I’m so angry, I’m seeing double and nearly hit a deer because I came up on it so fast.
FuckingMom! If Jane’s telling the truth, God help her.
I’m horrified, so fucking humiliated. I’ve never felt more ashamed.
Not just that Mom most likely paid Luke to take me on a freaking pity date, but that Jane knows about it. That Luke would tell her what a grotesque freak I am. And all that after I got in her face, insisting he likes me better. I’m a disgusting joke.
Tears burn my eyes; my throat feels like it’s closing, so now I can barely breathe.
Why the fuck did Mom have to stick her nose into this? Why can’t she stay the hell out of my life? Iknowin my heart of hearts that Luke and I are meant to be, that he really likes me. He must; I can feel it. Sure, it woulda taken me some time to pry him awayfrom Jane, but I remember his lips on mine, know the way we are together, can hear him saying that he loves how we can just be together and not even feel like we have to talk. He woulda come around to me eventually, I know it, and now Mom has gone androyally screwed all that up.
Because now it willalwaysbe awkward between us.
And I’ll continue to be the laughingstock of Longview. The ugly town loser.
I turn down the blacktop that leads to the Boat House, wind tangling my hair, my rage exploding.
I see Mom’s Jag in the parking lot and jerk my car into the spot next to hers, so close that I almost smash it. God knows I want to.
I’m pounding down the walkway when I see her sitting alone at a table littered with empty drinks, half-eaten plates.
Jackson must be in the bathroom.
Good.
The rest of the place is empty.
I storm over to her.
“Nellie! What a surprise!”
I can’t even look at her, I’m so mad. “Where’s Jackson?”
“He took off. So it’s just me. Have a seat—”
I stay standing, looking down on her. “No, Mother. I willnotbe having a seat. We need to talk. In private. Now!”
“But there’s no one here. Sit down!”
The way she thinks she can order me around…
“There are waiters here. You come with me. Right now!” I growl.
She doesn’t budge, just sits there, pats her hair, takes out her mirror, and reapplies her lipstick, looking coy.
“Get up before I make the biggest scene of my life!” I nearly shout.
“What’s gotten into you? Is it Luke? What’s going on?” As she stands, I yank her by the wrist, tug her along. “Nellie, what in the hell is the matter?”
I march her off the deck, up the walkway, and into the woods that separate the Boat House from the swimming hole.
We need to have this fight in private.
I drop her arm, let her flail for a second. “Mother. I’m going to ask you this once, and if you know what’s good for you, you better tell me the truth.”
But I can already see it in her eyes—she knows what’s coming for her. I see her expression changing, shifting, as if she’s angry at how I’m threatening her but already trying to cover her ass.
“Did you hire Luke to take me out on that date?”
