262|The Walls And Eyes Have Ears

While Austin was mulling over his plans for Jaco, Marybeth was tearing up the dance floor with her father to Tina Turner's Steel Claw while she surreptitiously watched her mom speak with a bunch of suits.

Her parents had gone out of their way to avoid each other, which was awfully odd to her, considering they'd seen each other a bunch of times over the last couple of years. Why they were acting like complete strangers was baffling to her. But then again, if Vivienne didn't want her associates to know of her existence, there was no way she'd be comfortable with them knowing about her ex—

"Are you okay, Sweet Pea?" Lionel asked as he took her hands, and they began swaying to Lady In Red. Before Marybeth could assure him she was right as rain, Lukas cut in, teasing Lionel about hogging all of her time.

"She's all yours," said Lionel with a smile, pushing her into her father-in-law's arms.

"He doesn't look too well," said Lukas. "I hear his liver's troubling him."

"He'll be fine soon," sai