Page 18 of Sinful King

“It’s nice to meet you, Veronica. I’m Blair Phillips and this is my mother Kendra. We do have a standing appointment under the name O’Sullivan.”

Miss attitude’s eyes bucked.

“Oh!” Veronica shot her a look before turning back to me. “Of course. The owner did inform me of this. I apologize for the misunderstanding and—”

“I wouldn’t consider your employee’s behavior a misunderstanding, though. Her attitude is nasty and my mother didn’t deserve to be treated as some peasant. No person deserves that. I hope the Designer Loft takes swift action to rectify the matter or we could find another—”

Veronica’s hands shot up to stop me.

“The matter will be rectified. Let me show you to your private room.”

We weaved through the expansive space and settled into the largest suite they had to offer.

“Your bridal specialist will be in soon. Can I get either of you a glass of wine or champagne?”

My mother accepted the offer but drinking in the middle of the morning wasn’t my thing.

Once Veronica left, I did a quick sweep of the room then positioned myself across from the door.

“You’ve turned into someone I don’t even recognize,” my ma said out of nowhere. “Paranoid and vicious.”

I sighed.

“Vicious would’ve been killing her on sight.”

Her jaw clinched and I rolled my eyes.

“You’re married to a man who’s supposed to be a representative of God. Yet, he’s a criminal and an adulterer who doesn’t repent.”

“Your father—”

“Is the reason you and I can’t sit in a room together as mother and daughter without having this same conversation over and over. Don’t preach to me, ma. I’m surviving the best way I know how, protectingmyselfthe best way I know how. It’s not like I could ever depend on you for that.”

She sighed and I put my attention on the text that’d come through from Esmeralda.

Be there in thirty.

My driver is outside. Give everything to him and wait until I’m finished with this fitting.

I’d just stashed my phone when the door opened and a much younger version of Veronica walked in with my mother’s glass of wine in hand.

“Morning! I’m Andrea and I’ll be your bridal specialist.”

She had a chippy personality but not the annoying voice that usually came with one.

I could deal with her for an hour or two.

“It’s nice to meet you, Andrea…” I stood and held my hand out. “I’m Blair and this is my mother Kendra. The wine is for her.”

She handed the glass over and then took my hand, her grip firm.

I liked her more after that.

“My fiancé set this appointment up and I feel he had something up his sleeves. Am I right?”

Andrea hit me with the brightest smile and my heart gobbled it up. It answered my question and all I could think was how much I loved Sean.

How much I had to make this up to him so we could be happy like before. I needed to hear his voice again. My heart really needed it.

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