Barrett and I exchange a glance. If he’s as confused as I am, he doesn’t show it.

“What are you talking about, Mother? What does Eileen have to do with anything?”

“She was the one to tell me that you two are dating.”

“What?!” I exclaim, but Barrett remains stoic, unphased. I give him my best wide-eyed, what the hell is going on, you should say something to fix this look, but he turns his attention back to JoAnna without acknowledging my plea.

“Oh, yes. She was all too happy to deliver that news. I suspect she’s still sore from you not taking a liking to Kristy when we tried to set you up. This,” she motions between Barrett and I, “is obviously the reason you’ve been so resistant to my efforts to find you dates.”

Barrett sighs. “How did Eileen find out?”

“Marjorie Green’s stylist, Dolce, was at Gallagher’s Saturday night when you were having dinner with Fred Hinkle and his new girlfriend, Francesca. She’s a handful. Not the most elegant woman Fred could have stepped out with after he and Helen split.” Barrett clears his throat impatiently, something I would never do to one of my parents, but only receives a stern gaze from JoAnna, “That’s another story.” She waves it off with her hand, “Dolce told Marjorie who told Melinda who told Eileen who told me.” JoAnna scoffs. “I leave town for the weekend and return to hear through the Upper East Side’s gossip chain that you two are dating?”

I’m speechless. This is not what I envisioned happening. I’ve been so worried that JoAnna would find out about the party that I didn’t even take a moment to think that our very public date would get back to her. That never crossed my mind. I turn to find Barrett watching me and I swear the corner of his mouth twitches. Son of a—

“Is it true?” she asks.

She looks at me, but I’m unable to form words before Barrett opens his mouth.

“Yes, Mother.” Barrett nods, confirming my worst nightmare.

“And you two acting like the other one barely exists, that was an effort to conceal your relationship?”

“I—” I have yet to find the words to respond. My brain is a chaotic mess of tangled thoughts. Barrett, on the other hand, has all the words.

“Our relationship is our business.”