Chapter 18

**Blue**


Oh, do I want to drive Artemis crazy with a story painting him as a crazy stalker. Which is completely true, but I also don't want his family to use our rocky start against us. As much as I would enjoy seeing him sweat, I’m too nice to do that to him. So I did my best to come up with a plausible story which wasn’t easy given we have only known each other for a day.

“Yes, Artemis I had no idea my son would chase after a girl in such a way. I thought you despised social media.” His mother said in what I assume was meant to be in a friendly teasing way but her acting isn’t that good.

“For the right girl, a man will do anything.” Is how he replies before turning to me and leaning in to press a kiss to my temple.

The damn guy is trying to get me flustered in front of his family. No doubt for painting him as a romantic when he basically offered to buy me when we first met. The reminder of that makes me want to slug him in the leg and make it cramp up! I don’t do that though. Nope, I smile sweetly at him and squeeze his hand hard enough that he tries to pull it away but I don’t let go.

"It's such a cute story. Definitely, something the press will love! A birthday and a wedding for the Rhodes family. This is very exciting." Rhea says looking at Max with a genuinely happy smile.

She's so full of life, it's hard to believe she belongs in this family.

"I'm just glad he didn't give up looking for me," I add and try to muster a look of a love-struck woman but with his harsh face it’s hard to imagine I could ever look at the man that way.

Plus right now I’m annoyed with him.

I expect him to return my look with what looks like a genuine smile. It startles me and I narrow my eyes at him for a second trying to work out his angle. Then he does something I didn’t expect.

“I’m glad I found you, baby.” Baby? Baby!

I don’t get long to freak out over that before his lips are on mine. It only lasts a second, but I’m so stunned I don’t move. Butterflies erupt in my stomach and my heart rate shoots to the point that I wonder if it’s loud enough for everyone to hear.

He just kissed me! How dare he spring that on me, and he’s smirking like a freaking asshole!

I’m more than annoyed now, I’m pissed!

Mostly at myself for reacting this way because of a kiss from his surprisingly soft lips. Dammit, Artemis Rhodes! You are so dead!

"Aw!" Rhea says startling me back to reality.

I make sure to pinch Artemis on the leg where our linked hands are still sitting. It jumps slightly and he shoots me a pointed look but I just smile sweetly at him.

Yeah, take that!

“I can’t wait to start planning! Do you have someone you want to be your maid of honor?” Rhea asks.

She’s so excited it’s almost like she’s vibrating with energy.

I shake my head. “No. I haven’t been in Seattle long so I haven’t met many people.”

Her face turns from excited to sad in an instant.

“Certainly you have family that could take the role.” Mrs. Rhodes says from across the table.

Okay, I guess we’re going to air out a few things.

“No. I don’t have any family.” I admit.

“How is that possible? Everyone has a family.” She says even though that isn’t true.

There are plenty of people without family who isn’t in the same situation as me. I think she’s trying to pull information from me but I’m not about to tell her that my parents abandoned me.

“Let it go, mother.” Artemis snaps at her.

She acts shocked that he would talk to her that way, but that fades when a waiter appears. Finally.

“Hello everyone, can I take your food orders?” He doesn’t have a pad of paper to write anything down.

I wonder if he’ll be able to remember everything, especially for this many people.


Everyone starts placing their orders and I quickly try to scan the menu, but I don’t recognize anything.

“What sort of meat do you like to eat?” Artemis whispers in my ear.

I shrug. “I’m not picky.”

Mostly because you can’t be when you’re homeless.
“How about chicken?” He asks and I nod.

“I’ll order you something for you to try, but if you don’t like it we can order something else.”

That’s…surprisingly sweet of him.

“Okay. Thank you.”

He nods and tells the waiter our order.

The man leaves and the table becomes silent again. It allows me to start feeling my anxiety pick up. I’ve been trying hard not to let my nerves get the better of me and push aside any feelings that could ruin this lunch but once again it’s catching up to me.

I can not pass out again. Not here.

“I’m just going to use the restroom,” I tell Artemis.

“I’ll show you where it is,” Rhea says before standing as well.

