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I grimaced and bit my tongue. I ignored the fact that she got my age wrong because I knew how hard it was for her to admit that she had a daughter who was over 30. The barb about marriage would have stung more, except for the laughable fact that I actually was married. Knowing her, she would’ve approved of my quickie Vegas wedding. If she knew who I was married to, she’d probably be downright jealous. I knew she still enjoyed young lovers, even while she was married. I made a mental note to keep her away from Bash.
“Fine, I’ll be there.” It was easier to give in to her demands than to suffer the petty consequences.
“I’ll have Ada send you the travel details.”
“Who’s Ada?” Did I even care?
“She’s my personal assistant.”
I snickered. My mother hadn’t worked a day in her life. “What does she assist you doing?”
She ignored the jab. “Will you be coming alone? Or is there a man in your life?”
Even if Bash could jet off to Barbados at a moment’s notice, I wouldn’t bring him around my mother. Who knew if ‘ole Henri could still get it up? Maybe my mother was looking for a new young stud to try out.
I thought about Bash and my stomach sank. I’d finally given in and agreed to go to a New Year’s Eve party with him. The party was being held at Tyler Matthew’s house. He was the lead singer of the band, Cold Fusion, and was currently a popular judge on a reality TV show. The party would be filled with interesting people and I was weirdly excited to go now that our secret hook-up status had been outed among our close circle of friends. What would the reaction be?
Now, I’d have to tell Bash I couldn’t go. He’d be upset. My hand reached up and stroked the blue stone of the pendant Bash had bought for me. I cherished the gift already. I didn’t ever want to take it off.
“Darling?” my mother prompted.
“I’ll be alone. Send me the arrangements. I need to rearrange my schedule to make this work. So, I’ve got to go, Mother. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Ciao, darl—“
I hung up the phone before she could even finish.
The building was fairly empty. A lot of people took the week between Christmas and New Year’s off, but I knew I’d find my father in his office as usual. He’d always worked harder than anyone I knew.
I waved to Gretchen and went straight into his opulent office. Dad was sitting behind his desk, but rose and came over to greet me with a hug when he saw me.
“Lacey, I didn’t think you’d be in today.”
Dad was still very handsome with his salt and pepper hair, his penetrating blue eyes that missed nothing, and his trim physique. My father was Audrey’s second husband. After she had me, which she’d confessed was an ‘oopsie’, she made a valiant effort and stuck around until I was six years old. Dad never remarried. He had focused on raising me, though I knew he dated women on occasion. It was probably tough for him with all his money. There were lots of women, just like my mother, who targeted men like him. Audrey had probably made him cynical for life about women and turned him off of marriage.
Dad gestured me toward the couch and sat next to me. “What brings you here to see your old man?”
I twisted a lock of hair around my finger. “Audrey is getting married. She called this morning to request my presence in Barbados for the happy nuptials which are on New Year’s Eve. Isn’t that nifty? I’m leaving tomorrow morning.”
Dad chuckled. “I don’t know who I feel worse for, you or the poor chap she’s marrying.”
“Me, of course!” I fake pouted. “I’m going to miss a fabulous New Year’s Eve party at Tyler Matthew’s house.”
“Who is she marrying?” Dad looked mildly curious, but not upset in any way. “Do I know him?”
I used my snootiest voice to exaggerate the pronunciation of his name. “On-Ree.” I rolled my eyes. “Henri Delacroix. I think I’ll call him Hank ... or better yet, Hankie. That should piss him off.”
Dad patted my hand. “That should do it.” He chuckled. “I’ve never had to worry about you, Lacey. You’re such a strong woman. I hope I can take some of the credit for that.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I smiled.
Dad had always believed in me. He made me start at the very bottom of his company and work my way up, but it had been the best gift he could have ever given me.
Now that I’d worked my way up the ladder, I was above all the hands-on work with the music talent, above the scouting and the wooing, above the star-making. I missed it. Would my dad’s position fulfill me? There was no other place left to go. Luckily, I didn’t think he’d be retiring any time soon because I didn’t think it would be enough.
If being at the very top wasn’t enough, what the hell did I want? I wanted a family, but I also needed to work. The charity with Kaylie was fulfilling. Maybe I should expand to other charities? Would that be enough? Would anything ever be enough for me, or was I just like my mother? She was always going through men looking for someone more handsome with more money and power. She was never satisfied.
I knew I shunned commitment in my early adult life because of my mother, but now I craved it. Was it to prove my mother wrong? Was I running to the idea of having a baby to prove that I was better than her? That I was worth more than being abandoned by her? And how did my complicated feelings for Bash fit into all of that? I needed a damn therapist to sort it all out.
