I took a very long, very hot shower, going through a hair and skin routine which I liked to do at least twice a month if nothing terrible happened.
When I got out, I had a missed call from both Steven and mom. I called Steven back first and was sent straight to voicemail. Several seconds passed before I shook my head and hung up. No, if it wasn’t real, I had nothing to confront him about, so I hung up and called mom back as I headed for the kitchen to make my coffee. If I couldn’t find the key, I would just cut the collar off. Easy.
Why did I drunk buy a dog collar with a pawn on it? I had been going through reasons since I got into the shower and had to wash around it. It didn’t make sense. Had I mistakenly thought it’d be cute to match Lucy’s collar? If so, I really needed to lay off the wine because while others may find that cute, I thought it tacky.
Good thing the weather still permitted scarves.
“Why didn’t you pick up the first time? Are you ill?”
I pulled down the coffee grounds only to stop and grind myteeth together.
Cold turkey was the only way to do this.
I shoved the coffee back and shut my cabinet door with a finality. “No, I was in the shower.”
She sighed. “That phone is attached to your body like an extra limb, I don’t accept that.”
I lifted and dropped a hand with a slap against my thigh, only to hiss when it hit the still sore spot from…sleeping wrong. “That’s your fault then, not mine,” I answered, refusing to look down. “What do you need? And before you answer that, no, I’m not planning a trip down there. My schedule is busy enough, I’m not going to try and squeeze you in too.”
She was quiet for several seconds. “Then I’ll just get right to it, not that I wanted to meet Steven anyway, I’ll only be alive for a few years longer.”
The guilt started to grow in the pit of my stomach. “Mom,” I said coldly. “Please.”
“It’s fine, I don’t need to meet him, or have grandkids, or any of that nonsense that everyone else in my book club is getting to enjoy. I’ll just suffer alone. You know, if you just signed over your third of the company, you wouldn’t be so busy, as you claim.”
I rolled my eyes, sliding a hand over my stomach as it twisted. “Mom.”
Another deep sigh. “I just think it’s selfish of you, after everything I’ve done for you, not to allow me this one thing.”
Agrandchildwasn’t one thing. “I’m going to go—”
“Fine, fine,” she huffed. “I have a favor I need you to do this week.”
I closed my eyes, running my hand through my damp hair, pulling at a few strands painfully. “I’m not coming to Denver.”
“It’s in Colorado Springs,” she assured me, the irritation clear in her voice. “I need for you to go and meet with one of ournewest clients. I need you to grab a check from him and deposit it into our account.”
I shoved away from the counter and walked around my island into the living area. “And why can’t one of your lackies do it?”
“Why waste the money paying for someone to drive all the way down there when you’re already there? You’re a waste otherwise, now, aren’t you? Please, sweetie? Just one dinner, one check.”
Ouch, but despite her words, I found myself chewing on my thumbnail and finding Lucy’s eyes anyway. It wasn’t something I was unfamiliar with. We went on dinners with clients all the time growing up. At least they did. I was left at home with the nanny, but I knew what they were doing. It was part of the business, and I did own a third of the company. I needed to start doing things like this if I ever hoped to run the company myself.
“Just one dinner?” I clarified, dropping my hand.
“Yes, and it’s at 7 o’ clock, I’ll text you the details,” she said and hung up the phone.
I sighed. “Perfect,” I mumbled, falling into my couch. “That’s just perfect.”
Seconds later, I got a text with a name, date, and a restaurant.
“Mr. Kingsmen,” I said out loud. I released another sigh and found Lucy’s eyes again. “At least he sounds wealthy. Maybe he’ll do the company some good.”
“…looking for more silver spoons to put in your mouth.”
I gasped and shook my head. “No, no, no.God!” I growled and stormed across the house. I grabbed the remote and turned on my speakers before pulling up my playlist and turning it up until I was sure someone would file a noise complaint.
I walked into my bedroom and grabbed my laptop, returning to the kitchen table and shoving it open. Work, that’s what I needed. I neededwork. I needed to lose myself in my book. I needed to get those chapters to Katie, and I needed to forget about that horrible nightmare because that’s what it was.
