Even if it’s my mother.
“Are you referring to the way you humiliated me in front of Liam? Because I agree, we need to talk about that.”
“I didn’t …”
“Mother, you dressed me down in front of the man I intend to marry. That’s the news Liam wants to share with you. Instead, you ruined it.”
“I ruined nothing. You went out again and ditched your security. I was worried about you. It’s not my fault if he took exception to that.”
“You’ve never once been worried about me.” Anger churns in my gut and it’s a struggle to keep it contained. Spouting off at my mother does nothing other than prove I’m incapable of containing my emotions.
“You’re being overly dramatic.”
“I’m frustrated.” I take in a deep breath and try to force my body to stop shaking. “I wanted to share our news and you made that impossible.” I wait, but she doesn’t say anything about the engagement ring. “Aren’t you going to congratulate me?”
“You’re not marrying that man.” Her comment is dismissive and final.
“I am marrying that man.” My breath hitches because those words ring with truth. I might not marry Liam now, but there’s a future between us. “You can either accept it, or not.”
“This isn’t something we should discuss over the phone.”
“Would it kill you to be happy for me? I love Liam and we’re going to get married.”
“How well do you know this person?” Her challenge is undeniable, but expected. The way she says ‘person’ dehumanizes Liam.
Thankful for the backstory Mitzy created, and the little bit of practice Liam and I did, I’m confident in the lie I tell my mother.
“We’ve been dating for months. I know him well.”
We’ve known each other for less than twenty-four hours and it’s insane to consider a future with Liam.
Yet, I am.
“He doesn’t even live here.” Her dismissive tone continues. Her choice of words tells me she’s looked into Liam’s past. Fingers crossed Mitzy’s backstory holds up.
“He lives in New York.”
“And what are you going to do when you marry? What about the Belvedere?”
Ah, here it is. The hook that will smooth everything.
“That’s one of the things we want to discuss. I realize things didn’t go well between you and Liam this morning, but he’s a good man. Good for me. He wants to sit down with you and Uncle Marco to announce our engagement and what it means for us.”
“Us?”
“Yes.”
“How does it affect us? Other than the obvious?”
“What does that mean?”
“I’ve gone to great lengths to secure an appropriate match, something that increases Rossi—”
“I don’t care what you secured for me, who he might be. I’m not marrying a man I don’t know. The days of arranged marriages are long gone. If you’re looking for a merger, you can do that without me. In fact, you don’t need me at all.”
“Be careful how you speak to me.”
“Why? You’ve never been kind to me.”
“A parent’s role isn’t to be kind to their children.”
“You’re right. It’s to shower them in so much love they feel they can do anything, but you never did that for me.” My fingers practically cramp from how tight I hold the phone. This conversation is veering off track and I need to pull it back around. “Look, I don’t want to argue with you. Liam and I are getting married, with or without your blessing. That’s going to change things around here. We want to discuss what those changes might be with you and Uncle Marco, tomorrow at brunch. If we’re still invited.”
“You want to bring that man into my home? After the way he spoke to me?”
“You mean the man who stood up for me? I’d like to think that’s the kind of man you’d want your daughter to marry.”
“I’m surprised you’d let anyone speak to your mother the way he spoke to me.”
“Honestly, Liam wasn’t wrong, and he’d say the same thing about the way you treated me and the way you spoke to me.” I run a finger through my hair. “Look, he’s not happy with how things went, but we’re getting married. He wants to sit down with you and Uncle Marco and talk about options for buying me out.”
“Buy you out?” My mother fails to contain her surprise. Her tone turns from dismissive to gleeful.
“It doesn’t make sense for me to stay on as the CEO if I’m moving back to New York. But this is a conversation best done face to face. Unless you say otherwise, Liam and I will be at Sunday brunch noon tomorrow. We’ll discuss what all of this means and what timeframes we’re looking at. Until then, you can brief Marco.”
“This is what you want? To leave New Orleans? You’ve been adamant about staying.”
“It’s what I want.”
“When?”
“As soon as possible.”
I may be spinning out a lie, but it feels like the truth. There’s no way I’m staying in New Orleans after everything I’ve learned. As to what I’ll do once this is all over and done with, I don’t have a clue, but I’ll figure something out. I cross my fingers and pray we didn’t ruin our chance of getting Mitzy’s tech into my uncle’s home.
“Then, we’ll see you at brunch?”
“Brunch is served promptly at noon.” Her concession comes grudgingly, but it does come.
Success!
“Your uncle has some business in the morning. I’ll be with him.” Her tone is terse, but I can’t help but smile.
“What happened to no business on Sundays?”
That’s always been a rule; no business on the Lord’s day.
“Don’t use that flippant tone with me. Your uncle is dealing with a crisis.”
I can guess at what crisis that might be. The Guardians rescued all six of the women my uncle intended to sell.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful.” It’s time to return to my role of dutiful child.
“Are you really willing to give up the Belvedere for this man?”
“It doesn’t make sense when I’m not going to be living here. Besides, Uncle Marco has wanted to take over my shares since the beginning. The only reason I didn’t was because the Belvedere is the only thing I had from Father. I’ve since come to realize I was holding onto it for the wrong reasons.”
“Your uncle will be pleased you finally realized the Belvedere was too much for you.”
“I’m sure he will.”
Too much for me? She didn’t hear a word I said.
“I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Liam really is an amazing man.”
“If you say so.” It’s the closest my mother will get to agreeing with me. “Like I said, your uncle has business in the morning. I’ll be with him. If we’re not home, you have the codes to let yourself in. But just you and him. There’s no need for his men.”
“Thank y—” Before I can finish, she ends the connection.