“Sure thing. See you then.” He ended the call and met his wife’s gaze, uncertain of what he’d find there. But as always, she looked at him with love and compassion and understanding. “Thank you for this, Lin,” he said gruffly.

“You’re welcome.”

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

“This whole thing is so freaking pretentious,” Kara said to Dan when they arrived at the Summer House, where her mother was supervising the staff with all the authority of a drill sergeant. “I hate it.”

He slipped an arm around her and brought her in tight against him, kissing the top of her head. “Your folks wanted to do something nice for you, hon. It’s really the least they can do.”

“I know, but I still hate it.”

“I don’t hate getting to see you in that dress.” He stepped back a bit to take a perusing look at her, spending extra time admiring the tanned legs that were on full display. “Mmm, mmm, mmm.”

A bolt of heat lit up her face whenever he looked at her that way, which of course he knew. “Knock it off,” she said in a low growl.

“Just trying to get your mind off how pretentious this party is,” he said with a wink that made her laugh. Dan took in the tables laden with crystal, china and silver as well as artful centerpieces made up of hydrangeas, roses and snapdragons. “My own mother would be right at home at this shindig.”

“Speaking of your mother—and your father,” Kara said, “when do I get to meet them?”

“I’ve been thinking about that and getting quite a bit of pressure from the home front. How about a trip to LA after your season ends in October? I could use a little time in the home office, and my folks are dying to meet the woman who finally got me to commit.”

“I got you to commit?”

“That’s exactly how I remember it.”

She reached up to twist the bow tie he’d spent half an hour trying to tie just right. “You’re full of shit, you know that?”

Scowling at her even though he loved her best when she was feisty, he rescued his poor bow tie. “I’m almost positive that word is not allowed inside this building.”

In a flurry of movement and still barking out orders to the wait staff that looked ready to have her killed, Kara’s mother came over to them bringing a cloud of expensive perfume with her. She was tall and lean and tanned with every blonde hair perfectly in place. To look at her, you’d never guess she was the mother of eleven children. Rather, you’d picture a life of leisure on the tennis courts at the country club.