While I still can’t reveal my pregnancy publicly, because of everything else on the line (see marriage and position in family dynasty), it does feel pretty good to have Theo rubbing my feet on the way to the venue.

“Oh gosh, right there.” I groan as his thumb presses into my instep.

“Careful, Immy, or you might just get yourself knocked up,” he jokes, continuing to massage my heel.

“Can you just be at my beck and call twenty-four seven to do this?” My eyes are closed and my head leaned against the seat of the limo.

Theo chuckles. “I’m still your husband last time I checked, which means it’s basically my job to do just that. I can also be your cheeseburger servant and bath drawer.”

“Yes, to all of the above. But it’s not cheeseburgers, it’s Taco Bell.”

My confession has him gasping. “The esteemed daughter of the Weston family has a hankering for nacho bell grandes? The shame!”

We both crack up as I sit up, my loose, halter-necked dress blooming around me. The emerald material is light and drapes all the way to the floor, with a pretty gold jeweled choker sewn around the neck. It is beautiful and tasteful, but also hides my growing bump. I’m to the point now where, if I were to wear something form-fitting, you’d know there was a baby growing in there.

“So, what is our approach tonight? A lot of PDA? Maybe drop the baby bomb? Or we could announce to everyone that we’re secretly democrats, that’ll have them switching topics from our rumored divorce.”

He takes my hand and helps me out of the limo, then laces his fingers through mine as we walk. “You’re just a ball of laughs tonight, mister. What happened to the mysterious surfer I met on Nantucket?”

“He found out he’s going to be a dad, and it’s making him giddy. Jeez, giddy, Theo? I never thought I’d use that word in association with myself.”

“And what’s with the third person references? Imogen doesn’t like that too much,” I tease him.

He waggles his eyebrows at me as we enter the venue, a typical white shiplap, Cape Cod country club type building that is designed in a nautical theme.

“Yeah, this looks exactly like the other hundred places we’ve been to for charity dinners before. Bet you they serve mini-Lobster rolls as an appetizer.” Theo laughs sarcastically and I can’t help but hide a smile behind my hand.

He’s right, these things are all the same. I used to think they were special or for a good cause, but they’re really just for pandering to the egos of the people who donate. It was strange how my attitude toward the world I’d been born into was changing so dramatically, so quickly.

“Theo, Imogen … didn’t think I’d see you here … together,” Alfie greets us as soon as we walk into the ballroom.

At least we’ve been approached by a semi-friendly person on our first attempt to dispel the rumor.

“Why wouldn’t I be here, Alf? My wife told me there would be free whiskey, and you know how I love free things.” Theo winks at my brother, calling him the nickname he knows he hates.

Alfie’s jaw tics and I pat him on the arm, walking my husband and I quickly toward our table. I want to sit, because my feet are killing me already, but also so I don’t have to mill about the room and be roped into awkward conversation.

“Imogen!”

Too late. Katherine Van Hughes has spotted us and is making her way over here like a shark who smells blood in the water.

“That’s my cue to get us drinks,” Theo whispers, standing and making a quick escape.

Traitor, I think as I give his back a death glare. He knows as well as I do that Katherine is the biggest gossip in the circles my family runs in. She’s in everyone’s business, has no shame about it, and wants to be in the know at all times.

“So good to see you, honey!” She bends down to air kiss me, and I don’t bother to get up even if it is considered rude. “Was that your husband I saw?”

“It was.” I nod, knowing she’s fishing.

Katherine sits down, and I see the sparkle of a gossiper’s dream in her eye. “Imogen, don’t mind me for speaking out of turn, but … are you all right? It’s just, I heard about Theo being served divorce papers in front of his office.”

And there it is. Don’t these people have anything better to do with their lives of luxury? And why had I never noticed this seedy underside of my upbringing before?

“That was just a joke, a harmless prank to cover up the real drama.” I lean in close, feeding on Katherine’s gullible greediness for information. “Theo has been wanting to give notice at Toxell’s firm for months. That place is quickly going downhill; so many projects over budget, Nathan has no idea how to keep control of the staff, and my husband’s knowledge of all of the ins and outs of the construction process were not being utilized. We figured, rather than call attention to all of that, we’d play a prank to get him out of there and disguise what was really going on, so he could leave. Didn’t want to embarrass Nathan Toxell or his firm, but what are you going to do? You needed to know. Aren’t they doing work on your mother’s house on Martha’s Vineyard?”

The lies and cover-ups come spewing out of my mouth and actually sound more than halfway decent for being a totally off-the-cuff excuse.

Katherine’s eyes are as wide as saucers. “You’re kidding me. Wow, I had no clue. Yes, they are doing the build on my mother’s expansion. Hmm, guess I’ll have to talk to her about that now.”

She looks to be deep in thought as she walks away, the seed of a rumor I’ve planted growing into a giant tree as she gets farther away. In my heart, I know I’ve done something kind of wrong … but honestly; she deserves it and so does Nathan Toxell. And Theo deserves for the spotlight of my family and their lookers-on to be off of him once and for all.

“What did that nosy wench want?” Theo returns with a drink in each hand; water and lime for me and a beer for him.

I love that he still orders beer at these events even though they only stock it behind the bar in an almost ironic gesture.

“To know who gets the house in Palm Springs when we split,” I joke.

“Oh, most definitely you. But I’d like the property in Tahiti, you know, for the great swells. You won’t even miss it.” His wry smile twinkles with sarcasm.

“Or we could keep both?” I suggest, tracing the lines of condensation down my glass.

“We could do that.” Theo’s voice is full of hope.

After filling him in on what I actually told Katherine, he confirms what I already know and tells me that I’m a genius. The little rumor I spread will take a lot of heat off of us and will explain all of Theo’s behavior the day he quit his job. What’s more, it is a little payback for his boss treating him like crap for the past five years.

And after a few more prying questions or disguised insinuations aimed at us during the dinner … most everyone shifted topics pretty quickly.

Now that the evening was out of the way, and we’d averted the crisis, I think it was well past time that my position was solidified within Weston Shipping.

My father would have some answering to do first thing Monday morning.