Skin Tight (Skin Deep #4) Read online

  But all the women standing on the deck were perfectly coiffed, dressed in head-to-toe designer couture, dripping jewelry, and holding champagne flutes as if they were accessories. They looked like they’d just stepped out of a magazine, and I...didn’t. I hadn’t thought anything when we’d come in because Ian’s mom always dresses to the nines, and of course, Octopus-Girl looked high-end whorish, as always, but no one ever looked askance at her because she belonged. She was one of them.

  Clearly, I wasn’t, and Margot and all her little minions weren’t going to let me forget it.

  I heard Ian sigh beside me and stepped closer to him, knowing that he wasn’t happy with the situation. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his side as we walked out among the crowd, moving toward his dad, who was standing at the railing, overlooking the lush green yard that backed up to the lake. It was beautiful and, given different circumstances every time I’d been there, I could envision myself enjoying the house and the view. Just needed better company.

  “Ah, there’s my son, the hard-working, building man!” His dad boomed out, reaching for Ian’s hand and shaking it vigorously while his other pounded him on the shoulder, jostling both of us. “You ready to retire, live the life of luxury, yet?”

  “Cut the boy some slack, William, he’s still young enough to want to sow his wild oats before he settles into the life of investments like we have. He’ll put his tools down eventually and settle with Victoria, and then you can train him in the game,” one of Ian’s dad’s cronies retorted.

  “Sure, sure,” Ian’s dad answered, jovially.

  “Dad,” Ian said, nodding toward his father, ice coating that one word thickly. He then turned to the gentleman standing beside his father, the one who so kindly planned out Ian’s future for him in two brief sentences.

  “Mr. Cline.” He pulled me closer to him and replied, “Dad, I’m sure you remember Leah Jensen, my girlfriend. Mr. Cline, I don’t know that you’ve had the pleasure. Leah, Charlie Cline, my dad’s co-worker and he’s the investment broker for my parents.”

  I inclined my head in greeting but didn’t get a chance to reply as Ian excused us tersely and moved quickly through the crowd back towards the house. He pulled me through to the kitchen and stopped where his mother was directing the catering staff on where to set up.

  “Mother, a word.”

  She turned to him, a small smile quirking the corner of her lips as she asked, “Yes, dear? Is something wrong?”

  “We’re leaving. I don’t know why I do this to Leah, making her come here when you and Dad have done all you can to make her feel uncomfortable. I told you the last time to stop the snarky comments, but both of you continue to be rude and to entertain these ridiculous notions that I’m going to marry Victoria. It’s not happening, and I won’t put up with this anymore, nor will I subject Leah to it.”

  “Ian, what on earth are you talking about? Of course the girl is welcome here, and I do apologize if we’ve made her uncomfortable. How on earth would we have done that?” She played the part to the hilt, laying her hand against her chest and tilting her head towards him in confusion.

  “Oh, come off it, Mom. I love you and I know you love me, you and Dad both. In your own ways, you’re just trying to make sure I’m happy and taken care of. But I AM happy, much happier than I ever have been, and that’s because of Leah. I love her, she loves me, and that’s the way it’s gonna be. When you decide to stop showing off your money and status, stop pushing Victoria Jones on me, and act like the real human beings I know you and Dad can be, then we’ll be back. Until then?” He paused and then shrugged his shoulders. “I’m done.”

  He didn’t say anything else then, just turned on his heel and tugged me with him towards the foyer.

  “Ian Thomas Mitchell, how dare you speak to your mother like that!” she sputtered. “We’ve stood beside you when you’ve desecrated your body with all of those…those…things all over yourself. We put you through school, let you follow your dream to start your own construction company, even though your father wanted you to go into investments with him. We just want what’s best for you, and we don’t want you to have to work yourself to death in the process. And the whole thing with Victoria, well, you’ve been close friends for your whole lives, and it’s just been assumed that you’d end up together. She’s heartbroken that you refuse to go out with her any longer, especially now that Leah’s in the picture.”

  She turned to me and her smile, though catty, was slightly less hackle-raising than usual. “Leah, I do apologize that we’ve made you uncomfortable. I’m sure you’re a lovely girl and all, it’s simply just a matter of differences. You understand, yes?”

  I opened my mouth to reply, even though I was at a loss for words since she’d pretty much just told me I wasn’t good enough (in not so many words), but didn’t have to say a thing.

  “And once again, Mother, you’ve just reaffirmed my decision. I hope that you and Dad will eventually come to your senses and get your noses out of the air.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek gently and swiftly. “Goodbye, Mother.”

  And that was that. My heart ached for him, because he’d just essentially written his parents off because they were so…so…stuck up. There’s no other word for it. And I was the reason he did it.

  For the first time ever in our relationship, I was second-guessing it. What kind of person would I be to allow myself to come between Ian and his family?

  “Stop it.”

  I blinked and turned my head to look at Ian. I’d been staring out the window, watching the scenery pass by as he drove us home.

  “Stop what?” I asked, carefully.

  “Stop overthinking what just happened. It’s not your fault.”

