“Yes ma’am. I’m working my way through college.” He gave me a wavering smile.
I opened my handbag and slipped him two of the envelopes. “Merry Christmas. If you spot your dad around, tell him to say hi.”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you!” He tucked the envelopes into his black apron.
Wes and I moved off to the side of the bar, giving us relative privacy.
“Dad wanted to promote more women. His dream was to see me lead a company of strong women. He talked about the glass ceiling a lot. By the time he retired, I’d be ready to take over, and he hoped to have a board full of women to advise me.”
“It’s an admirable goal. Many men his age have the opposite outlook.”
“He was a wonderful man. I miss him dearly.” My gaze covered the filling room, seeking out the women my father had been grooming to promote, but instead, I landed on the table where Arch and Gray waited for us. They were being harangued by my stepsister.
“We need to go save them,” I said, pointing to the table.
“Who’s that?”
“My stepsister. Miss Popularity herself.” The pending confrontation gave me an instant headache. I touched my nauseous stomach, dreading the coming cattiness.
A warm hand touched the small of my back. “Don’t sweat it. You’ve got us, and if need be, we’ll find Todd. You’re not here alone.”
Such a support system was a novel experience. For most of my life, it was only Dad and Todd on my team.
I marched my way over to confront Michelle. She wore a backless pink dress with an awful bow on the butt. Her bony back faced me as she leaned across the table.
As I walked up, I caught the tail end of her words. “...gives you any trouble, you tell them to find Michelle. I’m important around here. If I vouch for you, they won’t say a word.”
I started to tap her on the shoulder, but stopped myself. Pretty sure she was trying to flirt; I wanted to listen to the rest of her conversation. “My mother is in the process of taking this place over. They won’t say no to me. I don’t know why you won’t tell me who you’re with, but I promise nobody will bother you.” Arch and Gray pointedly ignored her. They were so focused on not paying her any attention they didn’t even notice me walk up.
“Michelle, they’re here with me,” I announced.
She whirled around, revealing the front of the dress—worse than the back. Arch and Gray swung their heads around to face me, relief evident in their expressions.
“Cynthia.” Michelle’s voice dripped ice.
“You know I don’t go by my first name, Michelle.”Why do you bother trying to correct her?
She rolled her heavily made up eyes. Her makeup looked like it was applied by a circus clown’s makeup artist. “Whatever.”
“Why are you going around telling people you basically run this place? You know it’s not true.”And never will be, bitch.
“You won’t win this case. You don’t have a leg to stand on. It’s inevitable. My mother will be in charge. Then, you’ll pay for what you did to Mitch.”
I bit down on my tongue before I flew off the handle. Wes pushed up close behind me and whispered in my ear. “Stop talking to her. Everything needs to be done through the lawyers.”
“Michelle, if you have anything further to say, you can call my lawyer’s office.” I stepped back, wordlessly asking her to leave.
She stomped off on heavy pink heels, too clunky for the dress. “Todd would have a field day with her style. Where is he?”
Arch pointed to the dancers. “Still wrapped around Rick.”
I watched my friends dance for a moment with frayed nerves, acutely aware of six eyes on me. “Are you okay?” asked Gray.
“She’s crazy, you know.” Arch stood and took my hand. I stood in a Wes and Arch sandwich, and it comforted me, slightly. I didn’t care who watched us. “Anyone that didn’t know you would be able to see through her right away. And anyone that does know you wouldn’t give her the time of day.”
“My brain understands. My heart is another story.” Tears welled up in my eyes. “Excuse me, I need the restroom.”
With no desire to use the restroom, I headed for my dad’s office. I’d had the lock changed after he died. No one could use the space until I could decide what to do with it. I wanted a moment to be near him again.
