Yet, she never could calm you the same way water could.
"Your engagement, Denielle." Dad redirects my attention to what's important to him.
"Is over. Collin cheated on me," I inform him, lacking any emotion. "Did he tell you that?"
Showing my father that something gets under my skin will result in him questioning my mental state—I've done that myself enough lately.
That makes my father pause. "He did not, but—"
Of course there is abut. "I found out because I found his STD medication."
My father's face sours. Whether he is upset because of Collin's actions or because I will no longer be marrying into one of the richest families on the East Coast remains to be seen.
The phone suddenly switches hands, and Celine's face appears. "I'm sorry, honey. That's unforgivable. You should've told us, though. You know your father doesn't like when we are not aware of where you are."
Your father, not we. She always does what he says. "I'm twenty-six years old."
"We're just worried that…" She looks past the camera.
"I'm not relapsing. I've been fine for years." I wait for them to call me out on the secondfibI've told in the last five minutes. The craving to dive has been a constant since that day a week ago. It's like I got a fix of something I had stayedsoberfrom for the last decade. My saving grace (or reason I don't give in to the need) is that Lilly and Rhys only have an outdoor pool, and I would have to face whoever is on night shift to explain my actions, which also would, no question, get back to my friend(s).
"If you do feel like you need to…you will call us?" Celine's hopeful expression makes it hard to continue with my charade.
"Of course," I lie with a smile that's anything but genuine. But she takes it.
"OK, good." Her shoulders sag, and she glances to the side, no doubt at my father. "We are really sorry about Collin. That's unforgivable."
I can't stop my brows from shooting up at her words. Unforgivable? Seriously? Thankfully, I swallow the snort in time before I drop my pretense completely. I love Celine, but she is the last person who should call cheating unforgivable. She was forgiven after all.
"I gotta go. I'm helping with Audrey this morning." Why not continue the untruths?
"We love you, honey." She blows me a kiss and turns the camera to my father.
"Bye, Dad." I force the corners of my mouth up.
"I expect you to call us twice a week." The thunderclouds over his head linger.
"I will. Talk to you soon." No point in arguing. For the first time in my life, I am out of his reach, no cameras or spies to report back to him, and he doesn't like it. If I don't give in to an extent, I wouldn't be surprised if he takes matters into his own hands to secure his control. I tap theend callbutton.
Staring at the phone that just held my parents' faces, restlessness begins to spread through my veins. My legs are too tired for another run. I exhausted myself last night like never before. It helped because I fell into a dreamless sleep as soon as my back hit the mattress. Normally, the itch would keep me up, which was why I attempted a new way of turning it off.
My thoughts drift to Marcus and how he made himself known last night. I wanted to punch him for his fuckingprank. What are we? Twelve? Suddenly, my cheeks feel funny, and I lift my free hand to my face, tracing the smile that has formed on it. Marcus showed some of his cards. He also revealed something else he didn't mean to. He thought I didn't notice how he adjusted his dick when he walked away, but I did. The full-length, wall-to-wall mirrors don't hide anything in the gym.
Except when you're zoned out on a treadmill so you don't submerge yourself in your friends' pool.
I affect him, and he doesn't like it. Probably loathes it as much as he hates me breathing the same air as him. My smile turns into a joker-like grimace, and my pulse quickens. A sense of power surges through my limbs, the exhilaration lifting the weight in my chest that my parents' call put there. I can work with that. If he wants to play games, who am I to put a stop to it? Let's play.
Today isthe first day since leaving New York—fuck, no—the first day in years that I've felt like myself. After the conversation with my father and Celine, I checked my emails, and by a miracle, one of my contacts had replied. I had worked with Denis Perrin on several occasions during my time at Liberman. He owns a boutique calledLa Déessehere in LA and is known for his designs. His prices are outrageous, but his clientele doesn't care. His store manager recently quit to become a personal shopper for some heiress, and he needs a replacement ASAP. The position involves running the shop, ordering materials for hiscreations, overseeing the production, and managing the staff. It's more responsibility than I had at Liberman, where I barely saw a sketch, let alone was involved in any of the actual processes. Denis had seen my creativity even before I attached my drawings to mycasualemail inquiry. He assured me I had potential, which is high praise coming from him.
To celebrate, Lilly and I spent the day together. We went for brunch, taking turns holding Audrey in our laps while we ate and letting her nibble on our food.
I'm taking my life back, building my future. And Marcus's perma-scowl whenever I hold his gaze, wink at him, or push him further even made me laugh out loud on one occasion.
We decide to feed the press a bread crumb when Lilly and I take a selfie in front of the restaurant. The news coverage about her is back to the obsessive level of six years ago. Now that her brother has returned, everyone is speculating about what will happen next. I post the picture with the caption, "Reunited! To new beginnings and a lifelong friendship."
"I bet Lancaster will show up within twenty-four hours," she jokes as we walk to the SUV Marcus pulled around.
"Oh, Lord. Is he still around?" I roll my eyes. How can a grown man be that pathetic?