AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You will.” Those two simple words light a fury in my heart. At one time I would have gladly done anything to marry Caleb. I would have said yes so fast that he wouldn’t even get the question all the way out. But that day is gone. I am not a fool anymore and when Caleb left me with very little explanation, I waited and waited for him. Praying that he wan’t serious.
But he was. He disappeared and I never heard from him again. Until he came back to Wildwood. He went to work at Wildwood Construction and all of a sudden he was everywhere in town. His dark eyes fixed on me and his big body always heading my way until I ran. I can still see the way his tanned brow scrunched up and his eyes narrowed on my disappearing figure.
I intended to keep running too. No reason to talk to the man. We’re done.
“Listen to me, Valerie.” Her slim figure practically trembles with agitation. “You are a Whitley, dear. You have an obligation to your family name and my business.”
“Is this about not learning about your company yet? I promise I’ll do it sometime. And in the meantime, maybe Mom or Dad…”
Her slim, white hand slices the air. “No! Your parents aren’t ready to do anything like that. I barely trust them to get up in the morning let alone run my company. I did not work my ass off for the last twenty years since your grandfather died to watch my company go down the toilet!”
“That won’t happen,” I reassure her. She shoots me a narrow-eyed snarl.
“Thatwillhappen. You know your parents as well as I do. They will absolutely fuck it all up and lose the business I worked so hard for for a lot of my life. Probably in less than thirty days.
She takes a deep breath and my stomach drops. I know that look on her face.
“That’s why I’ve decided that you will marry Caleb this weekend.”
My mouth almost completely drops to the floor. “Are you serious?I already told you that I will not marry Caleb. Dress it up however you want but it’s not happening. I refuse.” I stand tall and inwardly shake in my shoes. I can’t believe I’m actually standing up to Hetty Whitley. The force in our family no matter how old she is.
That crocodile smile never even moves. Doesn’t fade in the least and that has my belly doing back flips.
“I think you will, Valerie. Because if you don’t, I’m going to cut your parents off right now without a damn dime.” She grumbles under her breath, “Let’s see how well they do without me bankrolling them.”
“You can’t be serious!”I can’t believe she’d be so cruel.
“You keep saying that, Valerie. The thing is I’ve never been more serious. Either you marry Caleb or I’m going to cut your parents off without a dime. And I’ll enjoy doing it as well. I think they’ve gotten enough mileage out of youandme. And I think they should pay for what I’m sure they did to mess up your life.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Caleb wouldn’t say for sure but I think that they went to him to get him to leave. I think that they have been meddling in your life all along. Because they knew that I wouldn’t cut them off because it would hurt you. They’ve used both of us as a pawn in their little selfish games. And Caleb as well.”
Tears prickle my eyes and I push them back. “There’s no way they would do something to hurt me that bad. They couldn’t be that cruel.”
The pitying look on her face stings my raw nerves. “I think you know that it is most assuredly possible.”
“But that would mean that Caleb…”
“That means that he was doing what he thought was right for you. Because you know when your parents really want something they are fully capable of being as devious as the devil. And they make it look so damn easy. So truthful that it couldn’t possibly be a lie.”
I shake my head but inside my heart, I know it’s true. Or at least possible. They’ve always been very focused on their own needs and wants. Nobody else’s matter. Not even their daughter’s.
“I need to think about this.” My head is spinning. I can’t believe that they did this but if they did they set in motion all of the things that have messed me up since I quit college and came home.
“Don’t think too long, Valerie. I’ve already got the license and the minister set up. It will be a very nice ceremony with the justice of the peace.”
I nod my head, too hurt and confused to care about anything at this point.
“I don’t know what to think about this.”
Her face gentles and it’s enough to make tears spring to my eyes again. “I know you don’t know why I’m doing this, Valerie. But I want you settled, away from your parents’ influence. And I know that Caleb loves you. He always has. Which is why what your parents did was so damn reckless and stupid. So horrible for the two of you. They wrecked your lives. And for what? Their own stupid gain. So that they could sit on their asses and let everyone else take care of them. I’m done with that. And I’ll tell you right now…if you go through with this marriage I’m still going to make sure that they are given a stipend from now on. No more coming back to the well over and over again. And you should do the same. Don’t give them anything. They’ve done nothing for you but cause problems.”
I nod my head and stumble out of the little parlor. I cannot wrap my head around what she said. There’s just no way that my own flesh and blood could be that cruel. Is there?
CHAPTER6
Caleb
