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Everything in me freezes at her icy tone. It’s one I know so well. When I was a small child, that tone promised I’d be sorry for my misbehavior, real or imagined.
Gripping the phone tighter, I remind myself that I’m not a child any longer and she’s the one dependent upon everyone else now. She has no real power. “What's your condo account number? I'll send it there.”
“No!” she blasts my eardrums, making me jerk the phone away. “No, it would be easier if you deposit the money into my account and I'll take care of everything.”
A seed of suspicion grows. “Doesn't Dad handle your condo fees?” In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he owned the building she lives in just to make it more convenient to keep tabs on his troublesome ex-wife.
Mother growls several curse words at me and then cries, “Nobody loves me! I've been abandoned! First Max leaves me and now my only child wants me homeless.”
My patience is about gone at this point.
Pinching the skin between my brows, I strive for calm even when everything in me wants to hang up the phone and put it on silent. I can’t do either of those, so I calmly say, “Nobody wants you homeless. Dad wouldn’t be paying for your condo if he did.” Or any of the other things he foots the bill for!
High-pitched whimpers are the only sound on her end and like that, my patience shatters.
“Stop being so damn dramatic,” I snap. “What is the money really for, Mother? And what happened to the very generous allowance you no doubt already received this month?”
Because Dad has been nothing but generous with his ex, far more than he should be. Often, I can’t help thinking what she would do if left on her own with no financial support and she finally had to act like a freaking adult.
The whimpering ceases abruptly.
Realizing that her theatrics won’t gain her any sympathy, Mother Dearest switches tactics. “I have expenses!” she yells, in a strident voice that grates on my nerves.
Gambling is what she means. Any true expenses are completely covered for her.
My dad, bless his too-charitable soul, even gives her a monthly clothing allowance. Though she prefers to steal them whenever she can.
Guess she already used up all those funds.
We’ve barely been on the phone five minutes and already the thudding of a headache is beating behind my eyes. All the fight drains out of me abruptly and suddenly I understand my father’s weariness and reluctance to put an end to mother’s nonsense. “I’ll send the money.”
“Thank you so much, darling!” she trills. “I knew I could count on you. Kisses!”
And just like that, she ends the call. Though I should know better than to expect a thank you.
Dully, I stare at my phone, wishing for perhaps the millionth time over the years that I had a mother that truly cared about me. One that called just to check up on me, not only to hit me up for money at every opportunity or to come bail her out of bad situations of her own making.
Releasing a low sigh, I close my eyes and let the bone-deep unhappiness that I keep buried well up for a moment.
With effort, I crack my eyes open and go to my bank app to transfer the money. This isn’t the first time she’s demanded money, or that I’ve needed to help cover things, so I have all her information already in there.
Strong arms wrap around my waist, encircling me and drawing me back against the warmth and comfort of Lee’s body. “Everything okay?” His husky voice puffs against my neck and for a moment I sage against him, leaning on his strength.
For once, I want to be honest and admit that no, everything is not okay.
But it's embarrassing. And I shouldn’t bother Lee with that. He has enough things going on in his life.
“It's nothing,” I lie, turning in his arms and pressing my lips against his. “Let’s forget about the money and go to bed.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
LELAND
Low, throbbing pain in my back and knees wakes me up. Fumbling my hand over, I dig in the nightstand for my bottle of pain meds, but the familiar bottle evades me. It’s then that my sleep-fogged brain catches up to the fact that I’m not at my house, I’m at Blaire’s.
Thankfully, I keep a bottle in the center console of my SUV. It’s not as powerful as the other pain medication, but it will bring it down to a manageable level.
Good thing Blaire is a sound sleeper. And yes, she does snore. Little, tiny grumbles that are as cute as she is.
