“So you intend to marry my daughter. Is that what you’re saying?” Daddy questions.
My muscles tense up as I look across at Colt and watch him swallow hard.
“I, ah…”
“You’ve known Deliah for four months, and you’re asking me if you can marry her. Is that what I’m hearing?” Daddy asks, slightly louder.
Colt turns a pale shade of white. “Sir, I um…”
“Do you even love her?” Daddy yells while throwing his napkin on the table.
I look at Colt, who now appears like he’s about to throw up.
“Of course,” Colt says quietly.
“Of course, what? Say it, then. Tell me you’re deeply in love with my daughter.”
I take Colt’s hand under the table. His mouth drops open like he’s trying to speak, but nothing’s coming out.
“You can’t, can you? You can’t say you love Deliah because you don’t. She’s a joy ride until you get your next set of kicks from some other willing female. Good Lord, Deliah, can’t you see he’s using you?”
Colt’s nostrils flare, and my anger has reached boiling point. “Don’t you dare, Daddy! I know Colt loves me. He doesn’t have to admit it out loud to anyone and especiallynottoyou.” Tears threaten on the tips of my lashes, but I refuse to let them fall.
“Deliah, no one will love you the way Joseph loves you. He’s good for you. Not like this… this gutter trash. I mean, he’s fromCroydon. I don’t even know what you see in him, Deliah. You’ve become such a disappointment to your mummy and me. We don’t even know who you are anymore.”
“And whosefucking faultis that? You’ve had your nose so far up Joseph’s ass you’ve failed to see anything else. Hell, Joseph admitted he didn’t love me, but yet, somehow, he’s still good enough? A loveless marriage is what you think is best for me? No,Dad, fuck you! I don’t need this shit,” I yell, standing abruptly from the table and slamming my napkin down on the plate.
Colt stands with me while I scowl at my father. If Rutherford Norman notices that I don’t refer to him as Daddy, he doesn’t show it.
“Deliah, we only want what’s best for you, and please watch your language, darling,” Mummy says.
“How do you know that Colt isn’t what’s best for me?” I challenge, resting my hand on my hip.
“Well, your father thinks that Jo—”
“Fuck what Father thinks, and fuck Joseph, too! How’sthatfor language?” I yell.
Colt places his hand on my back, offering support.
“That’s not very nice, Deliah.”
I turn toward the garden entrance, where Joseph is standing with a bunch of roses.
I can’t help it, I throw my hands up in the air in frustration.“You’vegotto be kidding me,” I scream while Colt pulls me to him and tucks me under his arm. Tears that threatened earlierfall freely down my cheeks. “This whole thing was a setup, wasn’t it,Dad?”
Joseph walks up the gazebo steps and moves over to Mummy, handing her a bunch of roses. I roll my eyes. Colt tenses beside me as Joseph walks past him, dressed in his slacks, a polo shirt, and a sweater tied around his neck.
Holy hell, what did I ever see in him?He’s dressed so snobby it’s ridiculous.
“Deliah, my love,” Joseph says and goes to kiss me on the cheek.
I back away and swat, trying to get him away from me. “Dad, I willneverforgive you for this,” I exclaim, swiping hot, angry tears from my cheeks.
Colt takes my hand, and I look at him.
What is that look?
Hurt?
