“Just that we’d catch up later. I think he’s busy. Anyway, you want a beer?”
She looked like she didn’t at first. She didn’t seem any different from the margarita, but I couldn’t imagine two drinks on Elizabeth would have the same effect as two drinks on me.
“Just a Seltzer, something light.”
“All right, a Long Island Iced Tea, you got it.”
“Steele!”
I shot her a grin as I headed to the bar and placed my order. I tried not to look her way too much as I waited for my drink, but I was also pretty sure she seemed to have the same feeling. Neither of us wanted to quite show how much we liked the each other; even my handholding and touch on her was less of a show of affection and more of a dominance display, like my way of telling her that I would not let her control everything about the date.
But truthfully, now that I was back in my environment and now feeling like I had to get the hell out so I wouldn’t punch Joe Banker in the face, I could see her in a lot more of a relaxed light. She was a great blast. When you got past the judgmental comments and the prudishness, she was someone fun and enjoyable to be around. Granted, that never went away entirely, but it could be looked past.
I came back with two drinks and sat next to her. We did a round of cheers and took a sip. I saw Cole leaving right after and nodded to him, giving him a salute as he left.
“Club founder, huh?” Elizabeth said.
“Yep,” I said. “Good guy. Just try to make him proud.”
Like I do my father. Like I wish I could with my mother.
“That’s cool,” Elizabeth said with a sigh. “Wish I could make my father proud.”
I had no idea how to respond to that without also invoking my own family situation. So rather than risk that getting out, I just stayed silent and nodded.
“You know Tara got fired from the firm on Monday, right?”
“What?”
No, I most certainly did not.
“Guess Brock didn’t say anything to you, but yeah, she moved out and was looking for work for a while. So Dad just pulled the trigger and fired her. Real callous and cold, if you ask me.”
Like my mother.
“What an ass,” I said.
I had more reasons to say that than just empathy with the Rogers girls. In the two times that I’d met him, I’d wanted to punch him in the face for being the epitome of overbearing, awkward, and condescending father. I’d never met a man who was both so overt in his disdain for me and yet so unwilling to stoop himself down to saying anything, which made him both an asshole and a coward.
But at least Elizabeth had a father.
“Yeah. Wish I could be like Tara here.”
“What does that mean?”
Elizabeth grimaced.
“I don’t want to want to make my father happy, but I can’t help it. I feel like I have no choice but to do his bidding. And even though I know it’s not good for me, I’m scared of what would happen if I didn’t.”
“That’s…”
Exactly what you have with your mother.
I bit my lip.
“That sucks.”
“Yeah,” she said. “I know I’m twenty-five and I just need to move on. Tara seems to do it with such ease. But she’s always been the cool sister, you know? Things work out for her. I’m terrified what will happen if I take the same leap.”
