The Elite

We started on the lower floor and, when no one was looking, she’d make a fake large yawn. I glared at her and took her upstairs. We had three levels. The second floor held mostly history displays and she laughed. I gripped her hand tighter and dragged her to the third floor, knowing exactly what to show her.

The third floor was our space exhibit. It was my personal favorite.

She faked a gasp. “Space!” she said. “Who would have thought a museum would have a space display?”

“Shut up,” I growled, pulling her to the end. “There.”

I smirked in success when her jaw dropped. She walked around it.

“Is this real?” she whispered.

“Duh,” I said. “And it cost an arm and a fucking leg.”

It was an authentic space suit. It had belonged to one of the astronauts that landed on the moon.

“The original landing?” she asked.

“Unfortunately, no,” I sighed. “I lobbied for Armstrong’s but they refused. So, are you going to eat your words?”

She rolled her eyes. “One display does not a museum make.” I glared. “But I will say this display has me impressed. Now I’m hungry.”

“God you’re frustrating,” I grumbled but people were starting to come up with their champagne glasses and I quickly snatched her hand again.

“This is wonderful, Mr. Banker!” a young woman said.

A very hot young woman.

“Well thank you,” I said smoothly, forgetting I was holding Willow’s hand. “Maybe later I can give you a private tour.”

She giggled and I saw Willow walk away out of the corner of my eye.

Oops.

“Looks like your girlfriend is a little jealous,” she said with a smirk.

“Nah,” I said. “We’re in an-” Then I saw the camera hiding in her purse. “She gets a little uncomfortable around the space display,” I lied smoothly. “The immensity of space and all that,” I added.

“When do I get that private tour?” she asked, a smile on her face.

I leaned forward to whisper in her ear, “When you get rid of that camera in your purse.”

She turned red and I walked away, going downstairs with a smirk on my face. To be honest, it was sneaky and she probably would’ve gotten away with it if I hadn’t looked down. I stopped at the base of the stairs and frowned.

Wait. Why did I care?

I shook myself and went to find Willow. She wasn’t on the second floor so I assumed she had gone to sit with Polly and her gay boyfriend. I was right though they were looking at one of the art displays. Willow had her head tilted and was pointing at something. I lingered behind her to listen in.

“I mean, it looks like an ordinary piece of art, but it’s actually really interesting,” she was saying and I smirked. “I like it when artists use long brush strokes.”

“Museums are boring, huh?” I said and they all looked around their shoulders in surprise.

“Where’s your girlfriend?” she asked snidely.

“Already banged her in the men’s restroom,” I said and cringed at the look on Polly’s face. “Easy. I was joking. She was the press; she had a camera hidden in her purse so I made a clean exit.”

Polly was about to say something but we were called in for dinner and I reluctantly grabbed Willow’s hand again. This time she didn’t hold it back and walked slower.

“What’s your deal?” I snapped. “We’re supposed to be in there now.”

She glared. “You try having to walk around in three inch heels,” she snarled. “Give me a break!”

I rolled my eyes but said nothing else as we sat down up at the table in the front. Once again, we both put on fake smiles. I was surprised at how easy it was for her to do that.

“Wait a minute,” my father said, looking at Willow in surprise. “I didn’t know you were bringing Willow Turner!”

“Neither did I,” I murmured, sitting down.

Polly glared at me again and we waited for the plates to be passed around.

“Did Nathaniel take you on a tour of the museum?” my mother asked.

“Yes,” she said.

“What did you think?”

“It was really exciting,” she said and my father laughed.

“I know you better than that, Willow. You hated it, didn’t you?”

She laughed. “I liked the space suit!” she said defensively and he chuckled.

Willow talked some more with my parents while I sat, bored but trying not to look it. I had forgotten that my parents really liked Willow. They hadn’t seen her in a while mostly because she had started working at her dad’s ranch more than she used to. I wondered why she wasn’t the owner yet. Was her dad worried about the same thing my dad was?

“Earth to Nathan.”

“Huh?” I said, looking around.

My mother was waving her hand in my face. Our food had arrived and everyone was already eating.

“Sorry,” I said. “I got distracted.”

“I’ll be you did,” Willow said under her breath and I glared at her.

“You know, I was just saying to Elaine that it’s about time you two started dating,” my father said and we both choked on our food.

“Dating?” I asked after taking a few gulps of water.

“Of course,” my mother said happily. “Why else would you have brought her here? We’ve had several people approach us, you know, asking about you.”

“And, um, what did you say?” Willow asked, gripping her knife and glaring daggers at Polly.

“That, after knowing each other for ten years you’ve finally accepted your feelings, of course!” my mother said.

“What about you, Polly?” I asked, forcing my voice to be calm. “What have you told them?”

“I haven’t been approached,” she said in a high pitched voice. “I didn’t think they would ask.”

“Apparently you were mistaken,” I said.

“Is everything all right, Willow?” my father asked.

Willow had gone pale and she was staring at her plate. She didn’t answer and that’s when I remembered I was supposed to care about her. I cleared my throat.

“Willow?” I asked, putting my hand on her shoulder. She shook it off. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she said through clenched teeth. “Just felt a little sick for a minute there.”

Tell me about it.