Page 95 of Let It Be Me

“At least let me come with you.”

“No, you’ve witnessed enough. I want that anniversary dinner to be the last blowout you’re ever subjected to.” She takes a deep breath. “Think there’s any chance they’ll apologize for real?”

I want to make a joke to calm her down, but it’s hard to feel any humor when her voice takes on that hopeful tone. Her parents will never say sorry. “I don’t know, honey. I don’t think it ever occurred to Richard and Catherine that parents can apologize to their children.”

Her shoulders slump. “Yeah. They probably want to sweep the whole thing under the rug so we can go on being the happy little family we’ve always been.”

“And what if they do?”

She looks at me, then off to the side, her eyes far away. “I said I wasn’t going to do that again. So if that’s what they do, I keep up the radio silence.”

I nod. “My girl. Should we go?”

She gives me a patient smile. “You’re not coming.”

“Yes, I am. I won’t speak to them, and I won’t crash the party, but I’m walking over there with you because those assholes want to believe they’re all you have in the world. And I want to walk up there with my arm around you and smile at them and see the fear in their eyes when they realize you’re never going to be alone in the world.”

She studies me, her eyes warming with gratitude. I put my arm around her and pull her head to my chest. “Lorenzo,” she sighs.

Thirty minutes later,her body tenses under my hands as we turn the corner and spot her parents dressed in their Sundaybest at the other end of the block. My blood runs a little hotter at the sight of them.

“I’ve got it from here.” She doesn’t look at me, but her fingers slide down my arm to find my hand and squeeze.

“You sure?”

“It’ll be fine. I’ve got this.”

Catherine spots us and gives a demure little wave. I just glare at her, and her smile withers in confusion. I’ve always been respectful to Mr. and Mrs. Hayes and kept my true feelings to myself, but not anymore. They’ve spent a lifetime fucking with my girl, and now that she’s really my girl, I can’t pretend anymore.

“Good luck.” I pat her ass as she steps away. “Give them my regards.”

Ruby smiles over her shoulder. “My dad hates foul language, remember?”

While she’s gone, I wander down the street to find a birthday card for my mom. As I push open the door to a bookstore, the little shop bell tinkles and I spot a familiar head of blond, perfectly styled hair right in front of a row of trinkets.

“What’s happening, hot stuff?” I greet Reeve. “Post-workout shopping spree?”

“Yeah, right.”

“I know you didn’t come here to read.”

He shrugs. “I’m looking for something for Brooklyn.”

“You’re still seeing her? Must be a record.”

“I’m not, actually. But she’s dealing with this shit with her family, and I feel bad for her. Somehow we’re actually becoming friends, I guess.”

I let my jaw drop, pretending to be shocked.

“Yeah, I know. Don’t spread it around. What are you doing here?”

“Birthday card for my mom.”

“So next weekend—you coming?”

“What’s next weekend?”

Reeve picks up a little trinket box. “Cash didn’t tell you, did he? I thought he might pussy out. We’re going cliff jumping with Cam.”

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