Chapter 108

“Attention, guests,” comes a calm female voice over the speaker system. “Dinner is ready to be served. Please proceed into the dining room.”

Angela lifts her martini glass in my direction. “See you in there.”

I guess we can’t enter together. I suppose it makes sense, though it does sting. The guest of the hour probably shouldn’t be seen hanging around the Nanny.

“It’s fine,” I says, lifting Mia. “We’re going to have our own fun, yeah?”

Mia babbles in what I assume is agreement.

Settling her back onto my hip, I walk us into the dining room. A long table has been arranged, with placards marking everyone’s position. I search up and down the table but don’t see my name. There’s also no highchair for Mia.

That seems like a pretty big oversight.

Likely not a coincidence.

One of the brownnosers, whose spot is at the far end of the table, turns up his nose as I walk by. “The servants eat in the kitchen,” he sneers.

Nearby, Neil’s entire body tenses. He’s close enough to have heard, but I’m hoping he minds his own business. I can go to the kitchen. It’s no big deal. I’d rather not have him tell me I need to. I don’t want to have to hear him team up with this other asshole.

Neil comes closer, and I curse under my breath. Mentally, I try to prepare myself for the inevitable hurt I’m about to feel, when he tells me I’m not good enough to eat at the table with everyone else.

Instead, he steps past me and gets in the brownnoser’s face.

“Chloe is a member of the Hayes Council,” Neil says, his voice so calm it’s dangerous. “A fact you should know, as you were present for her inauguration.”

The brownnoser’s mouth drops open. “Y-yes, Mr. Hayes. Of course.”

“If you cannot be trusted to pay attention at our events, perhaps we will invite you to less,” Neil says. He narrows his eyes.

“N-No! That won’t be necessary, sir. I, of course, always pay attention.”

“Clearly that is not the case.” Neil turns to me. “Chloe, you and Mia will eat at the main table. To make room, this one…” He shoots a glare back at the offending man, who straightens. “Will eat in the kitchens.”

The man’s face pales.

At once, a batch of servants appears. The man is led away, and the placards are switched. A high-chair is brought in.

It happens so quickly, in a blur, that I’m so caught up in it, I forget to thank Neil until he’s already walking away from me. I think to go after him, but I stop myself.

He wouldn’t welcome my attention here. He never wants to have it again.

I’m okay with that.

Or at least, I’m trying to be.

At any rate, at least I get to sit at the table.

I place Mia in the high-chair and take the seat beside her.

The meal is served and it’s delicious. Even Mia seems satisfied with her special fancy baby food.

The company isn’t bad either. The other guests, probably having seen what happened to the brownnoser, totally turn their attitudes around. They try to include me, and though I don’t always know what they are talking about, it feels good to be asked my opinion on things for a change.

Everything is going good. Great, even, I might argue.

But then Neil stands, and the room gets quiet.

Angela pales, and my stomach flips.

“May I have your attention, please?” Neil calls, even though he already has it. Everyone in the room looked at him the moment he scooched back his chair. “Thank you.”

Mia starts to sniffle. Oh, no.

I inch closer to her place my hand near hers. She clutches two of my fingers in her tiny little hands.

“Commitment is something held in very high regard in my family,” Neil says. “Commitment. Loyalty. Dedication. Family values.” He swallows hard. “I’ve known from a young age, my purpose in life, and have fulfilled every obligation such purpose bestowed upon me. It has been challenging but fruitful. I…”

He glances at me, then quickly away. “I have no regrets.”

My heart leaps and breaks simultaneously. I wish I could crawl into his head and hear his thoughts. I’ve never been on solid ground with him, never really knew how he feels about me.

Maybe it’s better I don’t know. It’d likely hurt worse than it already does.

Mia hiccups, reclaiming my attention. There are tears in her eyes. “Shh…” I whisper to her.

“So I trust this path I’m on,” Neil continues. “What I wish for now is to stop traversing it alone.”

The waterworks are coming. Mia’s whole face is turning red.

I can hear the wail almost before it happens, yet as she opens her mouth, it’s still so much louder than I expected. I wince. The rest of the table jumps in alarm. A few people nearby hush Mia like that’s going to work. Neil looks flustered, off-guard.

“Sorry,” I say to everyone. I quickly stand and scoop Mia into my arms. She stops for a moment as I hold her. I think maybe the worst is done. Then she opens her little mouth a second time.

Gods, at least there’s nothing wrong with her lungs.

“Get that thing out of here,” someone hisses.

Archer says louder, “Who the hell just said that?”

“Archer, stop…” That’s Steven. “Neil’s trying to give a speech.”

“Call her a thing again,” Archer growls. “Do it.”

I’m bouncing Mia on my hip. It’s not working like it usually does. She’s crying like a dam opened behind those tiny eyes. Her whole face is red. It almost looks painful, how hard she’s crying.

“I’ll… um… go out there.” I motion toward the doors.

“Please,” says the same jerk who called Mia a thing.

Archer stands up.

“Sit down, Archer,” Neil says.

Archer clenches his fists. “I will.” He glares at the offender. “For now.” He sits back down.

I try to gather my things as best I can without further jostling Mia. She feels every dip and bump though, and continues to scream her lungs out like she’s being actively murdered.

Maybe she has a future as a horror movie actress.

“I’m so sorry,” I say, though no one’s really listening as I shuffle away.

“You were saying, Mr. Hayes?” someone at the table says.

Nearer the exit, Mia’s stopped wailing to inhale some shaky breaths. I stop to wipe a handkerchief over her eyes and nose. It’s hard to do that and walk at the same time. I don’t want to hurt her. When she’s mostly cleaned up, I start walking again.

“Yes.” Neil clears his throat. “As I was saying. I’m looking for a partner to continue along the road of familial dedication that I walk. When I imagine the kind of life I want to lead, I can truly only see one woman at my side, walking along beside me. That person is here tonight.”

I put my hand on the door handle. I start to turn.

Mia takes a breath.

Neil speaks again, “Will you marry me, Chloe?”

Everything stops.

A pin could drop in the room and everyone would hear it.

Then Mia opens her mouth and wails.