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“Hey, I’ll be there the whole time. I won’t leave your side. If you want to leave, just tell me.” Tonight, my job was to ensure she was okay. I wouldn’t let anyone hurt her or tear her down.
“You’ll like Cora,” Lily said as she grabbed my hand and led me out of the room. She dropped it to put on her strappy heels. She held on to my arm as she put one on, then the other.
“Is she anything like you?” I asked her, curious about what we were walking into.
Lily snorted as I opened the front door for her. “She’s nothing like me. She’s put together, ambitious, and intelligent.”
“And you’re not?” I asked her, genuinely curious, as I held open the passenger side door of the truck for her.
I helped her into the seat before she turned to me and admitted, “I’m not any of those things.”
“From where I’m standing, you’re incredibly business savvy, smart, and secure in your style.” I said each word with conviction, wanting her to believe me.
Her cheeks flushed. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” I shut the door, knowing I’d tell her that every day if she needed to hear it. She needed someone on her side going into the party tonight. As I rounded the hood, I couldn’t believe she went to these events with her family alone.
Sure, she was strong, but you could only hold up so long under the expectations of parents. If she didn’t measure up, she never would. It was pointless to even try. I’d learned that lesson when I was young, and I never forgot it.
As we drove to the neighboring town, where her family lived and she grew up, I wondered if I was crazy for doing this. By the time we’d pulled up to the valet in the front, I reminded myself I was here for her. Lily was the only person in the world who mattered.
Twenty-One
LILY
When we arrived at the hotel in Seven Park, the valet opened my door. It was too late to tell Jake to pull away, that we didn’t need to do this or prove anything to my parents. But I was here for my sister. I’d congratulate her and leave as soon as it was polite.
Stepping onto the sidewalk, I tried to remind myself tonight was about Cora and her success. It wasn’t about me.
“Hey,” Jake said as he came around to interlace his fingers with mine. “We’re here only as long as you want to be.”
“Thanks.” I appreciated that he was willing to leave at a moment’s notice. I felt like I could conquer anything with him by my side. I handled my parents just fine on my own, but I sensed it would be even easier with his support.
My sister didn’t come between my parents and me. She reveled in our parents’ approval and pride. She didn’t want to be on their bad side. I’m sure I would feel the same in her position.
He squeezed my hand, and I felt confident enough to go inside the hotel. We followed the carpeted hallway to the designated ballroom.
I took a deep breath before we stepped inside. Jake’s arm underneath my hand steadied me. For the first time, I wasn’t going into this alone.
Mom didn’t approve of me dating a mechanic, even if he owned the garage. I might need to protect him from her.
I scanned the tables, the dance floor, and the band at the front of the room; it felt like too much for the opening of a medical practice. We weren’t raising money for a cause. It was literally a celebration of successful people opening what was sure to be a thriving business.
It wasn’t like my parents had come to the opening of my store. They’d arrived a few days later to pick apart the building, the setup, and my plans. I could have done without their presence.
Mom appeared in front of me, my father hovering behind her. She was the one who controlled that relationship, and he just orbited around her. “I wasn’t sure you were going to make it.”
She made a show of hugging me and kissing my cheek, but she had never been one for affection. Before I could ask why she would think that when I told her I was coming, she asked, with a brow raised at the man on my arm, “And who is this?”
I sighed, knowing that if I mentioned we’d gone over who I’d be bringing, it wouldn’t get me anywhere. My mom was the queen of pretending things weren’t orchestrated. “My boyfriend, Jake Dagan. Jake, this is my mother, Dawn, and my father, Charles Whitlock.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” Jake said, offering his hand.
Mom shook it, her grip a little weak.
When she let go, Dad stepped around her and said, “You own Harbor Garage?”
They shook hands, and Jake responded, “That’s right. Harbor Garage & Service Repair Center.”