  “But, Ian-”

  “I’m not built like them, Leah. I’ve known it since I was young. You know it, too, and I hope you realize that I would never stand by and let someone continue to belittle you. And that’s what they’ve done since they met you. It’s been over a year, Leah. I let it go on for too long, and for that, I’m sorry.”

  I sighed. “I know you’re not like that, Ian. I’ve told you before, I’m not sure how you turned out like you did being raised by them. But they’re your parents.”

  He shrugged. “And you’re the woman I love. You’re the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. They’ll come around eventually. If not? We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

  We didn’t speak again until we got home, though he did reach over and take my hand, holding it for the rest of the drive. My cell rang as we got inside. I reached into my purse to grab it as Ian headed down the hall toward the bedroom.

  “Hello?” I asked, answering without looking at the display.

  “What are you doing?” Chloe asked me.

  “Just got home from Ian’s parents’ house,” I told her.

  “Oh. How’d that go?” she asked, and I could hear the sarcasm in her voice. She already knew the score on that front.

  “Meh. About as well as you’d expect. Only this time? Let’s just say, I don’t think we’ll be going back there anytime soon.”

  “That bad?” she asked, and I could tell she was wincing, even through the phone.

  “The usual snark and then shit about Ian finally retiring to work investments with his dad. And don’t even get me started on the looks I got about what I was wearing.”

  “What did you wear?” she asked me.

  I sighed before I replied, “My pink sundress with my white wedges.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Chloe shrieked indignantly.

  I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “I wish I was. But you’d think I’d shown up in a garbage bag the way they all looked at me.”

  “But that dress is adorable and you look hot in it!” She growled and I couldn’t help but laugh at her.

  “Thank you, sunshine,” I said, deliberately using Brandon’s pet name for her.

  “Hey!” Brandon’s voice came t
hrough the phone in the distance. “That’s my name for her!”

  “Chloe! Do you have me on speaker phone?”

  “Uh…yeah. Sorry.” She giggled. “I actually had a reason for calling you, and that’s why it was on speaker. I just got sidetracked when you started talking about Ian’s parents.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Wait a sec, though. Was Skanktoria there?” Chloe asked.

  I laughed as I heard Brandon in the background again. “Chloe! That’s mean,” he said.

  “But it’s true, Brandon, and you know it. She is a skank, the way she throws herself at Ian whenever she’s around. Granted, she’s not been around lately, but still. You saw her the last time, practically naked in his lap down at Griff’s.”

  She wasn’t lying. A couple of months ago, we’d all be down at Griff’s for a night out. It was packed, which wasn’t unusual for the place, especially because they had a live band that night, but we’d been dancing when Ian was grabbed from behind. When he’d gotten untangled, he’d turned to see it was a very scantily clad Victoria, and she’d been sloshed out of her mind. It wasn’t a fun night.

  I cut in, stopping Chloe from arguing Brandon to death. “Yeah, she was there, and she didn’t waste any time getting her octopus arms around Ian. And of course, then his mom had to go on and on about how they were meant to be together or whatever, blah blah blah.” I rolled my eyes, even though she couldn’t see me.

  “So, same ol’ same ol’, that’s what you’re saying, right?” Chloe asked me, laughing.

  “You got it.”

  “Hmm. Anyway, that’s not what I was calling for. I have an idea that I think you’re gonna want in on. It’s something that we haven’t done in a long time, and it’s overdue in my opinion.”

  “What?” I asked, completely intrigued.

  All she said in reply was, “Down & Dirty,” before I’d chimed in.

  “I’m in!”

  Chapter 5

  I waved as the last child stepped onto his bus, and then turned to go back inside to straighten up my classroom and gather things up before I headed home. On the way, I stopped by Gerry’s cage and topped up his food and water, then sat at my desk to go over the next day’s lesson and to check my supply list for the activities I had planned.

  Once I had that done, I looked over the rhyme and match worksheets we’d done in class today before I locked up my desk and grabbed my keys. I stood, stretching before I reached for my purse, then twirled around in surprise when I heard a noise behind me.

  “Hey!” I said, smiling at Chloe who had entered the room.

  “Hey, yourself!” she called, moving closer to give me a hug, which I gladly returned.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked her, moving back to my desk to reach for my purse once more.

  “Coming to steal you so we can meet Emma and Allie for dinner to discuss the fun party we’re gonna have,” she said, doing a crazy little jig of excitement.

  “Sweet!” I said. “I just have to call Ian and let him know.” I grabbed my cell and dialed Ian, hoping he’d answer so I wouldn’t have to leave him a message.

  Turns out, I was lucky today. He answered on the second ring.

  “Hey baby,” he said.

  I could hear the smile in his voice and my lips curled up automatically. “Hey, yourself, handsome. Just wanted to call and let you know that Chloe just showed up here and we’re meeting Allie and Emma for dinner. Want me to pick something up for you to bring home?”

  “Sure, baby. I’ll see you later, then. Love you.”

  “Love you, too,” I told him, still smiling as I hung up the phone.

  Chloe rolled her eyes at me.

