“Half as far, for sure,” another answered.
“Luke, when will you be settling down? You’ve been quite the talk for some time.”
Mother patted my arm, a silent gesture to keep me from answering. I wouldn’t have anyway. We’d done this far too many times for me to step outside the bounds.
“Don’t you worry, ladies,” Mother said. “I’ve made it my mission to see him married come this next June.”
The group shrilled their excitement and dove into discussing who, when exactly, and which venue Mother would choose with only eight months to plan. I wasn’t needed for the conversation, nor for the decision, apparently. Mother had been a leading force in my dating life since I graduated from college. This was nothing new. However, she’d never been quite this … aggressive. Setting a date like that? With this group? No doubt this tea would be spread far and wide come tomorrow morning.
Mother was a crafty woman, to be sure.
Fuck this. I’d done my part. I’d been seen. I’d helped turn the wheels of my own engagement news and made her the center of attention in her group of old biddies.
“Excuse me, Mother,” I said.
She nodded slightly, a sly grin spreading her barely wrinkled face and the glitter of gossip lighting her eyes. Father stood with his own collection of friends, mostly businessmen and connections, but I turned for the bar.
“Old-fashioned,” I said to the older attendant. I didn’t dare approach the younger one. He was far too handsome. I wasn’t sure if I had a type—I’d never allowed myself to explore it—but classically handsome rarely drew my attention. Something different sure did, something unique. A crooked smile. Unforgettable eyes. Tattoos. What I could honestly say wasnotmy type—and I would only say this to myself—was women.
“Thinking to drown your mother’s nagging in that glass?”
I cocked my head and raised my brow just as William, my closest friend, pivoted to stand shoulder to shoulder with me. He’d been to as many of these things as I had and knew the drill because his mother did the same.
We’d gone to private school and college together. His family came from money. His father was a senior partner at the law firm that had his last name on the letterhead and where William also worked right out of law school. We had our entire upbringing in common, but in truth, I genuinely liked him. He didn’t know my secret, but thank fuck he resembled a young Robert Redford, and I was not attracted to him in the least.
I glanced at my glass, surprised it was half-empty. I wasn’t supposed to drink it. Not that I had anything against drinking, but if the glass was empty, it’d look weird toting it around.A man needs a glass in his hand, Father had preached.Then he can’t shake hands. And a man who can’t shake hands is too busy to be bothered with it. A busy man is a successful man.
Sure, Father, tell me all about how to be a man.
Amancertainly didn’t want to fuck other men. Not that he’d said it in such words. I supplied that one myself after all the remarks about how one couldn’t trust a queer with money. And that was my job. Father owned an investment firm, where I worked as a senior financial advisor. If I couldn’t make sound decisions about my personal life, why would anyone trust me to grow their wealth?
And that brought me back to tonight’s old song and dance. The one where Mother assessed the potential marriage market for me since I’ddragged my feet about it for far too long. Her words. I wasn’t dragging anything. I was adamantly staying a bachelor. Better that than trying to fake it with a wife. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if I’d be physically capable of having sex with a woman.
I gestured to William’s glass. “You’re doing the same, I see.”
He chuckled. “Yeah. If I’m drunk enough, my mother won’t approach me. She’ll set up some covert dinner and a reason to have the girl over. I’d rather that anyway. Just tell me when to say I do. Why does it matter?”
I bumped his elbow and snickered. “Maybe stop looking at the girls and find a woman.”
William’s eyes sparkled with his grin. “Can’t blame me for liking them young and eager.”
No, but … “I think everyone would blame you for liking them illegal.”
He snorted into his glass, then lowered it. “You know I didn’t meanthatyoung, you sick fuck.”
We shared a strained chuckle. It was far easier to make light of it than try to change it. Arranged marriages were alive and well, though people didn’t see it. Old-money families still did the marriage shopping, and us bachelors knew the drill. Shut up, sign the prenup, and keep the mistress quiet.
“Seriously, though, there are a few pretty ones here tonight. If not a bit on the younger side too,” William said and scanned the room for one such unicorn.
I stared at my friend for a moment, then joined him. “Are you actually thinking of settling down?”
Two words that made us visibly cringe: settle down. A gentler way of saying imprisoned, locked into misery.The old ball and chainwas a saying for a reason.
“I dunno.” He shrugged. “Maybe. Sometimes I figure it’d be easier. Or maybe I just want to find my mistress before my mother finds my wife.”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. This wasn’t the first time William had mentioned giving in to his family’s demand of the right woman while keeping his idea of the right woman on the side. Two of them? Sounded like a fucking nightmare.
“How about her?” William nodded toward a small group of young ladies. “Marilyn Monroe. You like blondes, right?”