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“That’s good to hear. We’ll have to start making plans for the fall charity gala.”
I rest my elbows on the table. “That’s not going to work for me.”
She flinches as if I smacked her across the face. “What do you mean? You always help with the charity galas.”
With my chin raised, I say, “I’m starting my own event coordinating business.”
“Olivia, that’s amazing!” Tatum says.
“What do you know about starting a business?” my mom scoffs.
I roll my eyes at my mom’s question and turn to Tatum. “I’m so excited. Hollyn and Van let me put fliers and business cards in their bakery, which led to a couple meetings to organize some birthday parties.”
“I’m so proud of you, Olivia.” Tatum wraps her arms around my shoulders and pulls me into a tight hug.
“Thanks.” My gaze shoots back to my mom. “Ledger has been so supportive. He’s the one who encouraged me to do what I’m passionate about.”
She doesn’t say anything, but instead subtly rolls her eyes. Over the years, she’s perfected the casual eye roll. So much so, that to most people it would go unnoticed, but not me. I’ve seen her do it thousands of times. I won’t let her get away with it this time.
“Instead of pretending we’re a big happy family having lunch, let’s address the giant elephant in the room” Heat creeps up my neck as rage and hurt course through my veins. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. To be honest, I didn’t know what true happiness was until I stepped out from under your thumb. When I share that happiness with you, you squash it like a bug under your shoe.” I tug my cardigan off and throw it over the back of my chair.
Tatum’s eyes go wide along with my mom’s. But hers are for a different reason. Tatum grabs my wrist to inspect my tattoo.
“When did you get this?” She runs her finger along the permanent ink.
I can’t hide my smile. Every time I think of it, look at it, or talk about it, I think of Ledger. “Last week.”
“Why a key?” Tatum asks.
“It’s the key to Ledger’s heart.” My smile grows wider.
“Oh my God. That’s so sweet.” She continues to admire the tattoo.
The sour expression on my mom’s face doesn’t go unnoticed. She’s never been a fan of tattoos. In fact, she despises them. But I didn’t do it to defy her, I did it for me. But I won’t lie, a thrill shoots through me knowing she hates it.
“Oh Olivia. I wish you wouldn’t have defiled your body like that. You’re too beautiful for that.”
“So, I’m less beautiful because of it?”
“That’s not what I said. Let’s talk about something else.”
“Okay. Let’s get everything out on the table. No more lies. Why was Dad so adamant that I stop seeing Ledger?”
She rolls her head to the side. “Oh honey, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
“It matters to me.”
She sighs. “The plan was for you to marry a man who held a lot of prestige in the community to help further his career. But instead you broke up with every guy you dated.”
“You mean every guy you shoved at me?” I know I should be fuming. Rage-flip the table, if I could lift it. Instead, I feel nothing. I’m numb from anything that pertains to my father. Then it dawns on me. “He’s been doing this all my life, and you’ve been helping him. Every time you would set me up with a guy, it was someone Dad picked, wasn’t it?”
Her eyes shift away from mine. And that’s all I need to know.
“I don’t want to become you. I don’t want to be manipulated into having false happiness. Ledger doesn’t do that to me. He’ll never do that to me.”
She purses her lips and shakes her head. “You think you have it all figured out, but you don’t know anything. Your father and I have a mutual arrangement that benefits the both of us.”
“I don’t want a marriage based on an arrangement. I want one based on love.” Shoving my chair away from the table, I rise to my feet and glare down at my mom. “I’m done with this. All of this.” I glance at my sister. “Call me later.” Without saying another word, I stroll out of the restaurant with my head held high. I exorcised a few demons out of my life, just without all the spewing vomit. And now there’s nothing but sunshine and rainbows in front of me. To any outsider, it would appear as if I had it all. There were times when I thought I did too, but I didn’t realize I was actually drowning. And Ledger threw me the life preserver. Now, I want to see the man who puts this smile on my face.
