Page 90 of Just a Plot Twist
“Uh,why do you ask?” I’m suddenly awake.
There’s a pause on the other line, as if Sophie’s trying to decide how much to tell me. “Because I would have thought she’d mention it to me, like ask me if he’s good enough for you and complain about how you’re the smart one and are supposed to run for office before you become an old married lady like me.”
“Wow, you have some grandparent issues, don’t you?”
Sophie laughs it off. “These things run through my head on occasion. Anyhoo.” She pauses to coo at Elizabeth, and then: “You should tell them about Benson.”
“I will.” And I’m going to. Very soon. “I don’t know how to say it, exactly. For reasons you’ve already articulated.”
“Yeah. You haven’t been on this side of our grandparents’ disdain for like, forever, so I feel ya. It sorta sucks.”
“You think they’ll feel disdain?” Now I sit up. Of course they will. “They’ve met him already, though, remember?”
“Yes, but do they know who he is?” She punctuates those last few words so clearly, there’s no mistaking what she means.
“He’s not a Tate, Soph. Not technically.”
“He’s half Tate. And he works for the grand pooh-bah of them all. This is not going to go over well, especially considering how unhappy Grandma seems lately.”
“You’ve noticed too?” I ask, surprised.
“Oh yeah. I don’t know if it’s the stress of the anniversary or something else, but it’s been bad lately.”
I swallow down the alarm. “What can I do?”
“Tell them soon. Like a band-aid, right off. Besides, maybe they’ll care less since you wouldn’t actually have the last name of Tate, unlike me, AKA their greatest disappointment.”
“First of all, no. You’re not a disappointment to anyone. But, also?” I pause, letting the indignity of her remark wash over me. “I’m not going to marry the guy.”
I laugh it off. That’s a ridiculous notion. We’ve only been dating a couple of weeks.
Except, it’snota ridiculous idea.
Because he’s gotten in my blood, that man. He’s everything Chad and Tad could never, ever be and a million times more than what I dreamed I could have.
I…like him. More than that, I think I’m falling in love with him. And you can’t date a guy with two awesome kids without the future being front of mind. There can’t be anything super casual when you date a guy with kids.
Sophie gives up a snort. “We’ll see. But either way, you need to tell them.”
“Thanks for the life advice, sis.” She can’t see me roll my eyes, so she just keeps talking.
“Especially since…they told me something…interesting and totally not cool.”
“What?” My heart plunges to my middle.
“Well, they were asking me if I was aware of the hostilities between the Schillers and the Tates. And how Thomas was totally out of line and how this was so typicallyTate.They actually used those words. They were talking about Thomas, not Oliver. They love my husband, even though they don’t want to admit it. But really, Claire. They’ve got it out for Foundations.”
BensonisFoundations. He’s invested so much heart and soul into his father’s company that he’s become irreplaceable there.
“Did you know Grandma and Grandpa and the Schillers go way back?” I ask.
“Yeah, they’re longtime friends from when he lived in Boulder. Anyway, he’s making a big stink about how Foundations fired him without cause, and they’re upset about it. They said Peter wants to fight the termination. Maybe Grandma and Grandpa are looking for dirt on Foundations that they can give the Schillers?”
It’s hard to breathe. “Why do they care? Peter was working behind Thomas’s back to steal some of his clients. He and his daughter are starting their own company. And yeah, don’t say anything about this, but they’re filing an injunction. The Schillers can’t continue to solicit Foundation’s former clients, but the damage is already done in some ways.”
“Well, that sucks. And maybe I’m totally wrong, but I get the sense that, for Grandma and Grandpa, it’s less about supporting the Schillers and more about trying to make things harder for the Tates.” She sighs. “I’m tired of this. It’s been years since Sebastian bought the land they wanted. They need to get over it!”
“I agree. Hey, look. Can you hold off on talking with them about it? I will, I promise. I just need to figure out what to say.”
