I know this. My mom has never sugar-coated her relationship with my grandparents, who I have never met. Mom cut them out of her life before I was born. Only Beckett has vague memories of them. "Your grandparents were also dirt poor and Jordan, although from a modest middle-class family, was going places. The whole town knew it, even back then. And he liked me back. I held onto that like it was all I had. Like it was the only thing that mattered. But I also didn't know how to be in a healthy relationship."
“Most teenagers don’t,” I add, trying to cut her some slack.
She smiles and nods. "Oh, I know. But I was next level. I thought the only way to keep Jordan interested was to keep our relationship in a constant state of up and down. I literally should have worn a tiara I was such a drama queen."
I smile at that and let out a soft chuckle. She has never been this open with me. “Anyway, he was in love with Jessie, not me. I think I realized that before he did so of course I tried to make her life a living hell and I dug my claws into him even deeper. Again, I had no self-worth. I thought he was my only hope of escaping my parents and my fate, which I thought would be to become a waitress or something.”
“Mom, you ended up going to a good school and getting a master’s degree in physics,” I remind her. “On a partial scholarship.”
"Hindsight, Mallory," Mom says with a shrug. "Anyway, I just want to say that I understand thinking that a Garrison is the answer to all your prayers. But you will be fine without this turd Tate, I promise you. In fact, you'll likely be better off. And that's why Beckett talked to the media."
“Beckett?” I blink. “You mean Emmett.”
Mom tilts her head for a second before she shakes it. “No. Beckett is the one who talked to TLC.”
“TMZ.”
“Whatever.”
“How the hell did Beckett know about Dylan?” I demand.
“Emmett told him. In confidence,” Mom explains. “And now Emmett’s furious and told your brother he won’t be in the wedding.”
So Emmett didn’t screw me over. It was Beckett who screwed over meandEmmett. “Fucking hell.”
“Mallory! Language.”
“Oh come on Mom, this is swear-worthy.”
She sighs. “I guess it is. Your brother really fucked the whole family with this one.”
“Why would Beckett do this?” I want to know.
Mom shrugs. “He says it was because the tabloid was willing to pay him and the costs for Heather’s dream wedding have grown out of control. But I suspect he just wanted to hurt the Garrisons because of that Larue girl.”
“Mac,” I say and shoot my mom a withering stare. Beckett and Mac dated for years, my mother never liked her. But to call her ‘that Larue girl’ is a bit much. “But Beckett cheated on Mac. Why does he care if she moved on? Or with who?”
"Because your brother is petty," Mom declares. "And you know how Silver Bay is, everyone talks and the talk is that Mac Larue traded up. She landed the Golden Boy."
“Tate’s the Golden Boy,” I correct.
Mom rolls her big blue eyes. “All the Garrisons are golden. Do you see why it’s annoying?”
“No,” I confess. “I mean if they weren’t good people then maybe. But… I like them.”
“So then why are you talking about coming home?” Mom counters and I sigh.
“Because…” I don’t finish the sentence.
And then the doorbell rings. I stiffen because I’m not expecting anyone and I’m worried that Crew’s prediction is right and a reporter or photographer has breached the gate.
“Is someone there?” Mom asks.
“Yeah. I have to go,” I say and start to rise up off the couch.
“Let me know when your flight is booked baby, or if you want me to book you one,” Mom says.
“I’ll get back to you,” I say as I move one of the curtains on the front living room window to see if I can see who is on the front porch. “Bye Mom. Love you.”
