Page 21 of Out of Bounds
“Thank you. Bree this is Philip, my fiancé.” Lucille points to Philip who takes my hand and plants a kiss on my knuckles.
“Great to meet you Bree,” he says, and he sounds exactly how I expected him to sound. British and like he really could be James Bond. “I’ve heard so much about you.” he smiles fondly at Lucille when he releases my hand.
“Really? All good I hope.”
“Of course,” Lucille cuts in.
“The way I heard it we might be at your wedding next,” Philip says. “Where’s the lucky man?”
“He’s not here,” Mama kindly fills her in, much to my embarrassment. “She’s not with him anymore, so it looks like there will just be the one wedding this year.”
Thanks Mama.
I cut her a sharp glance but she’s already looking at me the same way.
“Oh God, what happened?” Lucille asks, insincerity laces in her tone in a way that makes my blood heat.
She is loving this. I can see it in her eyes.
“I—”
“You know Bree,” Mama cuts in. “Same old nonsense.”
“Mama, please.” My brows knit together.
“Don’t mama please me. There’s no word of a lie in anything I said and if you keep on the way you are, you’ll get left on the shelf.”
Please black hole swallow me now.
Could she be any more embarrassing? Maybe that’s what she wants to do though. Embarrass me so I’ll eventually live up to the daughter she wish she had.
“I’m really sad to hear, Bree,” Lucille says. “I do hope you still enjoy yourself. At least you have your little friend.”
Quinn stiffens beside me. We’re the same height, but tonight I’m wearing higher heels.
“Cake anyone?” Shelby cuts in before anyone else can grab their ticket to take a dig at me. “I made a sponge cake.”
“Sure,” I reply.
God help me tonight. please.
I have a feeling this is just the beginning and before the end of the night the whole family will know I’m no longer with Liev.
And I can’t tell them why.
Chapter8
Bree
Iwas right.
The word spread like wildfire. Except it didn’t take as long as I anticipated.
It happened sooner. Much sooner than I thought and there was no getting out of the questions once they hit.
I managed to leave early. That was the best thing about the evening and the only thing I can claim to being clever about.
Mama didn’t speak to me for the rest of the night. She was madder than a wet hen and I barely saw my father too. I reckon she saw him and stopped him from speaking to me like she always does when she can’t have her own way.
