She painted a smile back on her lips and walked over to where Tanner was still held captive by Johnny and Nora. “Chrissie couldn’t be here,” Nora said, all sweet smiles for him. “But maybe you can give her a tour sometime. She did love this place growing up. Said she has a lot of happy memories here.”
Van reached for Tanner’s arm, her fingers closing around his wool-covered bicep. “I’m so sorry, but I’m going to have to steal him away. We’ll be starting the speeches and movie in a few minutes,” she said, forcing the smile to stay on her lips as she looked at the Fairfaxes.
“Of course. We can talk later, Tanner.” Johnny said, leaning in. “I have a couple of business opportunities I’d like to discuss with you.”
“I’ll be too busy tonight,” Tanner told him. “But maybe another time.”
Johnny beamed. “I’ll call you next week.”
Van blew out a mouthful of air, feeling relieved as they turned to walk away. But then she heard a voice. One she recognized. And it sent a shiver right down her spine.
“Darling! I’m so sorry I’m late.”
She turned to see her mom walking toward them, wearing a skimpy white top and tight jeans. Her feet were bare, her soles dark from the earth as she walked toward them. Van swallowed hard, shooting Tanner a look as he stared at her with wide eyes.
“Mom? You were supposed to wait for me at the car.” Van reached for her, but Kim somehow managed to dodge her grasp.
“And miss the party? Oh no.” Kim was slurring. She looked over at Johnny and his wife. “Nora, how lovely to see you. You look beautiful as always.”
Nora said nothing, staring at Van’s mom with disgust curling her lips.
“Aren’t you going to say I look nice, Nora?”
“Come on now,” Johnny said, his voice full of false humor. “We were just off to get some champagne.”
“That’s lovely,” Kim said. “Remember when you used to buy me champagne?” she asked, her eyes looking hazy as she stared at him. “We’d drink it naked, remember? You’d pour it over my tits and –”
“We’re leaving,” Johnny said, grabbing Nora’s arm. “Come on now.”
“What’s up, Johnny? You embarrassed of me?” Kim called out. “I don’t remember you being embarrassed when you were in my bed.”
Van squeezed her eyes shut. Please let her shut up. When she opened them again, Logan was hurrying toward them. Or at least she thought it was Logan.
“When I got back to the car she was gone,” he said, breathless. “I’ve been looking all over for her.”
“You hear that?” her mom said. “Young guys are still hunting for me.” She gave a little chuckle. “I’ve still got it.”
“You never had it.” Nora said, her voice harsh. “You’re just a dirty slut.”
Kim stepped forward, her smile dissolving as she lurched to one side. At the last minute she reached out, steadying herself on Nora’s shoulder. “That’s what your husband used to say,” she whispered. “Before he dragged me to bed.”
“Mom! You need to go. Now!” Van reached for her. Kim whipped her head around, her expression full of anger as she slapped Van’s hand away.
“What’s the matter?” she asked. “You don’t want me talking bad about your daddy?”
Van froze. It felt like the whole world did. Her mom’s words seemed to drip into her ear, letter by letter.
Your daddy.
Her chest tightened as she looked from her mom, to Johnny then back again, waiting for them to start laughing.
Then her eyes met Nora’s. She looked as shocked as Van. Beside her, she heard Tanner murmur something to Logan, but the sound of blood rushing through her ears was too loud to make it out.
“What?” Kim said. “Why’s everybody looking at me.”
“We should go,” Johnny mumbled, grabbing Nora’s arm. “Now.” He shot Kim a look. “Some people should learn to handle their drink.”
Van swallowed, her skin heating up as she realized everybody was staring at her. Tanner and Logan, Nora and Johnny. From the corner of her eye she could see some of the older ladies from Chairs watching her carefully and whispering quickly to each other.
She started to shake, her legs feeling weak as mortification washed over her. Johnny Fairfax was her dad? Her stomach twisted at the thought, forcing up the champagne she’d drunk earlier until she could feel the acidity bite at her throat.
She was Johnny Fairfax’s daughter, and everybody knew. All the hard work she’d put in meant nothing. She was still Kim’s bastard child. The kid everybody looked down on. The one that people whispered about as she walked along the street.
It didn’t matter that the dress she was wearing cost more than most people spent on clothes in a year. It didn’t matter that she’d organized this whole gala herself. Because they’d never see her as anything other than a piece of trash, just like her mom.
So she did the only thing she could.
She ran.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Tanner reached out, his hand missing Van’s by an inch as she ran past him. She didn’t even look his way. His mouth was dry he watched her kick off her shoes to run faster, her hair lifting in the breeze, like she was some kind of messed up Cinderella.
“I need to go after her,” he said, his chest tight.
“You need to put on the movie,” Logan said, his voice low. “You’ve got hundreds of people here, man. And if you don’t give them something to do, they’re all gonna be talking like crazy.”
“This is your fault,” Johnny hissed, pointing at Kim. “You and your stupid mouth. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer. This is slander.”
“It’s not slander if it’s true,” Tanner said, raking his fingers through his hair. Shit. He had no idea what to do next. Van needed him, but he couldn’t go. Not when this messed up show was still going on around him.
“Can you get Kim back to your car?” he asked Logan. “And this time make sure she gets home.”
Logan nodded, his lips pressed together.
“And can you call Becca? Ask her to find Zoe for me. I don’t want her hearing about all this… crap… from anybody else.” He let out a mouthful of air. “I’ll go and get the movie rolling and then find Van.”
“I’ll call Cam and Gray, too. Let them know what’s going on if they haven’t heard already,” Logan said. “Just keep in touch. Let us know what we can do.” He shook his head. “I’m so sorry about your big night.”
“I don’t give a damn about the night. I just need Van to be okay.”
“She will be,” Kim said, her voice quieter now. “Van’s always okay.”
“No thanks to you,” a voice hissed.
Tanner looked to his right, seeing Nora standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. She wasn’t looking at Johnny at all. He had a feeling the man was going to be put through hell tonight. And he deserved it. This was his fault.
His and Kim’s.
“You two need to leave,” he said, looking at Johnny and Nora. “Now.”