“Language, Tobias.”
“You know, I thought you’d be happy. I entered this whole ‘keep the Bennett name alive challenge’ because of you. Now, I’m telling you there’ll be a baby here in nine months, and not even a congratulations?”
“You’ve impregnated this girl? I can’t even count the number of eligible women I’ve introduced you to. Are you purposely being defiant?”
“If either of you think I’m going to let you pick my wife, you don’t know me at all. I call the shots. I pick my own woman, and Adora’s the one I choose.”
Just then the sound of the front door opening and closing caught everyone’s attention. Maria came around the corner with her cleaning supplies in her arms for her usual Saturday morning shift. Tobias scrubbed both hands over his face. Fuck me.
“And who is this now?” asked Julia. “Another maid?”
“That’s my mother,” said Adora.
His mother snorted.
“Can we talk in private?” asked Andrew. “You’re going to give your mother a nervous breakdown.”
His mother would need emotions in order to have a breakdown. She was just pissed off she didn’t get her way. Appearances and the right people meant everything to her, so Adora would be a major letdown. He wasn’t desperate for their approval like he was years ago, but a small part of him had hoped his parents would accept Adora with open arms.
He wouldn’t hold his breath.
“Anything you have to say, you can say right here.”
Andrew adjusted his jacket and shoulders. “I was too lenient with you. Gave you too much freedom. Why else would you shame the Bennett name like this?”
“What shame? Because I won’t jump into bed with Rod Palmer’s daughter? You wanted a baby, I delivered. If you can’t accept my choice, then I suggest you refrain from popping in again.”
His dad began to lead his mother to the door, turning back once. “We will talk about this later.”
“Unless you’re planning a baby shower, we have nothing to talk about.”
When they got to the door, his father glared at him, only a couple feet away. Tobias waited for some smart-ass comment. “I can’t believe we put all our hopes on you. Such a mistake.”
Tobias held his arms out to his sides. “Well, I’m all you’ve got. Or have you forgotten what happened to your first son?”
They left without another word, and he locked the door, resting a hand against the wood as he collected himself. His parents’ reaction didn’t surprise him. What mattered was the fact Adora had witnessed the freak show. He didn’t want their behavior to impact him, but their bullshit parenting was deep-seated. Maximus had been right. Tobias was chasing the wind trying to please them. Nothing would ever be enough, and they’d destroy him if he kept striving for their version of perfection.
He took a cleansing breath and returned to the kitchen. Adora was in the same place, no expression on her face. She’d been talking to Maria, but her mother quickly left the room as he entered. “I should go,” she said.
“No.”
Her eyes began to glisten. “I don’t belong here. It’ll never work between us and you know it.”
“You can read my mind now?” he asked.
“That was Gloria Palmer, Tobias. She’s a model, for God’s sake. Her father is a billionaire hotel mogul. Even I know that.”
“And?”
“She wanted you, probably wanted to have your baby. That’s what you should want.”
“Because my parents say so? That’s not how any of this works, baby. I make the decisions for my own life, not them,” he said.
“They’ll never accept me.”
“Fuck them.”
Adora put her face in her palms. When she finally looked up again, he hated the insecurity in her eyes. “I told my mom about us. I didn’t exactly have a choice standing in your kitchen in just a t-shirt.”