Page 116 of Her Rival

"Okay."

"I want to invite her to come."

"Okay."

"I think I'm ready."

"Okay, Hartley."

"Are you."

"For your mother."

"For my mother."

"I'm whatever you need me to be."

"You're going to be polite to her. Not nice. Polite. There's a difference."

"I know there's a difference."

"You're going to make her tea."

"I'm going to make her tea."

"And you are not going to tell her you have five hundred and twelve million dollars."

"I am not going to tell your mother I have five hundred and twelve million dollars."

"Good. The first conversation's going to be hard enough."

"Hartley."

"Yes."

"I'll do whatever you need."

"I know, Jett."

She picked her phone up off the nightstand. She held it. Then she dialed.

I watched her dial. I watched her wait through the rings. I watched her settle her shoulders the way you settle your shoulders before you do a thing you've been preparing to do for nine years.

The line picked up.

I heard a woman's voice. Tinny through the speaker. Already crying.

"Mama," Dani said.

It was the first time, since I'd known her, that I'd heard her use the word.

I held her hand.

I did not let go for the rest of the call.

27

DANI