremy. Men wore tuxedos while women fanned around the room in ball gowns and chic cocktail dresses, a blend of casual dressy she’d gotten used to over the years. The South had a distinct sense of style, and even the most conservative eschewed panty hose when the weather warmed.

This evening, Faith wore garters and hose with a lace bra and panty set. Brian would flip when he saw her undergarments. Personally, she couldn’t wait to strip him down—he wore a tux really, really well. More than one woman had stared at him with interest.

“So. Do you have a lot of exes in the crowd?” she wondered aloud.

“Ah, one or two. But no one I’d ever considered dating seriously. I was lonely when I first arrived, and the women I went out with knew what they were in for. The last one was over four months ago, by the way.”

“Shocking with your sex drive.” She grinned. He’d admitted a few days ago to being celibate for the past few months, a choice he’d deliberately made to stop repeating past mistakes. From what Brian had said, he truly was looking for something more than casual sex. The way he looked at her told her he wanted more than that with
her
.

“So.”

“So…”

He cleared his throat and leaned close to whisper, “I’m dying to know what’s under the dress.”

“Behave tonight and I’ll show you later.”

“That was cruel. Now I’ll be wondering all night.”

“Suffer.”

He chuckled and kissed her cheek. “You’ve got a definite mean streak. That’s another reason I like you. Never trust anyone who’s too nice.”

“My family motto,” a deep voice added with a chuckle. He sounded familiar.

Faith turned to see a dead-sexy, black-haired man join them. Like Brian, he wore a tux. But where Brian was polished and outgoing, this man seemed deep and mysterious all the way to his chocolate-brown eyes. Tall, dark, and unmistakably handsome—just her type. But he didn’t move her the way Brian did.

“Brian.” The stranger nodded and sent Faith a sly grin.

“Oh boy. Now the party’s complete.” Brian laughed and shook the man’s hand. “Faith, meet my best friend, Rex. Rex, this is Faith.”

“Enchanted.” Rex’s eyes darkened, and he took her hand in his, then kissed the back of it, lingering shamelessly. His deep Southern accent charmed without meaning to.

“Hey, asshole. She’s mine.” Brian didn’t bother to hide his scowl, which amused Rex and delighted Faith.

Something about Rex nagged at her. That accent—because it reminded her of their secret friend at the club? The name maybe? How many Rexes could there be in Augusta? “You’re not Rex Samson, are you?”

He bowed again. “One and the same.”

“Oh wow. I’m supposed to meet with you later this week. I’m Faith Sumner. I work for HLE.”

“I look forward to doing business with you.”

“Yeah, and that’s all you’ll be doing with her,” Brian warned.

Was it wrong of Faith to get a kick out of his jealousy?

Rex raised his hands. “Easy, big guy. I’m just flirting. Unless…” He quirked a brow at Faith. “Want to go get married? My parents would be thrilled if I brought a nice girl like you home.”

She laughed at his obvious teasing. “Double no. You’re handsome, charming, and clearly a player.”

“Told you she was smart.” Brian smirked.

“And I never mix business with pleasure. So, sorry. You’re on your own with your mom and dad.”

“Bummer.” Rex sighed. “Good thing they’re gallivanting around Europe, so I don’t have to hear the nagging guilt of keeping them grandchild-less.”

“Is that even a word?” Brian asked.

“It is now.”

Before Brian could retort, an older gentleman, looking regal and full of himself, joined them. He was the spitting image of Brian, only older, and she realized Brian would age very, very well.

“Brian.”

“Judge.”

Weird to refer to one’s father as “Judge.”

The man waited.

Brian sighed. “You know Rex.”

Rex winked at him before turning to Brian’s dad. “Judge, great shindig you have here. I’m going to mingle. I see Matilda by the punch bowl. I need to tease her about her golf game.”

Judge Goode nodded, seeming to approve. “Excellent idea. I know how fond she is of your mother, as we all are.”

Interesting. Faith hadn’t realized Rex Samson came from money. The articles she’d read said he’d built himself up to become one of the South’s most successful microbrewers.

The judge turned back to her once Rex bounded away. Waiting.

Brian sounded bored as he introduced her. “This is my date, Faith Sumner.”

“Sumner. I don’t know your people.”

Neither do I,
she almost said before pasting on her fake smile. “Pleased to meet you, Judge. Now I see where Brian gets his good looks.”

The older man preened. Next to him, Brian pretended to shoot himself in the head.

She did her best not to laugh.
 

“What a lovely young woman. What do you do, Faith?”

“I work—”
for a living
“—for Home Lorister Enterprises—HLE—a logistics firm based out of Augusta. We’re growing in leaps and bounds.”

He blinked at her, then glanced at Brian, who nodded.

“It’s true.” Brian smiled. “
Or
…she could be a hooker I found on the corner dressed appropriately for the evening. You’ve gotta admit, she’s hot.”

The judge flushed. “Really, Brian. At least Faith has manners.”

“Blame my father. I do.”

The judge turned and left after a polite nod.

She gaped at her date. “You did not just call me a hooker.” She wanted to laugh but knew events like these were all about decorum.

“Actually, I said
or
.
Or
implies a choice. Personally, I prefer you as an employee of HLE, though I wish you dressed more like a hooker.”

She snorted, then clapped a hand over her mouth when laughter poured out.

Others turned to stare at them, but Brian laughed with her until he had to wipe tears from his eyes.

“That felt good. Thanks.” Brian gathered her with him to their table.

To her surprise, she enjoyed herself. They sat next to Rex and his date, a blond with large breasts and not much between her ears. But she was pleasant enough, so Faith did her best to be nice. The other couples smiled politely but mostly kept to themselves. She’d noticed that fewer than half of those in attendance seemed to be under the age of fifty. That age difference might have accounted for the way their male tablemates stared from her to the blond’s ample breasts, which threatened to spill out of her dress any time she breathed too hard.

Brian leaned over her to whisper to Rex, “Where did you find your date?”

“She’s Matilda’s granddaughter. A friend of the family.”