Like a petulant child, Jane audibly huffed when William sat, gaze black, eyes boring through her.
“Not if she leaves New York and agrees to counseling,” he calmly said.
“What? I don’t need counseling,” Jane balked. “You’re the crazy one!”
Big Tom held up his hand to silence her. “I say, that’s mighty benevolent, Will. Is there anything else?”
He looked at Lizzy. “Frankly, and I mean no disrespect to you, her father, but I don’t give a rat’s ass about Jane beyond how she affects Lizzy. I think Lizzy should be the one to answer your question.”
“Thank you, William.Iwant Jane to apologize for deliberately manipulating me to break up with William all those years ago,” she added.
“Is this true?” her father asked.
“That’s a lie! I never told her to break up with him.”
“If that’s not true, then tell Dad what youdiddo.”
“She broke up with him all on her own. I merely suggested that she would never have an art career if she stayed with the elitist workaholic, and that he was an absolute selfish fraud who didn’t really love her and was only using her until he found some high society bitch. My sage wisdom saved her years of pain and eventual abandonment from a worthless relationship. She was a naïve fool to think he loved her.”
Lizzy snorted, and William shook his head in disbelief.
“Clearly not the reality, given the diamond on her finger after all these years of pining for each other,” her father stated. “Well, go on, apologize for sticking your nose into Lizzy’s love life. You know how I hate meddling.”
“I have no regrets whatsoever,” Jane smugly said. “I did nothing wrong.”
“Just like every one of them Gardiners on your mama’s side of the family, beatin’ the devil around the stump—no doggone accountability.”
Putting her shoulders back, Lizzy smiled tightly, mustering her strength by squeezing William’s hand. She gazed into his eyes: soft, peaceful, encouraging, emotionally strong, protective. Absorbing his good energy, she felt empowered, stating, “Well, then, that’s that. I love you, Jane, but I’m done. Live your life, but you can’t do it as part of mine.”
“I’m not leaving New York,” Jane protested, face red with anger.
“That’s your decision. I hope you can find strength inyourselfto be successful in life and love, because I won’t be propping you up or making excuses for you anymore. Although you can’t see it, you took advantage of my kindness and loyalty for years. And out of childish jealousy and rage, you betrayedme in your attempt to destroy all I have worked for and cared about. In the process, you hurt Guy, too.” She knew Jane wouldn’t own up to the accusations and would have likely gone gaslighting ballistic if not for Big Tom’s presence. None of this drama mattered. William, her rock, sat beside her, and he—and her survival—were paramount.
William squeezed her hand in support.
“Son, are you still going to press charges?”
“Like I said, that depends on whether or not Jane leaves New York.”
Dismissing the agent of chaos, Lizzy looked at William, then grinned, loving how her sister pouted, having no choice but to witness what was about to unfold.
“There is something else, sir.” Kissing Lizzy’s hand, he said. “This is long overdue. I’m in love with your daughter, and I plan on making her very happy until we take our last breath. May I have your blessing to marry her?”
“Hmm. You put the cart before the horse. Shouldn’t you have asked me before you put that colossal thing on her left finger?”
“I apologize, sir. I was ... a little excited about it. Lizzy and I have waited alongtime to be together.” William gave her a look of love that burst her heart.
“I can appreciate that. At least you had the common decency to ask for her hand, not like that other fella. Anyway, going to the end with thatspeciesis a looong time spent in hell on earth, trust me on that, son. I hope you got a lot of sanity and a little bit of money saved,” Big Tom said.
“A little of both and a lot of love, too.”
“As for makin’ a woman happy ... they’reneverhappy, but you just spin your wheels tryin’.”
“I’m up for the challenge.”
“So, you promise to respect my Lizzy even if she can be a bit stubborn?”
“Always, and I love her stubborn streak. It keeps me on my toes.”
