The Scandal and Carter O'Neill by Molly O'Keefe Read Free Book Online

that includes your family and friends. The less they know, the easier it will be on them.”
    Well, she thought, what was one more secret between her and her mother?
    “All right. So where are we going tonight?”
    “Bola,” he said, naming the fancy steak house that had opened downtown a few months ago.
    Nope. Uh-uh. Not going to happen. She would fakedate him anywhere but there. “I’ve heard it’s awful,” she lied.
    He shook his head. “From who? The food there is amazing.”
    “Well, if it’s amazing food you want, I know of a great soul food place down on River—”
    “The point is to be seen by people,” he said slowly, as if she were stupid. “Get our photo taken.”
    “But Bola has cockroaches,” she whispered, as if Zagat were in the room with them. “In the kitchen.”
    “Are you trying to be funny?” he asked. “Because I really do not get your sense of humor. We’re going to Bola.”
    Of course, she thought, resignation like a brick settling in her stomach. Maybe, if she was lucky, Phillip wouldn’t be working.
    At least the food would be good, she thought, happy to see a bright side. This baby loved steak. Zoe, of course, loved it dipped in cream cheese, but she would try to control herself.
    “I’ll pick you up at seven,” he said.
    “That won’t work. I teach until seven and then…well, I’ll need to get ready. Eight at the earliest.” More like seven-fifteen at the earliest, but he didn’t need to know that and he certainly didn’t need to have every single thing go his way.
    He nodded. “Eight then.”
    She managed to smile as if this were a real date, something to look forward to. “Eight it is.”
    Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad, she thought, watching his long lean body cross the floor of her apartment. He was handsome, wealthy—at least she’d be able to eat a whole lot of steak in the next few months. Plus, he could hold hands better than most men made love. If she could just keep herself together and he managed to not be an autocratic ass, maybe everything would be all right.
    Of course, there was Phillip to consider now, but she’d cross that bridge when she came to it.
    “Try to wear something appropriate,” he said.
    And with that little ego crusher, he was gone.

    CHAPTER FOUR
    ZOE WAS RUNNING LATE. As usual. And Mom was not helping.
    “No,” she said, tucking the phone between her ear and her shoulder and locking the door behind her. She clicked on the lamp by the door and a puddle of warm light spread around her. “Mom, we’re not…serious.”
    “But that thing in the paper, and now this? Dinner?”
    “Yes, Mom, it’s just dinner.”
    “At Bola? That’s not just dinner.”
    “It is. It’s just a fancy dinner.” A fancy dinner that required a fancy dress. “He’s sort of a…fancy guy.” She winced; that wasn’t right at all. He was the opposite. He was stark and serious. Fancy like a rock face, maybe. Or an oak tree. She ran to her bedroom, shedding clothes as she went. Yoga pants—her pregnancy uniform—just weren’t going to cut it tonight.
    “And how long has this been going on?”
    Zoe rolled her eyes and pulled open the accordion doors to her closet. “Not long,” she said, yanking the ribbon attached to the small chain on her overhead light. She was trying to be vague, like Carter had told her, but her mom was like a hound dog. “A month, maybe. Honestly, we’re just friends.”
    “Honey, why didn’t you say something? I thought…” Penny trailed off, her voice leaving behind a little wake of pain mixed with guilt.
    A delightful combination that her mother specialized in.
    Zoe sighed and sat down on the mess of pillows and blankets she called a bed. She quickly bounced up and pulled a cereal bowl out from the duvet before settling back down. She didn’t like lying to her mother, and she really didn’t like hurting her, but at some point there needed to be some distance. Some breathing room.
    Not for the first time, Zoe