“You want someone who will treat you like the prize you are.”
“Absolutely,” I say, sounding like a cheerleader getting pumped up by her captain before a game. “You’re right. I definitely deserve better than that. And I’m glad I’ve put a stop to it.”
“I suppose it’s going to be awkward for a while, but there’s nothing much you can do about that. Eventually, everything will go back to normal, and you’ll forget this whole sordid thing happened.”
Unless it doesn’t.
What if Charles ends up being like all the other stuffy executives who mess with their employees and run them out of the office when they’re done with them?
“What if he makes my life miserable?” I voice my concern, and a tear leaks from the corner of my eye.
“Do you really believe he’ll do that? Is he truly that bad?” Her voice is soft.
I consider the question, thinking back on all the moments with him. Charles doesn’t seem like the type. He gave me a chance even after realizing I was the woman from Silver. He listened to my ideas and got on board. He’s always been fair. His company means everything to him, and I believe I’ve proven my worth.
“No, I don’t.” I don’t even have to think any more about it. “He’s not a bad guy at all, Mom. I’m just... angry with myself.”
“You two messed up. That’s all. People make mistakes all the time. And he probably feels as awful about it.”
I’m sure she’s right. After the anger abated, his eyes shone with remorse. I’m sure he wishes as much as I do that he never did what he did.
With time, we’ll get back on equal footing and do our jobs.
“Thanks, Mom. I’m sorry I called you so late.”
“I’m glad you called.” She sighs heavily. “Have I ever told you how I met your dad?”
I think back through all the stories over the years and realize I have no idea exactly how they met.
“No. You haven’t, actually.”
“I ran into him at the local pool. We hung out all day and hit it off immediately. I knew within an hour that I wanted to know him better, but I was in a relationship.” She huffs a laugh. “The next day, I went back to the pool, hoping to see him, and was shocked to find my boyfriend there with him.”
“What? How is that possible?” I sit back on the couch, kicking up my feet and getting comfortable to hear this story.
“Your dad was childhood best friends with Curt, my boyfriend at the time. They’d lived next to each other until your grandparents had sold their house and moved across town. Your dad went to another school, but he remained friends with his old neighbors. Curt was supposed to be at the pool that first day, but he got sunburned, and his mom made him sit the day out. If that hadn’t happened, your father and I might never have had that day to build a bond.”
“I’ve never heard that story,” I say, smiling at the thought of my dad macking on his friend’s girl. Clearly, he didn’t realize it at the time because that wasn’t Dad. He was loyal to the end.
“It was a sore spot for your dad. I broke up with Curt the next week and started dating your father. It ruined their friendship, which he never quite got over.”
“Did you regret causing that rift?”
I grimace as soon as the words come out. They sounded harsh, even though they weren’t meant to be.
“I did, but your father tried hard not to let me. We were meant to be together, no matter who was hurt in the process. We had a love that couldn’t be stopped, Raven.”
“What does this have to do with me?” I ask, wondering how we went from discussing my slipup to hearing the story about her and Dad.
“I’m just saying, don’t close yourself off to happiness.”
My mouth drops open.
“Are you suggesting I should pursue Charles?”
She warned me away from him, but this story and her words have me second-guessing what I’m hearing.
Maybe it’s the tequila fog.