AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t need to give men any more reason to treat me as a potential lay instead of someone who’s really fucking good at their job. Which I apparently do by existing in a form they find attractive.”
“I wouldn’t have—”
“Not you. And not Vance. But you don’t need to #NotAllMen me, Arthur.”
“No, I know I don’t. I just hoped that I hadn’t given you a reason to think I’d treat you any differently. And if I had, you could tell me what it was and I would do my best to knock it the hell off.”
Nikolina laughed lightly.
“You’re fine. And if you can forgive me for being awful, I think we’re fine too.”
“Consider the slate wiped clean. Just, you know, talk to me next time.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that. And do me a favor? Don’t mention this to Vance? I don’t think he’d be a creeper, I just…would rather him think I threw a shit fit about something other than the guy I like being with someone else.”
“Sure.”
Arthur’s call waiting beeped and when he checked the screen it was Renata. Who hadn’t been in touch with him or Saoirse since she’d arrived save a couple of texts. Despite that, he should take her call if she was finally going to show some interest in her daughter.
“I’m relieved you don’t actually want me out of the firm, Nikki, and we can talk more later if you want. But Renata is calling and—”
“Yeah, you should take that. Thanks for not being an asshole about this.”
“Anytime. I’ll talk to you soon.”
Arthur switched over to the other line.
“Hello, Renata. Saoirse’s asleep but I can have her call you back when she wakes up.”
“I was calling to speak with you, actually.”
Great. What did she need now? She didn’t have any other children to foist off on him—thank goodness—and David was in the financial sector so she didn’t need financial advice. God help him if she needed legal advice.
“Sure. What’s up?”
“It’s my anniversary party next weekend and I’m wondering if Saoirse is fit to attend. You would need to be there to chaperone her of course but if she’s still a mess then I’d rather she not come.”
It amazed him the things he’d overlooked about Renata for long enough for them to get married in the first place. Blinded by the dazzle, apparently, and given her long list of ex-husbands he wasn’t the only one.
Galled though he was by her only being interested in Saoirse’s wellbeing as it affected a fucking party, he answered her anyhow because he was proud of Saoirse and the progress she’d made with only a little assistance from him. He’d simply created the conditions under which she could marshal enough resources to do what she knew was right and here they were.
He suspected she’d always need to be careful about how often and how much she drank but it wasn’t a crisis—she’d be able to finish school, pass the bar, and join him as an upstanding member of the legal profession.
“She’s doing very well. Which you’d know if you bothered to check in with either one of us more often.”
“Oh, Arthur. You would’ve called me if she weren’t at least improving. Well, that settles it then. I’ll send you the details but it’s black tie optional. I know you have a tux though so you’d best be wearing it. And remind Saoirse she looks best in blue, and you’ll need to get her hair and her nails done. I won’t have her looking like a street urchin in my pictures.”
Arthur bit his tongue from responding with “Yes, your majesty,” but only barely. “I’ll speak with Saoirse and let you know if we’ll be there.”
Renata huffed impatiently. “You said she’s fine, Arthur. If she’s fine, then you’ll be here. And if she’s not then we’ll have to talk about what to do with her. But that can wait until after the party. You have no idea how much work goes into these things. The venue is trying to tell me they did not agree to upgrade us to the gilt chair for no extra cost but I…”
Renata rattled on for another twenty minutes before he could get a word in edgewise and by the time that was over he’d had enough of her to last a lifetime. Too bad he was going to have to deal with her for the rest of his natural life because he know whatever bad blood might be between his princess and Renata, Saoirse wasn’t the type of girl to cut ties with her mother, regardless of what would be best for her.
