I smirked as the color left Evelyn’s face.
“I…” Evelyn started, but Jules cut her off again by holding her finger in the air to shush her.
“You know what, before you answer that, what do you do? Because the audacity of asking someone why they did one thing over another with the implication that one is below the other is fucking contumelious.” She must have noticed Evelyn’s confused face, because she followed up with, “Look it up. Maybe it’s a mix, and you are just a dumb bitch.” She letthe statement hang in the air. “Anyway, I thought you people were bred to be fake and have impeccable manners. What the hell happened to you? Or are you from a background like mine and trying to social climb your way up?”
Out of everything Juliette said to her, that would hit Evelyn the hardest. Not that she didn’t grow up in society circles, but the insinuation that she didn’t would be beyond insulting.
“And you two,” Jules pointed at my parents, “shame on you. Just shame on you.” She turned to Audra and spoke to her like no one else was there. “Has the whole dinner been like this?” Then she turned to me, “Wright, stick up for your girl!”
“His girl?” my mother sputtered out. As if it wasn’t obvious that I had brought a guest to dinner and had our day photographed the day before, hearing the words spoken out loud made it real for my mother.
“Obviously, they’re together. We all know that, right, Wrights?” Then she chuckled at her own joke. Was she drunk? My God, it was gold. No one spoke to my parents like that. Ever.
“Look, I don’t mean to drop all that and take off, but I have to go finish what I’m here to do, which is wow people with my shining personality and accept a kick-ass reward. Audra, want to come with me? Guarantee it’s better than this.”
I looked at Audra and wondered if she would take her up on it. She just shook her head no again.
“Ok. Let me know if you head somewhere after this bullshit show, and I’ll try to meet you out. Good luck.” She threw up a peace sign and walked away from the table. I’m sure my parents thought they were being pranked. I wouldn’t be surprised if they got on the horn the next day and tried to get her fired for that stunt. Until she mentionedit, I didn’t know that Juliette worked for Roscoe. I knew the CFO and made a mental note to call him for damage control.
“I love her,” McKenna said.
Jules asked no questions and just came to Audra’s defense to put my parents in their place. I needed to do the same, and quickly, before it continued to get out of hand.
43
AUDRA
Well, that was interesting.
“Your girl?” his mom said to Donovan again after Jules walked away. “You knew we were bringing Evelyn so you guys could make up.”
He knew she was coming? Did he know when he asked me to come?
“You’re delusional, Mom. There’s no coming back from what you guys tried to do. There’s just not. Not that it matters anyway. Evelyn and I had two dates, and I felt nothing during them. I assure you, I feel less for her now.”
“But what about the baby?”Baby?My eyes shot to Donovan. What the actual fuck?
Donovan slapped the table hard enough to draw attention from the surrounding tables, speaking in a sharp, rising tone. “How dare you sit across from me and spew that shit? Any of you.”
I was not meant for that conversation.I wasn’t meant for any of this. I shouldn’t be here. I thought as my gut panged.
“It’s better than bringing her home,” she said as she pointed to me. “A nurse, Donovan, really?”
I stood up without realizing I was doing it and cut her off. Maybe Juliette sticking up for me gave me the confidence I needed, or maybe I just got pushed too far. If she dared to say anything like matching his pedigree, I was going to punch her in the throat.
“I am quite done being insulted here. I am a good person, and maybe I didn’t grow up in this, but lucky me. Thoughts of my family include warmth, love, laughter, and happy memories. You may have a billion dollars, but I am richer than you’ll ever be. What a damn shame. Your son is incredible. He is kind and loyal and loving and funny and thoughtful and successful and so many other things, but all you see is … well … I don’t know what you see, because you’ve sat here this entire time with the sole purpose of being terrible to me. For what reason? To hurt him? To try to get these two together?”—I pointed at him and Evelyn—“I’ve never been treated this way before in my life. I can’t believe Donovan and McKenna turned out so wonderfully with you two at the helm. Kenna, congratulations again on your wonderful achievement. You should be so proud. As for you three”—I looked at his parents and Evelyn—“I say with the utmost disrespect. Fuck you.” Turning on my heels, I moved out of there as fast as my feet could take me.
Through one of the mirrors, I saw Donovan stand up and point at his family while looking like he was yelling, but I couldn’t hear it over the ringing in my ears. I wasn’t confrontational in the least. In fact, I avoided it at all costs. I’d certainly never done anything like that before. My heart was pounding, I was sweating, my hands were shaking, and all I could think about was how to get out of the place without letting the tears that were building in my eyes fall.
How foolish of me to believe I belonged there in New York, enjoying the best days I’d had in forever. Next to Donovan, at a fancy restaurant that I was pretty sure I was pronouncing wrong, because I was nothing but a dumb nurse. I bet everyone in this restaurant knew the difference between sparkling wine and champagne. I can’t believe I sat through almost thirty minutes of character assassination while watching that dumb bitch try to put moves on Donovan.And why didn’t he defend me more? Why didn’t he suggest we leave earlier after it was clear what this was going to be? I didn’t know what I was walking into, but he sure did.Maybe deep down, he thought the same way they did. And it really was going to be Theo all over again.
The first tear spilled as I hit the bottom step of the staircase. I just had to make it across the floor before I was outside. But the tears, man, they came fast. I could feel my lip quivering as I reached the door, and by that point, they were silently streaming.
“Audra!” a voice shouted through the restaurant. I turned, and Donovan was at the top of the steps. Our eyes met, but I couldn’t do it. So much for not making a scene.
“Audra, wait,” he pleaded.
I turned back around and ran out the door.
