All's Fair in Love and Las Vegas

Chapter Sixteen

        Grayson escorted me to dinner. Unfortunately, that meant we glided into the dining room with his hand precariously resting on the small of my back. On the outside, I smiled, thinking past the wicked butterflies fluttering in my heart and stomach.

        When we entered, Mr. Answell and Clay rose from their seats, the latter much more slowly than the former. Clay had stayed true to his word and had worn his hot pink tie and had gelled his hair into dozens of little spikes. His work was flawless, its perfection marked by Laura's disdainful sneer. He winked at me as he sat back down; he knew of his own success.

        "Allow me, dear," Grayson murmured, pulling out my chair for me. I smiled sweetly up at him, still not ready to forgive him for the torturous kiss he'd placed on my neck. "Thank you, darling."

        "Such a gentleman," Laura said proudly before shooting a glance at Clay.

        "Only the best for my Jackie," Grayson agreed, sitting down and unfolding his cloth napkin. I copied him, since I was still learning the ways of the rich and elegant. Normally, I would've simply put the napkin in my lap, but it'd been folded into an artistic swan figure, and therefore I hadn't wanted to destroy the creature, even if it was only fabric.

        "What about me? I'm your brother, I think I deserve the royal treatment as well," Clay said indignantly.

        Rolling his eyes, Grayson hopped to his feet and rounded the table. We all watched in amusement as he pulled out Clay's chair and pushed him back in. "Allow me, dear brother." 

        "Thank you, dear brother," Clay said smoothly.

        "No problem, dear brother."

        "I forgot how much I missed having them separate," Laura muttered. 

        "And I forgot how much I missed not having your fat mouth around," Clay said under his breath and into his mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are good for absorbing secrets.

        I probably would've gasped out loud had Mr. Answell interrupted my thoughts. He began asking me about work, and he seemed very interested. Apparently he had attempted to go to nursing school back when he was my age. He'd only switched to business school because his parents had found out he was doing "women's work"—his own words, said in disgust. From the sounds of it, his parents and Laura would've been best of friends. Anyways, from his days of nursing school, he knew some things that we could discuss at great length.

         "Do you think you'll take up nursing here in Vancouver, my dear?" he asked, startling me.

        I froze up, not knowing what the right answer was. Were Grayson and I living in Vancouver after the wedding? Well, we wouldn't, we would be divorced by then, but what was the fake plan? Would I be working? It would feel wrong not to work. 

        "Yes, Jackie, will you be working?" Grayson asked, a sly smile on his face. I didn't understand his expression—or I didn't until I felt his hand on my thigh.

        Curse this stupid slit in my skirt.

        "I think I will be, although I shall rue having less time with Grayson," I said, pouting a little. Inside, I was trying to ignore the tumult my entire body had gone into. It didn't help that he had moved his fingers to the inside of my leg, making my skin burst into flames. 

        "Yes, such a pity. Part of the reason I don't work; I rarely see Answell as it is," Laura mused, unaware of my struggle.

        "Sure, that's the reason," Clay muttered, then cast an odd glance at me. I panicked, thinking, he knows!