Page 69 of Love is Angry

Farnsworth begins his lecture, and for a short while I am enraptured. He really is very good. But the question of whether to have dinner with Rhue or not keeps creeping around the corners of my mind, distracting me, taking something from my enjoyment. It annoys me to an irrational degree, seeming like just one more thing that family can’t allow me to have. I knowmy reaction is uncalled for, but I can’t help it. Finally, I pull out my phone and send him a text.

Okay. Dinner it is. Send me the address, I’ll be there at 6.

His reply is a single word:YAY!!!

I shake my head, smiling. How he can go from such an intimidating creep to such an adorable dork with the flick of a switch is baffling. I should probably take it as a red flag—but we’ll call it yellow for now.

Satisfied with my decision, I settle in to enjoy the remainder of Farnsworth’s lecture.

Later, after classes have finished for the day, I start to second-guess myself. He hasn’t sent me an address, he hasn’t even texted me again, and I’m supposed to be wherever it is I’m supposed to be in a couple hours. Paranoia curls around my mind, whispering that Rhue might be just like his father and I can choose not to go. Simply say no. Bury the memory of him under a bridge. If I never learn from my mistakes, I’ll never stop making them.

But then again—he was just as upset about what he read in his mom’s diary as Laura was. If he had the same intentions, wouldn’t he have brushed it all off? Maybe he’s finally ready to talk to me about everything.

I go back and forth with myself about it for a while. Eventually, I work up the nerve to text him. Not ready to commit to any decisions yet, I simply ask him for the address—then I wait. And wait. And wait some more. My stomach twists a little more with every passing second, my anxiety rising until my nerves feel ready to snap. When my phone rings, I jump, stifling a scream. It’s Rhue.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” he says. “Felt a little rude to cancel over text, but I just got a call and I’ve got to drive to Rochester.”

My heart sinks. “Is Laura okay?”

“She’s fine,” he reassures me quickly. “It’s something Dad wants to talk to me about. I think he’s going to try to buy me out again.”

“Buy you out—of what?” It occurs to me that I don’t know much about the family dynamics outside of the horrifically dysfunctional parts.

“I’ve got some sweet properties in the middle of downtown. Bought them with my inheritance from Mom. The previous owners refused to sell to Dad because, well, to put it simply, they hate him. Can’t imagine why, he’s such a sweet guy.” They dry sarcasm in his voice makes me grin. “Anyway, they went so far as to draw up a contract that states if I ever sell the properties to Dad or any of his companies, that the previous owners can sue me for the market value of those properties. Dad’s been trying to wriggle around that for ages. He probably thinks he’ll get more votes if he has more of a presence in that district—but that’s all beside the point. The point is, I gotta head out now and won’t be able to hang.”

I’m more relieved than I’d like to admit. “That’s okay,” I tell him. “Say hi to Laura for me.”

“Sure thing. Later, Madison.”

“Goodbye.”

I feel really gross about Rhue continuing to negotiate business deals with his father now that he knows what actually happened. It’s silly to feel betrayed. But they’re family. Of course they’re going to have to speak to each other. It’s just that when I imagine it, all I can see is the two of them chuckling over how easy it is to touch my body, how simple to slide between my legs.

Bile rises forcefully in my throat and I do everything in my power to settle myself. My phone pings a few times while I’m dealing with the nausea, so I check it as soon as I’m feeling better. It’s Lindsey.

Sorority party. You in?

Fuck it.I’m in,I reply. If I’m going to be suppressing horrible memories and invasive thoughts all night, I might as well get some liquid assistance.

Chapter 31

Rhue

“Have you and Maddie talked at all?” Laura asks, keeping her voice just above a whisper even though we’re in her room.

“Just once, today. Didn’t say much—just invited her over for a study session and maybe dinner, but then Dad called so I cancelled.”

Laura gives me a disapproving look. “It’s a two-hour drive. You could have come in the morning. Why even invite her if you were just going to chicken out at the last minute?”

“I didn’t chicken out,” I tell her, bristling. “If I came in the morning, I wouldn’t have had a chance to talk to you before talking to him.”

“Oh, really? Is that the excuse? Then why haven’t you talked to her all week? You aren’t still holding a grudge against her, are you? Because if you are, Rhue, I gotta say, that’s really low.”

“I’m not holding a grudge,” I tell her with a scowl. “Not against her, anyway. It’s just—what would I even say? I can’t fix it. I can’t undo what he did. I can’t even hold him accountable for what he did, because I don’t even know where to start! You saw what mom wrote. The cops won’t take these kinds of reports against Dad. She tried over and over again, and nothing.”

Laura rolls her eyes to the ceiling and sighs. “Men,” she mutters.

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