I nod, grateful for her kindness.

“What are you doing today, Kate?” she smiles. “I’d like to take you to lunch.”

Elliot frowns, uncomfortable with her suggestion. “That’s not necessary, Mom—”

“Nonsense, Elliot,” she cuts him off. “When you called ahead and told me you had someone you wanted me to meet, I assumed she was from New York.”

My eyes flick to Elliot: you rang ahead?

“But now that I know I only have limited time to get to know her, I’m taking Kate to lunch.” Her eyes flick to me. “That’s if she wants to, of course.”

This is the last thing on earth I want to do. “That would be lovely,” I lie.

Elliot looks like he just swallowed a fly.

She smiles. “I’ll have Henderson pick you up at one.”

I nod. Please earth, swallow me up into a sinkhole, never to be recovered. “Great.”

She stands. “George,” she calls. “We’re leaving.”

“I didn’t have my coffee yet.”

“We’ll get one at breakfast.” It’s blatantly obvious who’s the boss around here. She turns to me. “I’ll see you at one?”

I nod.

“And we have a family dinner tonight at Tristan’s. You can meet all of my beautiful grandchildren.”

I fake a smile and nod. I wanted to move to the next level but this is going way too fast. “Fantastic.” I wish I would swallow a fly, a poisonous one that would put me in hospital for a week.

George appears and shakes my hand. “See you tonight, honey.”

She and George leave, and the door closes behind them.

“You are all fucking dead,” Elliot yells. “Why the hell would you bring them here? What kind of fucking stitch-up is that?”

His brothers burst out laughing in the kitchen.

Tristan comes around the corner with two cups of coffee. “That was the best thing I’ve ever seen.” He passes the cup of coffee to me. “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” I smile as I take it from him.

I sit down on the edge of the couch and sip it; ugh, it’s so strong it tastes like petrol.

This is the literal day from hell.

Jameson takes a sip. “Fuck, you make shit coffee.” He grimaces.

Christopher stares at me with a sarcastic smirk. “Kathryn Landon, what the hell are you doing here? You hate him.”

“Perhaps it’s the hard surfaces that she likes,” Tristan says with a cheeky wink.

Jameson raises his coffee in the air in a cheers gesture.

I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment again and a dutiful smile crosses my face.

Kill me now.

“Will you just all fuck off,” Elliot snaps. “I’ve got gray hair after this morning.” He stands and looks at his hair in the mirror.

“Your face though when Mom said happy birthday,” Jameson says, and the boys all laugh as if picturing it once more. They break into chatter and Elliot’s eyes find mine across the room and he smiles softly.

I love seeing him with his brothers like this; they aren’t at all as I imagined.

Fun, carefree, and full of banter.

Surprisingly normal.

I glance at my watch: 12:45 p.m. Mrs. Miles will be here soon.

Fuck.

I’m so nervous I could die.

My phone rings and the name Elliot lights up the screen. “Hello Mr. Miles.” I smile.

“Hi. You ready for your lunch date?”

“Nope.” I sigh. “What do I say?”

“Everything except anything.”

“What?”

“My mother wants to get you alone so she can dig for information.”

“Like what?”

“She’s nosy.”

“What will I tell her?”

“Nothing. Tell her nothing.”

My eyes widen. “What if she asks me questions?”

“Oh, she will. Don’t you worry about that.”

“How will I answer them?”

“Just be evasive.”

I close my eyes. “This day is a nightmare, Elliot,” I whisper.

He chuckles.

“Did you really bring me here to meet your mother?”

“Maybe.”

“Why?”

“I told you already, I didn’t want to go a week without seeing you.”

My heart swells.

“What if she doesn’t like me?”

“It doesn’t matter, I like you.”

I smile as I run my finger along the countertop.

“Does that count for something?” he asks.

“It does.”

“After you finish lunch with her, come and see me at work.”

“Really?” I sigh. God, so much pressure in one day. I’ve been running around all morning looking for the perfect gift. “I’ll just see you tonight.”

“Kate, it’s my birthday.”

I roll my eyes. “Fine.”

“Don’t drink too much at lunch,” he reminds me.

I giggle.

“I mean it, she hates drunks.”

“Oh.” He’s serious. “Okay.”

“And don’t tell her anything about us.”

I shrug. What could I possibly tell her—I don’t even know what’s going on. “Okay.”

“And—”

“Elliot,” I cut him off. “You’re making me more nervous than I already am,” I splutter.

“Sorry.” He exhales.

“I’ll see you this afternoon?”

“Alright. Bye babe.”

I hang up and rush to the bathroom to check how I look one last time. I’m wearing a black, long-sleeved dress that Daniel made me buy, and nude high heels with a matching clutch. My hair is styled and I have minimal makeup on.

I’m going for sensible-classy, not sure if I’ve achieved it, but whatever, this is all I’ve got.

The door buzzer sounds and I run out and push the intercom. “Hello.”

“Your car is here, Miss Landon,” a male voice replies.

“I’ll be right down.”

I stare at my reflection in the mirror and I let out a shaky deep breath, putting my hand over my stomach to try and calm the butterflies. What was I thinking, agreeing to this?

I make my way down and walk out to find a black limousine parked at the curb, and my nerves hit an all-time high.

Fuck.

The doorman opens the back door. “Miss Landon.” He nods.

“Thank you.”

I climb in to find Elizabeth sitting in the backseat; she smiles warmly. “Hello Kate.”

She’s immaculately dressed in designer labels and looks like a beautiful fashion model.

The look of money oozes out of her and I’m quite sure that Daniel would bow at her feet. Imagine the designers that would swarm around her.

“Hi.” The door shuts behind me; is it too late to run?

“I’ve booked us into my favorite restaurant.” She smiles. “I hope you like it.”

“I’m sure I will.” I clasp my hands in my lap so tightly that I nearly cut off the circulation.

Fifteen minutes later we pull up outside a swanky-looking restaurant and I follow her in. “Mrs. Miles.” The waiters all smile. “How lovely to see you.”

“Hello.”

“Your table is this way.”

We are shown to our table and the waitress asks, “Can I get you anything to drink?”

“Yes.” Elizabeth smiles. “Would you like some wine, Kathryn?”

“No, thank you, I don’t drink that often,” I lie. “Just a mineral water for me, please.”

“Oh.” A trace of a smile crosses her face. “I’ll have the same.”

Her eyes hold mine and she links her fingers under her chin. “I can see why Elliot is so swept away with you, you’re lovely.”

I smile bashfully. “Ah . . .”

Our mineral water arrives and she pours us both a glass. “Has Elliot warned you not to elaborate on anything to me?”

Oh hell.

I smile shyly. “Maybe.”

“He’s a very private person.”