Overambitious, my ass! He was more than pleased with my ambition earlier.
“I’m sure it’s not often that you have that problem,” I say, then slip another forkful of pie into my mouth.
I feel a sharp jab to my ribs and look over to see Prim glaring at me.
Garrett’s chair scrapes across the floor. “Thanks for dinner once again, Mrs. Carter. It was delicious, as always.”
He leaves, and without missing a beat, Father says, “If only you could find a nice man like him. Wouldn’t dream of getting a lady into trouble.”
I rise from my seat and start collecting the plates.
I didn’t think it was possible, but somehow, tonight’s dinner was worse than last’s. Jake stormed off, which isn’t entirely unexpected with his hot temper, but then the flowers. God, why did Alistair have to send me flowers?
He must have gotten my address from Ted, who salivates over any good match for me, knowing it will increase my value to the public. Going to the opening of Saint Cloud with Alistair Whent would have had me on the front page of gossip magazines without me having to throw a punch at the bartender.
I still don’t understand how that all happened.
“Hey!” Prim hisses.
“What’s up?” I ask as I rinse a plate.
“Why’d you go and do that back there? You really embarrassed Garrett.”
Shit!It’s not that I forgot that Prim had a crush on Garrett. I was just so caught up in my own conflicting emotions for him that I didn’t realize how the table conversation must have made her feel.
“I’m-I’m sorry. I was just so angry about what Pa had said about Alistair, I wanted to direct the conversation away from him. Garrett just kind of got caught in the crossfire.”
“Well, he didn’t deserve that!” Prim snaps.
Guilt needles my insides. If Prim knew what I had done, I don’t think she’d ever talk to me again.
She’s too young for him. She’s gonna get hurt no matter what. It’s not on you.
I clear my throat. “Listen, Prim. I know that you feel real big for Garrett, but you have to understand, he’s some fourteen years older than you.”
Prim turns away, but not before her face betrays her pain.
“Do you think Father would ever be okay with you dating a full-grown man?”
“You heard Pa back there. I reckon Garrett’s the only man he’d be okay with me dating.”
I exhale in frustration. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to hurt you, Prim. I’m just worried is all. Change of subject. Have ya figured out what you’re going to do after school?”
She turns back around towards me, looking shyly.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Well, I kind of started writing.”
“Writing? Like books?”
“It started with short stories, then novels, but recently, I’ve been adapting them to screenplays.
I blink, as though that simple act will better help me to comprehend what Prim has just said.
“You’re writing screenplays?”
“Yeah, I was kind of hoping you’d look at one.”
