Page 61 of My Silver Lining

“I’m not proud of the fact that I didn’t go all in on MSL in the beginning. Beckett was spiraling, and I had a lot of guilt that I wasn’t there to help him. I would fly out to see him, and he was growing dependent on alcohol and prescription drugs and who knows what else, and he’d beg me to stay. So, I neglected my own dreams and plans for the first two years, and I will never do that again.”

“You were worried about someone you loved, and you put them first. That’s not a bad thing, Lulu.” His lips turned up in the corners, dimple on full display.

“That’s the thing. I don’t even know if it was love the last few years. Maybe it was loyalty or history, but as he deteriorated, so did our relationship. I woke up one day and saw a photo of him with another woman in the press, and it was just like one of those lightbulb moments. I was done. I had zero feelings for him, and he wasn’t my responsibility anymore. So, I poured myself into work the last eighteen months, and I’ve seen what I can do when I put my mind to things.”

“That’s fucking amazing. I’m glad you put yourself first.”

“It’s funny because I’ve always been very independent. I grew up in an unconventional home, traveling the world as a kid and attending boarding school in high school. I have always been driven and have known who I was and what I wanted. But I let someone derail me, and it scared the shit out of me that I could allow that to happen.”

“It doesn’t help that he’s a douchebag who keeps coming around and dragging you back into his drama, long after you’ve been over.”

“I think that’s why I wanted my father, in particular, to think I was dating someone else. He used to look at me like I set the sun, like I could take over the world. And it actually made me feel like I could. But after Beckett started dragging me into the press by making scenes at events and embarrassing himself, along with me, I felt like he looked at me differently. But last weekend, it felt different. Like his confidence in me was back. And it’s sad that it took a fake relationship to do that, even though I’ve built this company that I’m so freaking proud of all on my own, but I don’t even care. Shamefully, I want his approval. So even though I have no desire to invest in a man ever again, for whatever reason, when I brought you home, Ithink my father saw that as me moving on from being this rich socialite party girl in a relationship with a trainwreck rock star.”

His dark gaze softened. “Nothing wrong with wanting your parents’ approval. I love my parents. Love my family. And making them proud is important to me, as well.”

“Not sure they’re going to be proud of you being dragged into the media and tied to a socialite party girl.”

“Did you see them the other night? They love you.” He chuckled. “And nothing about you fits that description. I see a woman who is passionate about her company. A woman who cares about each piece of jewelry she creates. A woman who is about to expand her business when she moves to Paris. You’re the fucking rock star, Lulu Sonnet. You were just hanging out in someone’s shadow for too long. We’ve all done that. We just don’t do it publicly. Nor with family pressure about how we appear in the media. That’s a lot to navigate when you’re young.”

A lump formed in my throat.

For whatever reason, getting Rafe Chadwick’s approval also meant something to me. And that was a bit of a red flag because I shouldn’t care what this man thought.

“Thank you.”

“You found your silver lining, Wildcat. You left a toxic relationship, things are changing with your family, and your business is taking off.”

“This fake relationship ended up being my silver lining in a way. Thanks for putting up with me.”

“Thanks for being here this weekend.”

“Of course. So there was a moral to that torrid story I just shared,” I said with a shrug.

“Let’s hear it.”

“I wouldn’t have taken this leap to start MSL if I hadn’t gotten injured. Dancing was my safe place. But it wasn’t going to allow me to grow the way this does.”

He nodded. “I get that. Getting injured forced your hand.”

“It did. But you already know what you want to do. So don’t let fear keep you in someone’s shadow. You were born to lead, Rafe Chadwick.”

He studied me for a few beats before his lips turned up in the corners. “That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me. I must be growing on you.”

“Like a fungus,” I said, my voice all tease. “Anyway, tell me what to expect tonight and what you need from me.”

“Well, just you being here will get Joseph and his daughter off my back, and even after we’re officially over,” he said with a wink, “I’ll be able to tell them that I’m not ready for anything serious for a long time.”

“Are you going to play the wounded bird after this is over?” I arched a brow.

Something crossed in his eyes, but I couldn’t read it. “You aren’t leaving for Paris for a while, so I’ll still be around. I told you that I remain friends with all my exes.”

“So we’ll stay friends. I’ve never really had any male friends.”

“Really?”

“No. I always think men have an ulterior motive. I’m not very trusting.”

“You don’t say.” He barked out a laugh. “Let me see that drawing.”

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