21
ESME
Ianswered the call on my way out the door, the cold air reminding me that I should have put my coat on first.
“Hey, Mom.” I stayed under the awning at the front of the building.
“Esme, we’ve been waiting to hear from you. What on earth is going on?” Her mother’s tone was clipped and impatient.
“I’m sorry. I’ve had my hands full here,” I said, shivering.
“Have you put a plan together?”
“About that.” I drew in a deep breath. “I’ve changed my mind. I’m not moving back to Seattle.”
Long sigh on the other end of the phone. “Esme, honestly, I don’t know what to do with you. We talked through everything. Your only choice is to come home. We can help you, but only if you’re here.”
“Something’s changed. It’s kind of complicated, but it’s good.” How was I supposed to explain Grady? “Have I mentioned my friend Grady?” Of course I hadn’t but I didn’t know how else to say it.
“I don’t recall that, no.”
“Okay, well, he’s been my dear friend—someone I’ve spent a lot of time with over the last three years. He loves my kids. Andhe and I finally admitted our feelings for each other. We’re in love. He wants to marry me.”
“What does he do for a living?”
“He owns a surf shop.”
“A surf shop? You’ll be even worse off than you are now.”
“I have to admit, that was something that held me back. But things have changed.” I was going to sound like a money-grubbing schemer. But it had to be said. “He recently inherited a lot of money.”
“Define a lot.”
“Twenty million dollars.”
For once, my mother had nothing to say.
“Mom, are you there?”
“Yes, I’m here. I’m stunned. As you might expect.”
“Sure. I’m sorry to spring it on you. And I know how it looks but …” I had no idea how to finish that sentence. “The thing is—I love him with or without the money. And he loves me. We’ve spent years telling ourselves that we would be a disaster together. But it’s not true. We’re great together. He’s my family, Mom.”
“The money helps, though, doesn’t it?” Her tone of self-satisfaction made me bristle.
“The money makes it possible for us to give the kids a good life.”
“Who did he inherit the money from?” Mom asked.
Here we go. How much should I tell her? I didn’t want her to judge him by his father, which was exactly the reason he’d kept his true identity a secret. For the first time that truly sunk in, and I understood. “His father died recently. Grady had no idea how much he’d been left. He and his sister were given the same amount.”
“Who was this man?” Mom asked. “To have forty million dollars to leave to his kids?”
“Just a business man.”
“Tell me. I want to look him up.”
My mother. Relentless. I would have to tell her or she’d never let it go.
