Chapter 5

James hurried to his family's table, sure that by now Skylar would be in need of rescue. He tensed when he noticed not only were his parents at the table, his mother still latched on to Skylar like a tick, but his younger brother Adam had come to supper with his wife Julia. He clenched his jaw. The fact that Adam was married and James still chronically single was the catalyst to his mother's rampant attempts at setting him up and encouraging him to settle down. James didn't hold it against him and Adam was probably the only family member he actually liked, but their presence could very likely add extra pressure tonight. 

James pulled out the chair next to Skylar and took a seat. Without thinking he reached over and grabbed her hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. Realizing what he'd done he tried to casually remove his hand but Skylar squeezed back and kept his hand where it was, shooting him a quick relieved glance when his mother turned to speak to a passing waiter. He offered her a comforting smile and held her hand tighter, suddenly feeling very protective of her. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Adam watching them with a knowing smile. Adam winked at his brother and asked their mother about an upcoming club fundraiser she had organized pulling her attention completely away from Skylar and James. She released Skylar and began talking animatedly and in depth about the high tea fundraiser she was organizing and Skylar discretely created space between herself and Amelia. James released her hand and put his arm around the back of her chair. His heart skipped a beat when she moved in closer and pressed into his side, placing one hand on his thigh. She smirked at his expression and gave his leg a squeeze for good measure. James shifted in his chair uncomfortably. Catching his brothers eye he mouthed a thank you.

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Skylar tried to focus on the details of Amelia's fundraiser, and trying to acknowledge how distracted she was by the man next to her. She kicked herself for sidling up to him and squeezing his leg.  In an attempt to tease him she'd put herself in an uncomfortable position as she tried to slow her heart rate down. When he had reached over and squeezed her hand her heart had nearly stopped. It had felt warm and comforting in hers, and before she could stop herself she had seized the opportunity to move in closer. She watched him out of the corner of her eye. His expression was more relaxed than it had been all day as he listened to his mother and brother, even contributing to the conversation much to the shock of everyone else at the table. It was probably thanks to the whiskey's he downed Skylar reminded herself. Her breath caught as he ran a hand down her back, letting it land on her hip. Skylar relaxed into him and focussed back on the conversation as waiters arrived with their meal. 

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At Skylar's request for another drink James took the opportunity to excuse himself to head to the bar, hoping that while mouths were full questions directed at Skylar would minimal. Adam quickly followed. "I'll get a couple drinks for us too hon," he said to Julia, kissing the top of her blonde hair before he hurried to catch up to James. "So, she seems nice," he said elbowing James once out of earshot. James rolled his eyes at his brother, "She is nice, now get to the point. You didn't chase after me and wait until they couldn't hear you to tell me she seems nice." Adam nodded, "Fair enough, you're right. She really does seem nice though. You two actually seem like a good fit." James turned his head toward his brother with a startled expression, Adam's smile faded to confusion. "You don't think so?" he asked as they reached the bar. James sat down heavily on one of the bar stools and sighed. "I'm going to tell you something, but for the love of everything don't tell mom." Adam mimed zipping his lips and sat down on the stool opposite James, "She's not a hooker is she?" James shot him a warning look, surprising both Adam and himself with his reaction. Adam held his hands up in apology, "Okay! Sorry, clearly not, forget I said it." "She's not a hooker, " James said firmly, "She's a temp at my office. Filling in for Babbitt." "Okay, I'm not seeing the issue yet. Mom's crazy but she's not going to condemn her because she's a temp," Adam handed James a waiting glass of whiskey. James focused on it, swirling it as he continued, "She just started today. And I offered to pay her to be my fake girlfriend to get mom off my case because my dumb ass told her last week that I was seeing someone so she wouldn't set me up at brunch."

"Seriously? Are you sure she's a temp and not an actress? Because she's not acting like a girl that's getting paid to be here," Adam looked back over at the table where Skylar and Julia were now chatting amiably. He turned back to James who was also watching Skylar and Julia. Adam smiled to himself. No, not Julia. Just Skylar. "Well," he said, standing and grabbing two drinks off the bar, "I hope you keep her around.  She seems good for you, whether you realize it or not."

James watched Adam head back to the table as he absorbed what his brother had said. Skylar looked over her shoulder at him with a look that practically screamed where's that drink and James smiled. He stood and grabbed another glass off the bar for Skylar and headed back toward the table, realizing she had made tonight the most bearable meal he'd had with his family in a long time. Keeping her around really didn't sound so bad.