  “Don’t you roll your eyes, goofy. You forget I know you very well, and I know how you and Brandon are,” I said, narrowing my eyes at her playfully.

  “Truth,” she said, nodding her head and grinning unrepentantly.

  I glanced at the clock. “It’ll be an early dinner, though, is that okay? It’s only…oh. I guess I took longer than I thought to go through papers and lesson plans,” I said, noting that it was going on five already. Classes usually let out just after three, so I’d been working on stuff for almost two hours? Huh.

  “Yep,” she said. “Let’s go. They said we could pick, just have to call and let them know where we’re going.”

  I looked at her and, without missing a beat, we both said, “Manny’s!”

  Half an hour later, the four of us were laughing around a table, stuffing our faces with delicious salad, pasta, and garlic bread, and sipping glasses of sangria. Manny had already come out and berated Allie and Emma for coming in without bringing the little ones to see him. When he’d left the table, Emma told us that she and Luke had come in to eat with Everly last month and when they’d been seated, Manny had walked right out of the kitchen, up to their table, barely said hello to them, and had taken off with Everly. Allie then told us that he’d done the same to them two weeks ago when she and Jackson had come in.

  I wasn’t surprised; we’d been coming to Manny’s since we were all kids and Manny and his wife, Gia, absolutely adored kids. Seriously, they had 7 of their own.

  I took a sip of my sangria as Chloe asked, “So when are we wanting to do this? Allie, are you stocked up on everything?”

  “I actually did a party last week and refreshed my supplies then, so I should be good. But you know the drill, anything I don’t have on hand, you’ll still have it in a week or so.”

  “I know,” Chloe said with a twinkle in her eye. “But there’s some stuff I was hoping you’d have and I wouldn’t have to wait!”

  Allie rubbed her hands together with glee and waggled her eyebrows crazily. “Yay! I love it when I get to have a party with friends that makes me money!”

  Emma quirked an eyebrow at her and said, drolly, “What money? You always use up your revenue replenishing your stock or buying your own goodies.”

  “Duh,” Allie replied. She winked at Emma, who just shook her head.

  I spoke up. “Why don’t we give it a couple weeks or so to make sure we get the invites out. Where do we want to have it?”

  We hammered out the details and then just sat and talked with each other, even long after the food was gone. Emma’s phone rang, breaking into the conversation, and I looked at my watch to see that it was already seven and I hadn’t even ordered anything for Ian, yet.

  As Emma answered her phone, I waved our waiter over and ordered some chicken marsala with a side of fettuccini alfredo for him, which then reminded Allie and Chloe that they needed to do the same. I kicked Emma under the table and motioned, asking silently if we needed to get something for Luke.

  She spoke into the phone. “Do you want me to get you something from here?”

  She paused. “Uh-huh. Nope. Yep. Okay, I know. Honey, I just asked you a question, is it that hard to answer?” More pausing. “Fine. Love you…yeah, yeah, yeah. Love you, bye.”

  She hung up and quickly added two more meals to the take-out orders we’d already placed.

  “Damn,” Allie said, looking at Emma weirdly. “Is Luke eating for two or are you hungry again?”

  Emma laughed. “No, it’s for T.J.”

  Chloe’s face got soft and then worried at T.J.’s name. “Have you talked to him lately?”

  “Who? T.J.?” Emma asked. Chloe nodded and she continued, “Yeah, he comes over quite a bit when he’s not over at your house. Why, what’s up?”

  Chloe shook her head, almost sadly, and shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just worried about him. He’s got so much going on in his head all the time, and I swear, anytime a phone rings anywhere near him, he’s jumpy as hell. But, he just blows it off, says everything is fine.”

  Allie broke in again. “So what was all that other shit, then?” she asked Emma.

  “Oh, you know. The usual. Am I coming home soon? Did I miss him? Which, of course, I lied and said nope, but we all know I always miss him,” she broke off, giggling. “Are w
e having fun? We need dog food, so I have to stop at the store.” She shrugged. “No biggie.”

  I knew my sister too well, and so did Allie because she called her out right away. “Nope. That’s not all. What was the yeah, yeah, yeah for after you said I love you? Hmmm?”

  Emma blushed, which was the exact reaction we all knew we’d get. “Nothing!” she exclaimed.

  “Emma,” I said, my voice low with warning.

  “Jesus, he just reminded me I owed him, okay?” she finally said, breaking after I stared her down comically.

  Chloe held her hands up. “Nope! We’re good! No more details!” she cried, laughing.

  Emma grinned devilishly, opened up her mouth, and proceeded to tell us, in detail, why she owed him, no matter that all of us were shrieking for her to stop, laughing, and practically falling out of our seats, making fools of ourselves, much to the amusement of the people around us. Thankfully, we were in a more secluded section of the restaurant and there weren’t many people there.

  Unfortunately, the poor waiter just happened to bring out our to-go orders during Emma’s….erm…description, and was standing, red-faced, beside her chair, holding the bags out to us and looking at the floor.

  As soon as Emma saw him, her face turned an even brighter red (which is saying something) and she dropped her head in her hands in mortification.

  Just another night with the girls…never a dull moment. Ever.