“No, Ainsley and I are just fine,” I said between clenched teeth. “She’s been busy working all summer.”
“Working the entire summer before senior year.” She took a sip from her drink and scrunched her nose. “Where is the fun in that? You’re fortunate you don’t have to work.”
Fortunate indeed. That was one way of putting it. I shrugged, switching the majority of my weight to my other foot. “I wouldn’t have minded a summer job.” It was the truth and would have made the summer bearable.
“Well, Steven has been so generous. There is no need for you to work.” She reached over and rubbed his bare knee, and I straight-up vomited a little.
“Now, Angelica, there is nothing wrong with learning the value of a job and earning a few bucks,” he countered, surprising me. Never thought Steven would take my side in a discussion. “If Carter didn’t have to put all his focus into football, I’d have him interning at the office.”
Right… because playing football was all that mattered. It should come as no surprise that Steven pushed his son into football, seeing as he owned professional teams and had been a huge college football hero himself. Like father, like son.
If it had not been for a torn ACL, Steven would have signed with a pro team. But then he would not have met my mom, and I would not be living in the lap of luxury.Oh, what a fucking shame that would have been, I thought with heavy sarcasm.
Mom dropped the sunglasses down the bridge of her nose to peer up at me. “I think it’s time, don’t you?” she asked Steven, the corner of her lips tipping up.
My eyes narrowed as I stared at my reflection in her shades. “What are you talking about?” I looked from Angie to Steven. “You know I hate surprises,” I groaned, my mouth twisting into a scowl.
“I swear, Josephine, you take the fun out of everything.” Her voice pitched as her eyes glared at me. They were the same chocolate shade as my own, but hers lacked warmth and were a little glossy. I took after my mother in the looks department. Same dark hair, when mine wasn’t dyed pink, and same curvy, slim figure. But that was where our similarities ended.
She stood up from her lounge chair and put an arm around my waist like we were friends. I wouldn’t have cared so much if it were genuine. Did she have any idea how ridiculous she made us both look? “Come on. I think you’ll like this surprise.”
Steven stretched to his full height as he accompanied Angie and me to the side of the house where the four-car garage was. This was only one of their garages. I stared at the driveway, looking for this supposed surprise, but all I saw was my powder blue Corolla along with Mom and Steven’s cars. Carter was out, thank God for small wonders.
Steven punched a code into the far right garage, and as the door unfolded, he said. “Now, use of this is contingent on your grades and behavior. If you can show you’re dedicated to having a good year and starting school on the right foot, then it’s yours. If not, we’ll… have to talk about rules.” I could see the idea of laying down rules for me made him uncomfortable. He rubbed at the back of his neck, waiting for the door to fully lift open.
“What is…?” I trailed off as my eyes landed on a shiny cherry-red Lexus. My mouth hung open. “Holy shit,” I whispered. It was the most beautiful piece of machinery I’d ever laid eyes on. Did they just give me a fucking—
“Surprise!” My mother’s hug engulfed me, but I could barely feel her. “We wanted to do something special for your senior year at a new school. I know it is difficult having to switch schools.”
“So what do you think?” Steven asked, his hazel eyes sparkling.
I blinked hard. What did I think? I thought this was the biggest crock-of-shit bribe in history. “You didn’t have to buy me a car,” I started in a whisper. “Really. It’s too much.”
“It’s not too much for you, baby.” She even stroked my damn hair. The hair she said she hated at least once a day since I’d dyed it pink. “We know there have been a lot of changes these last few months, and I wanted to give you the best start to your new life. You deserve to drive the sort of car—”
I wiggled out of her grasp. This car ensured I looked the part of a rich kid when I arrived at the Academy. Unbelievable. “My car runs just fine.” Dad had given it to me on my sixteenth birthday. Didn’t she see that I wanted to hold on to something from my old life?
My dad was a mechanic who managed to make ends meet. We hardly starved. But it wasn’t enough for Angie, who left my father for the first millionaire who sniffed up her skirt. I didn’t want to think about the number of affairs. Dad deserved better. We both did. Angie… or Angelica, as my mom now referred to herself as, wasn’t winning any mother or wife of the year awards.
I almost felt sorry for Steven.
“Yes, sweetheart, it’s a very reliable car. But it doesn’t fit your new lifestyle.” Her voice had an edge I recognized too well. She wanted me to squeal and thank her for the generous gift.
“Why don’t I get to decide what I want my lifestyle to be? Dad gave me that car!”
All the excitement from before was gone from her face. “And your stepfather is giving you this one.”
I stared my mother down, not budging.
“Josephine,” she said sternly, prompting me to show my appreciation, which I refused to do.
The pain of everything I’d lost came crashing down on me, and instead of risking I’d say something terrible, I turned around and stormed into the house.
Angie was hot on my heels, cursing the entire way. I tried to get through my bedroom door and close it before she reached me, but it was too late. She was fast when she wanted to be. Drunk or not. Maybe faster because she was two sheets to the wind.
“You ungrateful brat.” She shoved her way into the room and slammed the door behind her, then marched up to me, her face as red as a lobster, fists clenched at her sides. “How dare you be so rude when all he’s been is giving and accepting.”
“I don’t want it!” I snapped back. “I won’t drive it.”