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“I stayed close by, just in case something like this ha
ppened and Violet needed me,” he said, keeping his cool. “Listen, Angela, I know it's hard to believe, but this isn't what you think it is.”
“It isn't? You're not just sleeping with my daughter because she's young and pretty? She's actually not just another conquest under your belt?”
“No, I promise you, it's different than that,” Sebastian said. “Violet is a brilliant young woman. She's wise beyond her years. Not many women her age have dealt with the loss of their parent, have managed to plan an entire funeral, kept her head above water, and taken care of their mother at the same time. You and Charles raised a strong, intelligent, confident, and beautiful woman. And I'm sorry, but I fell in love with her.”
My heart pounded harder in my chest as he spoke.
“And I hope I can prove to you that we're serious, that we're in this for the long haul,” he said. “This isn't just a fling, I can promise you that, and who knows? Maybe one day I'll marry her.”
He looked so sexy standing there, defending my honor. I almost couldn't breathe as I watched him. I wanted to go to him, to kiss him, to feel him hold me, but knew that I couldn't in front of my mother. Not yet. Right now, it would only make things worse.
“Get out,” my mom said. “Both of you.”
She threw her wine glass at the door, missing Sebastian, but just barely. It hit the wall and shattered into a million pieces that sprayed all over the foyer. I stared at him, and then back at my mom, completely dumbfounded.
“You don't mean this.”
But Sebastian took my arm and led me away, pulling me out the door as I stared at the wreck of my mom.
“She doesn't mean this,” I argued with him.
“No, she doesn't,” he said. “But she needs time. And there's no reason you need to stay there and put up with her emotions and abuse. You're done coddling your mother, Violet. You've protected her for too long. Now it's my turn to protect you.”
As much as it hurt to leave that afternoon, I knew he was right. I knew my mother just needed some time.
It took some time, but my mother eventually took my calls. I was living with Sebastian, and honestly, things were going very well. I just wanted to patch things up with my mother. I was no longer working as Sebastian's assistant, since he felt that might be a conflict of interest. I was working for another company, a job Sebastian helped me land, and that was going extremely well also. I was able to work my way up faster than I thought possible, and I didn't have to worry about it being because I was sleeping with the boss.
I called my mom the day I got the news of my promotion, not expecting her to answer. But she did.
“Mom,” I said, my voice cracking. “I miss you.”
She was quiet for a few moments, but finally she answered me. “I miss you too, baby girl.”
The tears fell, from both of us, as we talked.
“I didn't mean for this to happen,” I said. “It just did. And I wouldn't take it back for the world, but I also don't want to lose you. You're the only family I have left.”
“Do you love him, Violet? Truly love him?”
“Yes,” I said, not even taking a moment to question that. “I do. With all of my heart. And he loves me, mom.”
She sighed. “He's right, you know.”
“About what?”
“I heard what he said to you as you were leaving. How you were done coddling me. He was right. All these months, you were the one taking care of me, when I should have been the one taking care of you.”
“I wanted to do that, mom,” I said.
“I know, honey, but you weren't supposed to. I'm the mother,” she said. “And when I kicked you out, it was all over my own feelings again. I was so caught up in how I was going to lose you, and I pushed you away.”
“I'm still here, mom,” I said. “I always will be.”
“And I'll always be there for you too,” she said. “And if it means I have to come to terms with accepting Sebastian, well, I guess I'm the one with some growing up to do. It's just hard to imagine my baby girl with someone old enough to be her father.”
“He makes me happy, mom,” I said. “And treats me very well.”
