Self Service

Precious Gems

Scott watched Priscilla step out of the hallway and down the steps. His breath caught. He'd never seen her so... Formal. She looked beautiful as she walked down the steps to accept his hand.

"You look amazing," he told her.

He couldn't help looking at her coming down the steps, mesmerized by her. If she didn't capture anyone else's attention, she surely had his.

"Thank you." She smiled and accepted his arm, following him out to their ride.

Once they slid in, Scott rubbed her arm. "I have to warn you. There will be cameras."

"Cameras?"

"Yeah. You know like when cameras take pictures of your clients, there will be cameras."

She took a deep breath. She didn't like that idea. Just the thought of all those bright lights had her tummy knotting up. She wasn't made for the socialite life. Just the elite.

"You might've told me that before I agreed to be your date," she told him.

"It'll be quick, and then we'll be inside and you can get a drink."

"You are so lucky I'm already in this dress. Why wouldn't you tell me?"

"So I could get you to come," he said truthfully.

She blew out a breath, making the strand of her hair move. She moved to the other side of the car, but Scott pulled her back. "This is a part of what being my wife is going to be like," he told her. "I attend these events every few weeks."

"That's fine. The cameras part is what's not."

"Sorry."

"Yeah, I'm quite sure."

He rubbed her knee, and they didn't say anything else until they arrived. The flash of cameras immediately greeted the couple as they got out of the car. Scott kept his hand securely on Priscilla's back and led her inside, where they were greeted by a butler and champagne. Scott passed Priscilla a glass and led her to the ballroom.

"This is my childhood home," he told her.

Priscilla looked around and her brows came in. Her childhood home fit into this mansion a hundred times. There was priceless art hanging all over. She would never feel comfortable letting a child in here, better still actually raising one.

He led her to the main dining room where his mother was entertaining, and she came over to greet her son, pulling him out of Priscilla's grasp as she took him in her embrace. "Scotty, you made it," she said excitedly.

"I'm here," he told her, pulling back, taking Priscilla's hand. "Mama, this is Priscilla. My fiancée."

"Priscilla. I've heard so much about you," Hillary told her, smiling brightly. "It's so nice to finally meet you. — I understand you graduated from Yale?"

"I did."

"So you work?"

Scott noticed Arden. "We'll talk later, Ma." He leaned down to kiss her cheek and he took his  fiancée over to his cousin to save her from his mother. He knew eventually the two would need to sit down, but he could stall.

"What was that?"

"Married women in the Nolan family don't tend to work." He took her to Arden who was standing with her husband. "Arden," he greeted his cousin, leaning down to kiss her cheek before shaking hands with Eli. Arden embraced Priscilla.

"I like your dress," Priscilla told Arden.

Arden glanced down at her dress as if she'd forgotten what she was wearing. The ruby gown was a strapless vintage piece borrowed from her mother's closet.