Page 174 of His Flash Mate
His expression changed to “oh shit” in a heartbeat, and I plucked the card from his grasp.
“But I know it’s just your weird way of getting me to spend your money, so I accept.I’ll do my best to make it hurt so good.”
His card stayed in my possession for all of twenty minutes—the time it took for us to dress and go downstairs.The second his mom saw I had his card, she made a sad face.
“Today’s supposed to be about us, future mother-in-law and daughter-in-law getting along.How are we supposed to show that we hold no grudges if you’re paying for yourself?”
“Technically, I’m paying for her,” Konni said.
She shot him a dirty look, plucked the card from my fingers, and tossed it back at him.
“Today’s my day to spoil Sophia.You had her enough last night.”
I froze, my horrified gaze swinging to my mom as my face flushed scarlet.
Were they really talking about this?In front of me?
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
Mom smirkedas she took in my horrified flush then turned to Kaya.
“The more time they spend together, the sooner Sophia will adapt to being Konni’s mate.She has a rather significant stigma to overcome.”
Oh, she’d meant time in general.My relief was instant.
“You make an excellent point.”Kaya looked at Konni.“Did you make any progress last night?”
Nope, I wanted the floor to open and swallow me whole again.
“No,” Konni said.“They’re maintaining their stance that the information is accurate.Whatever pictures we take today will help prove the article’s false and make it easier for the defamation lawsuit Felix is working on.”
Knees weak with gratitude, I sat at the table, where breakfast was already waiting.
“Yes, let’s eat,” Kaya said, taking a seat across from me.“We have a lot to do today.”
Konni sat next to me and poured my orange juice for me.Ignoring the glint in Mom’s eyes as she sat beside Kaya, I cut into my avocado toast.
“Any ideas how we want the article to angle our association?”Kaya asked.
“As a Steele Corp employee working directly with the CEO, it’s not impossible that you met for business reasons,” Konni said.“Nothing in the photo proves it was a check for Sophia.It could have been for anything.A charity.Whatever.
“Today’s pictures can focus on you enjoying shopping together, which isn’t unheard of for two women who know each other.It’ll clarify the tone of your relationship with her without touching on ours.”
“Yes.That.I like that option,” I said as Mom’s phone started to ring.
Kaya nodded in agreement as Mom frowned at the caller’s name.
“It’s not Dad, is it?”I asked.He’d been quiet since the reception, and I didn’t know if that meant he’d backed off the Hestian deal or if he was regrouping to focus on Konni now.
“It’s our neighbor.”
She answered with a polite hello.A second later, she bolted to her feet.
“What?Are you in the house?Good.Thank you.We’ll be right there.”
She hung up, on the verge of tears.
“What happened?”
