I stand up and extend my hand. Blaire has no choice but to take it, unless she wants to make more of a scene. She leads me out of the kitchen, down a hallway, passing three doors before she finally stops. I push it open and take the opportunity for what it is by pulling her inside and closing her in with me.

The light isn’t on, though, so we’re submerged in darkness.

“What’re you doing?” Her voice is all pitchy.

“What are you doing?” I slap around on the wall, trying to find a switch.

Half a second later we’re both blinded by light. “Showing you where the bathroom is.” Her gaze bounces all over the room.

As does mine, but for very different reasons. “What the hell is going on in here?” Everything is gold. The wallpaper, the vanity, the sink, even the toilet. The floor, however, is black marble and reflective.

“My family is eclectic,” she replies, not defensively, but matter-of-factly.

“Is this real gold? Actually, don’t answer that, I don’t want to know.” I motion toward the door. “Why am I here?”

“Because I invited you, which in hindsight may not have been the best idea, at least not without some preparation. I’m used to my family, so I forget how crazy they really are.” I’ve never seen Blaire quite so fidgety.

I give her a look that tells her I think that’s utter bullshit.

She throws her hands in the air. “Okay, I didn’t forget that they were crazy, but I felt bad that you didn’t have plans for Thanksgiving and no one should be alone on the holidays, so it was kind of a kneejerk reaction to invite you along. It wasn’t until we were on the way here that I really considered what it would be like for you, and me, frankly.”

“Right, okay. So what’s the deal with Skylar?”

“She’s harmless.”

“She’s a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen.”

“She’s actually a total professional at work. She just enjoys getting under my skin and putting on a show.”

I point a finger at her. “Your job tonight is to keep her away from me.”

“I can try, but she’s persistent.”

“And what the hell is with you letting your family treat you like garbage?”

“They don’t treat me like garbage.”

And there’s the defensiveness I’ve been waiting for. “Your little bakeshop? When you get tired of the grueling hours you can work for the family? And they haven’t even come out to see your place.” I don’t know why I’m so pissed off about this. Maybe because I know how hard she works? I’m always fighting to keep up. I’m lucky that college kids are willing to pay money for things like throwing axes.

“It’s better they don’t interfere. Otherwise I’ll have to start serving hundred-dollar kobe beef cupcakes.”

I make a face because that sounds disgusting. Although she did make a Guinness and bacon cupcake that nearly killed me, it was that good, and I really expected to hate it. “Since when do you let other people dictate your actions?”

“I don’t; that’s the point.”

“But they should see how hard you work.”

Blaire sighs. “Look, Ronan, your irritation on my behalf is endearing, but you don’t know what you’re saying. You’ve spent less than half an hour with them and we’re already locked in a bathroom together and you have a million questions. Which I will answer. Later. On the drive home. But for now I need you to trust me when I say I do not want my family visiting B&B because it will inevitably mean they will try to take over. They are well-meaning but insane.”

I stare at her for several long seconds, digesting, accepting. “You are spilling the beans on the drive home.”

“There probably won’t be much to spill by the time we leave, but sure.” She shrugs and turns to open the door.

I stop her from leaving by pressing my palm against it. “Hold up.”

She sighs and her shoulders curl forward. “Can’t it wait?”

“What’s the deal with Matthew?”

She doesn’t turn around, but her head drops and she seems to deflate even further. “We used to date.”

“Excuse me?”

“We dated. It didn’t work out. He married my sister. Oh, and I think Skylar slept with him, too, before they started dating, but then she’s done that a few times with various boyfriends, so sometimes it’s hard to keep track.”

“Wait. What? Skylar slept with your ex-boyfriend before your sister stole him from you?” I feel like my head is going to explode from this information.

“Yeah. Can I go now, please, before we get accused of grabbing a pre-dinner quickie in the bathroom?”

I lift my hand from the door, and she slips out without another word.

Blaire’s offhand mention of a quickie is apparently an appealing idea to my man parts, so it takes me a minute to calm down before I’m able to relieve myself.

As I wait I decide two things: I’m not drinking any more alcohol tonight and I’m going to play up being Blaire’s boyfriend for the rest of our time here. It’s not like her family is going to see me again. I might as well leave them with one hell of a lasting impression.

chapter eleven

This Isn’t the Game

I Was Playing

Blaire

Hindsight. It’s a bitch. I should have warned Ronan about my family and how insane they are. But at the same time, he’s been messing with me since day one, and a little payback never hurt anyone.

However, I’m not excited about the prospect of Skylar mauling Ronan all night, as she likes to do with other people’s significant others. Between her and Maddy, I’ve lost at least four dateable prospects.

I realize it doesn’t say much about the guys I went out with, but Skylar will fuck a long john if she’s desperate enough. As for Maddy and Matthew, they belong together. They’re both vain, shallow, and entirely too wrapped up in taking staged photos with celebrities and enjoying the perks of the family wealth.

Despite all this, my family generally has good intentions. It’s just their execution is quite lacking. Also, the fact that my mother and her sister swapped husbands is just plain weird.

So, yeah. Thanksgiving dinner is turning out to be a bit of a clusterfuck. Dinner should be served shortly and we can leave right after dessert. I’m still standing in the hallway outside the bathroom. I don’t know that Ronan and I should return to the kitchen together, but I’m not certain he’ll be able to find his way back on his own. There’s also a significant chance that Skylar will be hiding around the corner, ready to pounce on him, so I wait.