Anyway, they’d gone through years of training, which I’m not sure how to feel about that. And since I wasn’t speaking to either of them at the moment, I couldn’t ask if this is what they’d wanted, or did they just feel obligated because my family had, in essence, rescued them from a horrible fate?
I know for sure, as kind as Cody thinks they are, that my family would use whomever and whatever they have to to get what they want. They may not cross the line into evil territory, but their kind of money tends to make some people think they’re above the law and are not beholden to the same constraints as the rest of the world.
I’d sipped my tea and picked at my vegan scone, only realizing once Cody mentioned it afterward that they’d found a vegan restaurant just for me. I’m sure he did it to point out that they were catering to my needs, but it’s what they’ve always done; I just never looked at it from that perspective. To me, it was always just about them dragging me off somewhere I didn’t necessarily want to be.
It was also at that breakfast that I learned something about mom that changed the way I look at her forever. I didn’t know when I sat at the table that so many truths were going to be revealed, and she certainly didn’t start out with anything heavy.
I was still reeling from the story about Jess and Alexis’ childhood, and the elders were questioning Cody like the Gestapo on speed when mom distracted me. “Eh, your Grandpa Astor is going to give Cody the ring. It would’ve gone to his son if he’d ever had one, but he only had me. And since your father gave me the heirloom ring from his mother’s side of the family, it’s only fitting that this one should go to your husband to give to you.”
My eye started twitching again, but I held my peace. “What ring, mom?”
“What ring do you think? By the way, Penelope sent over a list of places for us to look at before we leave.”
“Your assistant? What places might that be?”
“Apartments, hon. Didn’t you say you wanted one?” How she could keep a straight face is beyond me.
I was ready to refuse, and since Cody was sitting across the table from me, he wasn’t there to grab my hand and gainsay me. But as if sensing danger up ahead, he turned from talking to the grandpas and my dad to give me a look. I don’t think he bought my return smile, and that lifted brow of his could mean anything. It’s just spooky how he always seems to sense when I’ve had enough.
I did my best to hold onto my temper because, like he’d said, it won’t get me anywhere, and I’d just be going around in circles because, just like this breakfast proves, they’ll always win in the end, even if it means trampling all over me. That last bit was all me but still…Which begs the question, why?
“There’s something I don’t quite understand.”
“What’s that, dear?” She took a bite of her scone. Even the way my mother eats a scone is elite. Tiny little pieces which take two or three bites to finish when the average toddler could finish it in one. Crap, I’m eating exactly the same way. When did that happen?
Not the time for self-reflection Lise, not while surrounded by a family of hammerheads. “Why did you all just accept Cody so easily?” I rushed to expound on my question after the look she gave me. “Not that I’m complaining; I’m just curious.”
“It’s the way he looks at you.”
“I’m sorry?” What would they know about the way Cody looks at me? And how exactly do they think he looks at me?
“I don’t think I understand.” She took her phone from her purse and scrolled through it before passing it to me. My mouth fell open before the first minute was up. There was a camera load of images of Cody and me, and from the time stamp, it was not very long after we started dating.
I started to accuse Jess or Alexis, but they too were in some of the shots, which meant that my family had been having us followed since day one. “This is…?”
“You’re not focusing; you’re just getting upset. Look at the pictures, look at your guy.”
I looked back down at the screen to see what she was talking about. It only took three images to get the point she was trying to make. “I never knew, never saw.”
“That’s what makes it interesting, don’t you think? He had no idea anyone was watching while he looked at you like that. Your father looks at me like that.”
Ouch, gross! I wouldn’t say Cody was looking at me with lascivious thoughts in his head, but his eyes were smoldering. In all of the shots, I was either talking to someone else or laughing at something he said with my head thrown back. In all of them, his eyes were on my face, and it’s hard to put the look of adoration I saw there into words.