Page 24 of The Monster I Loved
Thaddeus
The next morning,I slipped beneath the surface of our heated indoor pool, arms slicing through the water in steady strokes, forgetting every unpleasant person I’d come across since returning home. The best part of my days—since being released—was being able to go for a morning swim. It was something I’d always taken for granted. It was a crisp Saturday, and I had no plan but to relax. After a shower and dressing, I met my father downstairs for lunch for what I suspected would be an impromptu business meeting. My father never wanted tojust have lunch.He was usually too busy with work or his mistress. I knew him too well. It didn’t surprise me when I made my way downstairs and heard the voices. When I turned and spotted the woman from Henry’s house, I jumped a little.
What was she doing here? I tried to remember her name but came up short.
“Good, you’re here. Thaddeus, come meet Mr. Kromelis and his daughter Melissa.”
Melissa didn’t seem as taken aback as I was. She stood and waited for an introduction, like we’d never met before. I hadn’t even noticed the man sitting beside her until he stood.
“Hello, Thaddeus,” Mr. Kromelis said, shaking my hand.
Next, Melissa and I shook hands. “Hi, Thaddeus, nice to meet you.”
I decided to go along with it. “Hi. I’m sorry, did they say your name was Misty?”
She smirked. “No, it’s Melissa.”
“Sorry. Hi, Melissa,” I said, smiling.
Her gaze clung to me. I sensed that there was a huge piece of information bubbling beneath the surface that I wasn’t let in on yet, and curiosity prickled inside of me.
“See, Brad,” my father said to Mr. Kromelis, “they’re getting along well already. I say we set a date for the wedding.”
My jaw fell, and Melissa’s smirk exploded into a grin. Oh shit! That was thebusinessthey were here to discuss.
“Maybe Thaddeus would like to get to know me first, and vice versa.” Melissa crossed her legs as she made the reasonable suggestion.Maybewas an understatement.
“What’s there to know? He’s a man. Good looking enough,” my father winked at me, “and you’re a woman, a beautiful one. My grandbabies will be swimming in some good genes.”
I barely held in a groan. My father always thought in material terms, never caring for a moment about emotions. Mom was the one who balanced out his personality in our home, and now that she was gone, there was no one to challenge his superficial ways.
Her father chorused with mine, “We don’t have time. You two can get to know each other during the engagement.”
My chest tightened, and so many thoughts swirled in my head. Engagement? I was already engaged? For fuck’s sake, I just got out of prison. Yes, Father and I talked about a marriage, but he couldn’t be serious. Could he?
“Can you two give me and Mimi a minute?” I butted in, exhaustion lacing my voice. “I want to talk to her in private.” Not waiting for them to answer, I dragged her away to the kitchen.
“Who the hell is Mimi?” I heard my father say.
Inside the kitchen, I released her. “When did you find out about this plan?”
She casually answered. “The day I met you. My father pitched the idea to me, then Ashley told me about your welcome-home party, so I swung by. I’m not a fan of the childish Halloween holiday, so I normally skip Ashley’s costume parties, but I wanted to get an up-close look at you.”
I processed her words as she walked freely around the kitchen, found a glass, and poured herself a drink of water. “So, why didn’t you say anything that night?”
“Never got a chance. You were busy, remember? Threatening to slam a wrecking ball into your ex?”
The cool way she spoke of the plan caught me off guard.
“So, you’re in? Sure you don’t want to wait and marry for love instead?” I asked.
She shook her head. “Love isn’t real. I’ve outgrown the fantasy. The way I see it, we get married, I help you, and you make me one of the richest women in Tarrytown.”
Then I remembered her earlier statement, and my eyes bulged. I’m sorry, did she just say she hated Halloween? This was a big red flag for me, but Mimi redeemed herself with her straight-shooting words. I respected that. She was what I said I wanted; someone sensible, who, when you turned your back, didn’t change.
“Fuck it. Let’s get married,” I said.
Mimi smiled. “I can’t wait to see the group’s faces when news of our engagement spreads.”
