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Murphy sat back in his seat. “Veronica is very important to me. It’s not about benefiting me. She thought this plan through and when we begin to try to have one, I have no doubt we’ll figure out our way through it as we’ve figured out our way through the rest.”
“A-ha! So, you’re actually dating, not just trying to have a kid. That makes more sense. It’s an ingenious way to snag a family-minded man, VeeBee.” She patted her updo. “I have to give you props.”
Props? Lord save me.
“I’m not trying to snag Murphy. I would never set up a scheme to do that. I’m not you, Mother. You’re the one who gave me tips on meeting rich men when I was thirteen.”
She let out a tinkly little laugh. “What’s wrong with wanting your daughter to aim herself toward a successful man? By the way, Murphy, what is it you do again?”
“He’s a carpenter. I’m supporting him with my baker’s salary. And when we have our brood of illegitimate babies, we’ll probably have to put up posts on Facebook asking for hand-me-downs. Will you please excuse me?”
Before anyone could stop me, I slipped away from the table and booked for the door.
Let no one say I couldn’t make an exit.
Sixteen
Vee
Cabin Fortress: You suck.
Okay, he didn’t really say that to me. At least not that I knew of, because I didn’t even have my purse. Or my phone.
Nothing but my tattered pride and hot tears of shame.
Leaving this way was the ultimate act of cowardice. But I just couldn’t deal. And with the way my emotions were spiraling all over the place, it was probably better for my mother and Burke that I’d taken off.
And Murphy. Jesus, would he ever want to speak to me again? I’d fled and left him to handle all…that.
Blindly, I pushed my way through the guests in the foyer and through the doors. Stepping out on the porch into the now chilly October night stole my breath. I stumbled down the steps, dodging other patrons, my destination fuzzy and indistinct. All I knew was I needed to get away from the restaurant and I wished like fuck I’d worn a jacket tonight. This wrap dress was not going to cut it when it couldn’t have been more than forty-five outside. Served me right for being fooled by our temporary fall warmup.
Then again, annoyance and anger and personal disgust worked well at keeping the chill at bay.
As I charged up the street, I realized the breeze didn’t made me cold. It gave my irritation fuel. Like I was righteously indignant and there was even a wind machine to blow back my hair just like in the movies.
Booyah.
I detoured off the sidewalk to the long pier that stretched toward the lake. Jabs of guilt assailed me with every step, but I kept moving because I had no choice. If I stopped, I’d go back, and I really didn’t think I could handle any more of my mother tonight.
It wasn’t even all her fault. Sure, she said and did inappropriate things, but worst of all, she didn’t behave the way I’d always believed a mother should. She’d left me chasing after her for far too much of my life.
I stopped at the end of the pier and faced the miles of dark rippling water, my heart in my throat. Was it any wonder I hadn’t wanted to chase after a happy relationship too? I’d just tried to find a practical, non-emotional way to build a family for myself without wishing or hoping for any of the intangibles.
Like, oh, love.
Or romance.
Or maybe finding a best friend who also happened to turn me on and make me laugh and make me crazy in all the best ways.
Like Murphy. Murphy was already so important to me, and that scared the fuck out of me. Because even without the baby goal between us, I enjoyed his company far too much. And that meant he had power over me.
The power to change my plans. The power to leave. The power to claim to send a postcard that never arrived and break my heart with a smile.
“Veronica.”
Oh, God, his voice. My name barely carried over the rush of the wind. My pulse sped up and I gripped the steel railing around the pier until the cold bled through my palms straight to my bones.
Then he said it again, louder now.
