Braxton pulls up to the gate at exa

Braxton pulls up to the gate at exactly seven on the dot.
He’s driving a black Escalade with tinted windows, so I can’t get a good look at him through the security cameras.
Mom is pretending not to be interested, but she’s walked by me about six times in the last ten minutes. When she walks by this time, I turn toward her and smooth my hands down the front of my dress.
“How do I look?” I’m wondering if she’ll even recognize this dress.
She stops and raises a hand to her mouth, studying me. “You look gorgeous as always, sweetheart,” she says. “You really need a bracelet or a watch or something, though. Your wrists look so bare.”
She unhooks the clasp on the ten carat diamond tennis bracelet she’s wearing.
My mouth drops open. She’s never let me wear her jewelry before. “I can’t,” I say. “What if I lose it or something?”
“Don’t,” she says, a smile growing on her face as she secures it around my wrist.
I twist my arm, watching the diamonds sparkle in the light. It’s breathtaking, but it’s heavy and it scares the shit out of me. I really don’t want this responsibility.
If I take it off, though, she’ll be upset.
“Just give this guy a chance, okay?” Her voice is soft and serious and when I look up at her, her eyes are fixed to my face. “That’s all I’m asking.”
My stomach fills with a nervous wave of energy. Is it so obvious that I’m closed off to every guy who isn’t Mason?
The doorbell rings and I take a deep breath. I really hope this guy isn’t a troll. Or a coin collector.
Our butler, Jameson, opens the door and I turn as Braxton walks inside.
Definitely not a troll.
He’s tall and handsome with broad shoulders. He’s dressed in a pair of jeans with a crisp white shirt and a tailored black blazer. He smiles as I walk toward him.
“Penny?” he says as I give him a quick hug. “It’s so great to meet you. You’re even more beautiful than the pictures your mom sent.”
I glance back at my mom. “Thanks.” She just smiles, but I make a mental note to drill her later about which pictures she’s sending to people without my permission.
“Braxton, this is my mom, Lucy.”
She steps forward and he reaches for her hand.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” he says. “My parents say such great things about you and your husband.”
She practically swoons at him. “You are too sweet,” she says. “I’m so glad we could finally get you and Penelope together.”
I cringe when she uses my full name.
“We better get going,” I say, slipping my arm inside Braxton’s. “We have reservations.”
“I actually canceled the reservations you made,” he says, surprising me. “I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to take you someplace a little different tonight.”
Mom raises an eyebrow and gives me a look that says this one’s different. I have to restrain myself from kicking her, inching toward the front door instead.
“Sounds fun,” I say, praying he’s not going to try to make me eat sushi or something. “Goodnight, Mom.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart,” she says. She’s practically giggling, she’s so excited. “Call me if you’re planning to stay out too late.”
I don’t respond to that, but I know the implication is that maybe, for the first time since she started trying to set me up with one of her friend’s kids, she finally hit the jackpot. Maybe this is the one who will finally break through to me.
I feel everything inside me rebelling against the idea as we walk toward his car together.
Yes, he’s good looking and rich and probably perfect for me on the outside, but there’s something about him that’s too perfect. Too rehearsed. Definitely too good to be true.
Besides, my heart has belonged to someone else for so long, I can’t even imagine falling in love with another guy. No matter how great he is.
He opens the door for me and as I climb inside and wait for him to step around to the driver’s side, I think about how crazy I am to be thinking about Mason right now. He flat-out told me he didn’t want to be with me. That he didn’t love me. Why am I still holding on? If he really, truly doesn’t want me, there’s nothing I can do about it. Am I going to spend the rest of my life heartbroken and alone?
God, I hope not.
As Braxton slips behind the wheel and drives off toward some mystery destination, I wonder if it’s even possible for me to open my heart to someone new.