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Her mother frowned. “But you haven’t been married, and this is my chance to host all our friends from your father’s country club.”
“I knew it!”
Blaire froze and stared wide-eyed at Harley. “What?”
“This isn’t about anything more than you making a spectacle of me and what I’ve turned into. You’re trying to show off that you were a good mother who raised someone you could be proud of.”
“That’s not—”
“Whatever, Mother. I’m done having this conversation with you. If you want to invite Anthony’s family over, go for it. But you picked wrong if you thought he’d be willing to roll over and do your bidding for you. Anthony is a good man who will put his wife before anyone else. He’s not going to do something just because you tell him to. Good luck getting any of them to go over my head. What the bride wants, the bride gets.” With that, Harley spun on her heel and marched from the room so fast that the curtains draped at the window beside her rustled.
She had been dreading that conversation, and now that it was over, she was surprised that, for the first time, she didn’t feel nearly as drained as she’d thought she would. It took only five minutes and she could breathe normally again. For whatever reason, she didn’t feel like her mother had crushed her spirit.
This feeling was exhilarating. She’d stood up to her mother, and she’d come away free and clear.
Harley wanted to celebrate. She wanted to call someone and tell them all about her big win. No, she didn’t want to call just anyone. She wanted to call Mason.
She slowed in the middle of the hallway that had led from her father’s study to the rest of the house. All around her were pictures of their family—most of them were from when she was a child. There weren’t any more recent. And in every single one of them, she looked absolutely miserable.
This was the family she’d been raised in. She hadn’t realized she could be as happy as she’d been while staying with her uncle.
* * *
Harley stood by the door, waiting for Anthony and his family to arrive. She’d tried calling him, but he’d been too busy, so she couldn’t give him an update regarding her conversation with her mother.
When one car pulled up to the front of the house, Harley pulled open the front door and hurried out to meet them. Anthony climbed out of the car with a hefty folder in his hand. The other door opened. She glanced over and saw a man she didn’t recognize.
“That’s my lawyer, Harley. His name is Mr. Huntsman,” Anthony said by way of introduction.
“Oh,” she said softly, giving the man a shy smile. “It’s so nice to meet you.” She turned to Anthony. “Are your folks on their way?”
Anthony shook his head. “I’ve asked them to stay home tonight. This dinner is just for you, me, your folks, and Mr. Huntsman.” He placed a kiss on her cheek, then his hand at her lower back.
Harley glanced over her shoulder toward Anthony’s lawyer. “I didn’t realize we’d be doing this so soon,” she whispered. Her feet shuffled against the concrete. “Because my folks can call our lawyer—”
“That won’t be necessary. We have all the documents drawn up.”
“I’m sure they’re going to want their own representation—”
“It will be fine.” He smiled warmly at her. “Trust me. Now, how about you take me to the dining room.”
She stopped, spun around, and placed her hands on his chest. “Wait.”
“What?”
“I want to make sure you want to do this. If we’re going to go through with this, once they sign the papers, there’s no backing down.”
Anthony smiled. He nodded, not questioning her. It was one of the things she admired about him. “I’m sure,” he replied.
Harley smiled despite herself. She stepped to the side to allow Anthony to enter the house with his lawyer close behind them. He took her hand in his, and together they entered the lion’s den.
* * *
“This is unacceptable. I refuse to sign it.”
Harley couldn’t move. Her eyes remained locked on the paperwork in front of her parents as her mother continued to sputter without dignity. Anthony had thrown a wrench in her mother’s plans from the moment he pulled the documents from their folder.
“I assure you, this is the one thing I will not budge on. Harley is to receive her inheritance free and clear before we agree to move forward in our relationship.” Anthony was nonplussed. “She’s reached the age of maturity most need to in order to get their trusts released, and frankly, I find it unacceptable to hold it hostage. The money doesn’t belong to either of you anyway.”
