I climbed into the backseat of the car where Earl was waiting for me. It felt awkward and forced to be so close to him. I scooted in and tugged my dress down over my thigh, trying to hide the exposed skin. It was the nicest but also the shortest dress that I had. The black silk wouldn’t stay in place though, no matter how hard I tried. Finally, I gave up and looked out the window .

“You look very nice,” Earl said softly .

“Thanks,” I muttered. I wasn’t in the mood for conversation. I felt like I was in the back of a hearse going to my own funeral. Earl had such misconceptions about my mother that it was almost painful. I knew what was going to happen though. She hated me for just being alive. Tonight was not going to be the warm reunion that Earl had hoped for .

“Does she know I’m coming?” I asked him coldly .

He cleared his throat. “I thought it would be more fun if it was a surprise. I know how much she likes gifts from the way my dad talks about her .”

“She likes money and men with money. This isn’t a gift she’ll enjoy .”

“Not with that attitude she won’t,” he shot back .

“Boy,” I spat. “You sure do think you have it all figured out, don’t you?” I laughed and shook my head. “It must be nice to always think you’re right .”

“I am most of the time. My track record has proven itself, what about you ?”

I glared at him. “You think just because I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth that I don’t have a good character .”

“That’s not what I meant,” he murmured. “It just seems strange to me that you want to get your breasts done to get a job. There are other ways to improve your chances .”

“Wow, you really do think you have all the answers, don’t you?” I said quickly. “It’s no wonder you’re still single .”

His eyes grew wide. “Excuse me? I don’t have a girlfriend because I don’t want one. I could get one with the snap of a finger .”

“You would think that too,” I shot back. “You could probably find one just like my mother actually. That would be perfect for you. Another trophy to show off to the world .”

“Just because I have money and you don’t does not make you some kind of martyr. It means that I’m willing to work for what I want .”

“And I’m willing to go under the knife for what I want, but that’s wrong to you?” I scoffed. “I can’t wait until tonight is over. A promise is a promise, or did you have your team of lawyers draw something up for out little arrangement .”

Earl rolled his eyes. “Don’t be a child .”

Silence fell between us and I welcomed it. My nerves were totally shot and we hadn’t even dealt with my mother yet. I let out a deep breath, trying to control myself so that things didn’t implode the second I walked through her door. We would be there soon. Good. The quicker we got there, the faster the night would end and I could go home .

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly .

I jerked my head around. “What ?”

“I said that I was sorry,” he repeated. “I never should have taken advantage of you like I did the other day. It was really unethical .”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I wanted it just as much as you did.” I paused, choosing my next words carefully. “You know I didn’t do it to get breasts. I would never do something like that for money or trade. I really had a good time .”

“I know,” he whispered. “The thought honestly never crossed my mind. Can you come into the office on Monday? We can finalize everything then .”

“Does this mean I still have to go to this dinner with my mother?” I asked hopefully .

He laughed and nodded. “Yes, you still have to go have dinner with your mother. I think you’ll be surprised with how much she has changed .”

“You must not know her very well then,” I muttered .

“I don’t,” he admitted. “But my father loves her, so I have to give her the benefit of the doubt. I know it’s been a long time since the two of you talked, but hopefully after tonight we will be seeing a lot more of each other .”

“As brother and sister? Isn’t that a little messed up?” I asked him .

I didn’t want to admit to myself that the idea did turn me on a little bit. He was legally my step-brother, but I still craved the touch of his hand. He did things to me with his fingers that I never knew were possible. I shuddered and turned away from him, trying to hide the growing desire in my eyes. If I made it through tonight, I would be staying far away from Earl and my mother too. I couldn’t keep letting my emotions get the better of me .

“Everything okay?” he asked .

“Yeah,” I said with a hoarse voice. “Just thinking about the last time I talked with my mother face to face .”

“I guess it didn’t go too well ?”

“No,” I said with a laugh. “That would be an understatement. The fact that police weren’t called was a miracle. I hope that you are right. I hope she’s morphed into a woman so different from the mother I knew that I don’t recognize her .”

“You just need to have a little bit of faith. My father did marry her after all, she must not be that bad of a person .”

“Either that or she’s gotten better at hiding who she really is,” I told him .

He slid a little closer to me and my body started to tremble. As he reached out and took my hand from my lap, I closed my eyes. How was I going to survive being so close to him and not make a move? I knew he wasn’t looking for a relationship because neither was I. That didn’t stop the burning attraction that lingered between us .

“I know that you don’t want to be here. Hopefully you’ll see in just a few minutes that everything happens for a reason. I know that we were meant to meet and come here together tonight .”

I shook my head. “No matter what I say, you aren’t going to listen to me until you’ve seen it with your own eyes so what’s the point in arguing about it right now? Let’s just get this over with .”

“A little optimism would be nice .”

I plastered the most insincere smile I could muster onto my face and Earl winced .

“Or—” he said before quickly looking away. “Look! Here we are .”

I glanced out the window as the car came to a stop in front of a Victorian era mansion. It was surrounded by acres of pristine landscaping. My mother had really landed herself a big fish. Earl held out his arm for me as I climbed out and we made our way up the grand staircase to the front door. From the corner of my eye I saw my mother through a window. Our eyes locked as the smile fell from her face. She narrowed her eyes and clenched her jaw. The look of pure hatred lasted just a brief second before she was out of my view, but it was enough to send a chill through my spine. I leaned against Earl without thinking about it and he looked down at me with a smile .

“Nervous?” he whispered to me .

“Sure,” I mumbled. “Let’s call it that .”

We stopped at the front door and Earl rang the bell. My heart was beating so loud that I was sure Earl could hear it. I felt like I was going to pass out. All of the memories from my teen years that I’d fought so hard to repress came flooding back. I had to fight to keep my knees from buckling underneath me as the door was slowly opened. This was it. Earl’s arm fell away from me and I knew that I was on my own. One of us was going to be proven right tonight and I had the sneaking suspicion that was going to be me .

My stomach lurched as I looked up and saw my mother for the first time in a long while. She had the polite smile of a hostess on her face, but a subtle twitch above her left eye told me that it was all a lie. There was nothing different about her, she just found a better mask to hide behind .