Artemis keeps hold of my hand until I stand and he seems reluctant to let it go but when I look at him to ask why he lets me go and quickly looks away. I don’t know what that was about but I brush it off and follow Rhea away from the table. Once we’re able to walk side by side she links our arms together.

“I’m glad you’re here Blue.” She says softly almost wistfully.

“You are? Why?” I’m surprised.

She laughs. “I was worried about Artemis being forced to marry a horrible woman and suffer with her for the rest of his life like Tet. He doesn’t realize it but Athena and I worry about him. He isn’t like Tet. Tet and his wife don’t even sleep in the same room together. Both of them have affairs but Artemis has always been against that sort of arrangement. Even though he didn’t like the idea of being married he hated infidelity more. Probably because we saw so much of it between our parents. There was even a question of paternity after Iris was born.”

“Wow. I’m sorry you guys had to see all that.”

She shrugs. “It’s not uncommon in the entertainment industry.

“Why bother with marriages if infidelity is allowed?” I ask not really expecting her to answer.

“Hell if I know. It doesn’t make much sense but it’s what our family has always done. Our family has been doing it for generations and it’s part of the will each head of our family signs. Thankfully our grandmother Cecilia asked that her children be given the chance to find someone before an arranged marriage is set. She also had a large fortune that my father planned on using to further the family business into other sectors of entertainment, but she added a condition to her will. He would have to let his children have a chance to choose a partner before their thirtieth birthday or a partner would be chosen for them. The money won’t be released until all of us are married. Well except for Iris since she wasn’t born until long after the will was written.”

My head is reeling over all this.

Do all rich people control their family's lives by adding conditions to their wills like that? If so it must really suck. I can say that since besides marrying Artemis I’m not affected by any of that stuff. Still, it gives me a new perspective on what he’s had to deal with. What I want to know is why he waited so long. He could have picked a girl at any time.

Rhea and make it to the bathroom just as several women exit. They stop in their tracks and I see the same fake smile Mrs. Rhodes uses on their face.

“Rhea! Long time no see.” One of them says.

She’s in golf attire but she has a face full of makeup and her hair is in a stylish updo. Who know golf was such a fancy sport?

“It has been a long time Tiffany,” Rhea says trying to match the tone of the other woman’s voice.

“Wow, I see you’ve lost your baby weight finally! That’s amazing. Maybe we’ll see you out on the green again.” The woman, Tiffany says in a sweet-as-pie voice.

Rhea laughs dryly. “Yeah who knew sex was such a workout. Max has been getting me in shape for months now. He can be so creative. See you, ladies, later.”

Their eyes are nearly bugging out of their heads as we pass them and I’m biting back a laugh. Once we’re safely in the bathroom I let it loose.

“Oh my god! You scandalized them so badly!”

Rhea laughs too. “It’s the only way to get people like them off my back. It’s no secret that Max doesn’t exactly meet the standards of this place, but it comes in handy to have a super hot musician as a husband.”

“Well, I’m impressed.”

She does a little bow and then rests her hip against the counter. “So did you really need to use the bathroom or did you need to escape?”

I cringe. “Is it that obvious?”

She shakes her head and gives me a reassuring smile. “My family can be exhausting sometimes. That’s why we only see each other once in a while. I would like to spend more time with Athena and Artemis but one lives thousands of miles away and the other lives in his own head.”

I nod at that last part. It could explain his terrible social skills.

“But I have a feeling that you and I are going to be great friends! What do you say?”

She holds her hand out to me and I don’t hesitate to take it.

“Agreed.”

“Good. Now I really do need to use the bathroom because thanks to my cute babies I have horrible bladder control.”

I can’t help but laugh. Since we’re here I decide to go as well. As soon as I close the stall door, which makes the stall into its own tiny room. The door opens and several voices echo through the space around me under the door.

“God, did you see Artemis? He looks so sexy.” One says.

“Did you see that he’s engaged now? To a nobody, but everyone is obsessed with her now. It’s disgusting. I wonder what she had to do to get him to propose.” Another says.

“Some people think she’s a prostitute that he hired to hold the spot until he finds a better wife.” The first woman says.

“Makes sense. Did you see her? She looks cheap. Bet he got her for a bargain.”

They both start laughing while I stay frozen behind the door.