1022 Evergreen Place - Debbie Macomber [77]
“I said no.”
“Flat-out no…?”
She nodded, her hold around him tightening.
“You didn’t think to ask me first?”
Tilting her head back, she looked up at him with wide brown eyes. “No.”
“Because?” He felt offended that she hadn’t even sought his response to this unexpected olive branch.
“Because I know why Mom invited us.”
“And that is?”
Lori looked down and didn’t answer.
Tucking his finger under her chin, he raised her head. “Lori?”
“My parents want to embarrass you.”
He arched his brows. That wasn’t a motive he’d considered. “And they would do that how?” he asked.
“I showed you a picture of my parents’ home, remember?”
“I do and it’s beautiful.”
“It has a guesthouse and an Olympic-size pool and acres of landscaping.”
“Ten acres, you said?”
“On the water.”
Ten acres of waterfront property had to be worth more money than Linc could hope to earn in his lifetime. He remembered that Lori had mentioned a live-in housekeeper and cook, as well as groundskeepers.
“My father is wealthy and influential.”
“As he let me know,” Linc muttered. And well-connected, too. Still, Leonard Bellamy could erect all the roadblocks he wanted, but he couldn’t stop Linc from setting up business, no matter how many friends he had.
“Mom will make sure dinner has three forks, two knives and four spoons just to confuse you.”
He laughed. “After Mary Jo moved out, my brothers and I didn’t have that much silverware between us.”
“This isn’t a laughing matter,” Lori said. “I won’t give my family an opportunity to embarrass my husband, and that’s what they’re hoping to do.”
Linc wasn’t the least bit intimidated. “I might have grease under my fingernails, Lori, but I’m not a country bumpkin. I’ll hold my own. There’s no need to protect me.”
“Yes, there is,” she insisted.
He kissed her forehead. “No,” he said. “It’s okay. Really.”
“You don’t have any idea how uncomfortable Dad will make you. He’ll try to trap you. He’ll act all friendly and then start asking for your opinion on stocks.”
“I’ll answer him truthfully. Other than my 401(k), I don’t follow the market.”
“That’s exactly what he’ll want you to say and then he’ll make fun of you. Only he’ll do it in this supposedly witty way that’s demeaning and belittling. I won’t have it, Linc. I refuse to stand for it.”
Leaning down, Linc kissed the tip of her nose. “Phone your mother back and tell her you’ve changed your mind. We’ll be happy to join them for dinner.”
She stared up at him with shocked disbelief. “No!”
“Lori, sweetheart, you could be misreading the situation.”
“I’m not,” she said. “I know my parents—especially my father. He thinks I’ve made a terrible mistake marrying you and he’s dying to prove what an idiot I am.”
“You’re not an idiot, Lori.” The fact that Leonard thought this infuriated him. “And neither am I. In fact, your father’s going to see that, and soon.”
“Clearly you haven’t spent much time with him.”
Their single encounter had been unpleasant enough; still, Linc was willing to give it a second try. When the time came, Lori’s parents would be his children’s grandparents—their only grandparents. Linc knew the importance of family and longed to build a solid relationship with the Bellamys. He realized it might take months, even years, but he hoped that if Lori’s parents had the chance to know him, they’d see how much he loved her. He’d wait them out if he had to and he’d endure Leonard’s interference and wouldn’t let it defeat him.
“This is an opportunity we shouldn’t turn down,” he said.
Lori held her ground. “We aren’t going.”
“Friday night, was it?” he asked.
Lori sighed and shook her head. “Saturday night, but it doesn’t make any difference—we won’t be there.”
“Lori, we should go. I want to.”
“Linc…you wonderful man. You don’t have a clue.”
Oh, but he did. “Call your mother back,