Page 22 of Mine to Love
“It would take a lot longer than that.” Since Liberty had been in Lighthouse Cove, she’d done her best to make the transition easy for Gabriel. Making friends wasn’t something that came naturally for either her or her brother. Back in Palm Beach, she didn’t really have friends. She only associated with those whom Charlie deemed acceptable, and those weren’t the kind of people whom Liberty felt comfortable with, not even when she’d lived with her parents.
Liberty had rebelled against being rich. Sure, it came with many perks, one of them not having to worry if she could afford some of Gabriel’s favorite foods, hence the breakfast schedule. And dinner schedule. She had to budget or she’d be broke. Gabriel didn’t understand that and she didn’t want to place that burden on his shoulders, though he did insist on giving her part of his paycheck for rent. That made him feel like an adult, and she wouldn’t take that away from him.
Her parents—well, mostly her mom—had made it clear that associating with people beneath their station in life might as well be a federal offense. Her mother hated the few friends she had because they weren’t in the proper social circle. She never did understand that concept because half of the people who were deemed acceptable, were the types of people who looked down on everyone else.
She wasn’t that person.
Since she moved to Lighthouse Cove, she’d met a few people she could call friends. People who didn’t judge solely based on someone’s bank account.
Lucy Ann.
Just about every female married to a Kirby.
And Miles.
Although, sleeping with Miles had complicated the hell out of that friendship. The sex had been right out of an erotic novel. She hadn’t experienced anything quite like it before and she couldn’t stop thinking about it if she tried.
“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. But I have to admit I’m more than curious about Palm Beach. Phil and I have gone down there a couple of times. We’ve done the window-shopping thing, because no way would I spend that kind of money on shit I could buy for half the price. We once went to that fancy hotel with all the restaurants, but only had one drink at the seafood bar. It was seventy-five dollars.” Lucy Ann smacked her forehead. “And it wasn’t half as good as what my husband makes here in this cheap-ass diner.”
Liberty laughed. “Everything in Palm Beach is overpriced. You’re not paying for the food or beverage; it’s all about the experience. About being seen in the right place with the right people. It’s honestly about the dumbest thing ever.”
“You’re telling me.”
“I was born and raised there,” Liberty said. “Oddly enough, my parents were loaded. And I mean, Palm Beach loaded.” She couldn’t believe she was telling anyone this story. Everyone in Palm Beach knew her past, but no one here did. However, all they needed to do was google her and they’d figure it out, so what the hell was the difference.
“Seriously?” Lucy Ann leaned forward, resting her chin in her palm. “Where are your parents now?”
“I honestly have no idea and couldn’t care less. They left me to take care of my brother when I was twenty and he was just shy of eleven. And they took their millions with them.”
“Ouch. That’s not nice. Why did they do that?”
“The stigma of having a child like Gabriel,” Liberty said, biting back the tears that were always threatening to break free when she allowed herself to think too hard about what her parents had done to both of them. She didn’t have any regrets or resentments about dropping out of college to step in and take care of Gabriel.
But she did hate her fucking parents for it.
Especially her father. He’d at least been present in their lives. Shown some interest in what they were doing. He’d even asked her about college and what she wanted to do, as if he didn’t agree with his wife’s goals about finding her a suitable man to take care of her and give her the proper status in life.
She’d always believed her dad had been on her side. That he at least cared about her and Gabriel.
But he left anyway.
“What the hell is wrong with Gabriel? I mean, I get he’s on the spectrum, or whatever they are labeling it these days, but he’s a human. His shit stinks like the rest of us.”
Liberty burst out laughing. Lucy Ann was a breath of fresh air. Hell, everyone in this sleepy little town made Liberty feel like there wasn’t a damn thing wrong with either one of them and sometimes she wasn’t sure how to deal with that. Charlie’s parents tiptoed around Gabriel. They tolerated him, only taking him out in public when it suited their needs. Showing off thespecial needskid to make them look better, as if they had a fucking heart.
And Charlie. At first, he acted like Gabriel was his best friend. He used Gabriel to get to her, but she still didn’t understandwhy. She was the poor waitress at the fine dining restaurant whom everyone pitied.
Lucy Ann reached across the table. “I’m sorry your parents did that to you. And to Gabriel.”
“Gabriel is my whole world and I wasn’t sure how I was going to manage it all. Enter my dick of an ex-husband. I knew who his family was and even him, even though he’s about six years older than me. Our parents had yachts at the same marina. I remember him being popular. Stunningly handsome. And every girl wanted him.”
“Except you?”
“Well, I am younger and was too busy trying to help Gabriel feel like someone cared because my parents hid him away. Once he was diagnosed, it was like they erased him. They didn’t want anyone to know they had a dumb kid with the emotional bandwidth of a toddler, especially my mother. When I went to college, it was local and I lived at home. All my mother wanted me to do was get married to some guy like Charlie. I honestly never wanted that life. I figured I’d get a degree, save up some money, move away, and take Gabriel with me. But that didn’t happen and I was struggling. Charlie offered me an out.” Her phone buzzed in her purse. “Do you mind if I see who that is?” It was rare that anyone texted her. Lately, it was either Charlie—or Miles.
If it was Charlie, she was going to have to respond and tell him to stop or she would have to take matters to the next level. If she dared.
“By all means.”
