Page 13 of Lollipop

“Knock yourself out, Cammie.”

I stand up straight and throw my bag over my shoulder ready to leave.

“You really didn’t know who he was, did you, sweet sister? How…cute.”

“How’s the morning sickness? Does the clubbing help with the nausea or is it more the meaningless sex that has it going away?”

At first, her mouth pops open in shock but then her eyes narrow, turning them beady like the snake she is.

“I wonder what Ander will do when he gets a real woman on top of him, one who knows what she’s doing. I bet I could get anengagement before the new year. All the men want what I have between my legs.”

The way she says it makes me want to throw up for her. It’s a little too close to some of the things Ander said last night. Is the playbook the same or was this all some sort of game the two of them decided to set up? Are Mom and Dad in on it? I discard that thought right away, they can’t organize a hoagie. No, this would just be Ander and Cammy if it were a setup. The look she gave him when he came through the door wasn’t one of sexual assessment, it was the look you give when you’ve not seen your lover in a couple of days. Not that it matters, hungry is hungry and she was starving for it.

“But poor Lilly, you can’t keep them in bed with you, can you? I wonder how quickly he jumped up this morning to wash the taste of you out of his mouth?”

I curl my lips in between my lips to keep from crying. I forgot how cruel Cammie can be. I won’t give her the satisfaction of seeing a single tear fall. “About as fast as your baby daddy hit the door running when he realized he’s going to be stuck as a co-parent with you, you self-centered, knocked-up witch.”

I shoulder bump her out of the way and run right into Mom’s shocked face. “Lilly Perkins! I can’t believe what you said to your sister, young woman.”

“Believe it, mom. Gee, wonder where she learned it from.”

Her mouth falls open again and a satisfying strangling noise comes out of her as Cammie gasps behind me.

“Where are you going, Lilly? It’s the day before Thanksgiving. You can’t just leave.”

I turn to give her a sarcastic grin with raised eyebrows and keep heading for the door.

“Don’t worry mother. Thanksgiving is for family and I’ll make sure not to hit the brake on my way down the driveway away from all of you.”

I’m done. They can sell the farm, they can leave the animals - actually, I’ll be calling the humane society for them. They can choose the perfect daughter for them. I’m all out of fucks to give.

Chapter Twelve

Ander

I come back into the room after showing Mr. Perkins where the problem is with the heating and air unit and introducing him to the man fixing it currently. The only reason I left my Lilly this morning was to greet the man and show him where he would be working - which was as far away from my little sleeping beauty as I could possibly get him without just asking him to leave.

“Mr. Baxter, Ander, may I call you Ander?” I really do not like Lilly’s mother.

I don’t answer her and instead ask a question of my own, “Where is Lilly?”

The daughter answers, “Oh, she left. She said last night was a big mistake and she realized you deserved better. I wouldn’t worry about her at all.”

“She left?”

Both women nod and give me sympathetic smiles that I’m not buying. And I’m not buying that Lilly told her she thought last night was a big mistake either. These… women caused her to leave.

“Now that we’re alone, Ander,” the woman is about as manipulative and snake-like as her daughter is and I find myself backing up, “might I introduce you to my lovely daughter, she’s much more attractive than her little sister. This is our Camilla.”

I snarl my nose up at her - and her daughter. Both women would sell the other if the price was high enough. I know exactly who these women are because they are a dime a dozen in my world. Hell, I had to worry about them before I became successful in business when the rodeo bunnies would try to throw themselves at me. All I want is Lilly. The sweet, kind, refreshing, and delicious Lilly. The girl who was so open and loving with me last night. My angel.

I spin on my heels and take off for where I think she might be but first I make my way up to the room I’ve been staying in and throw what little I’ve taken out back in my bag. I also grab the pictures on Lilly’s mirror since I don’t want them to take out their anger on something Lilly really cares about just because I told them no.

I’m back downstairs before the daughter can hit the second step. The father looks at me totally clueless and the mom and daughter give me pinched smiles - probably worried their behavior has cost them the sale of the farm. It’s the mother that notices my bag thrown over my shoulder.

“Where are you going?” That came out rather psychopathic. I think I’ve seen this movie before. It usually ends in the hero they are trying to keep having to fight his way free. It never ends well for the slutty daughter. Sorry, not sorry Camilla. “You can’t leave, we’re going to have a big dinner tomorrow. I ordered it from a top caterer in town. It will be here any moment now.”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I’m going to have my Thanksgiving dinner with my girl, but you enjoy that heat that’s not going to get fixed by then.”

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