Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Petra frowns at her daughter. “Eden, please tell me you didn’t spend that much on gifts.”
“Not to worry, Petra,” I say quickly. “I wouldn’t dream of letting Eden bankrupt herself on a piece of overpriced jewelry.” I meet Brittany’s smirk with a scowl of my own. “Join me in the kitchen for a moment, Brittany?”
Looking like the cat that ate the canary, she hops out of her seat and practically bounces out of the room. I follow her out, giving Eden’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze along the way. I have no clue what Brittany’s playing at, but I refuse to let her petty scheming go a single step further.
As soon as Petra and Eden are out of earshot, I round on my daughter. “Brittany, I don’t know what you think you saw—”
“I don’t think anything, Dad. I know what I saw.” She holds up her phone, displaying a photo of me kissing Eden in the parking garage.
My blood runs cold. “You were following us?”
“Obviously. And if you don’t want your wife to know you’re making out with her daughter, then you’re going to give me what I ask for.”
“And what’s that?”
“For starters, you’re going to book my trip to Cabo for spring break instead of making me wait ‘til graduation. And I want the new iPhone, and your Aston Martin. Actually, I want you to buy me my own car.”
My mind reels as she continues running through her wish list. Access to my Black Amex, her own apartment, a bigger and tackier eighteenth-birthday party than Allison’s.
I watch my daughter tick off her ridiculous demands on her manicured fingers. I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere between the cradle and her first car, she changed into a person I don’t recognize. What happened to the child who used to share her ice cream with the dog? Who wanted nothing more than a hug and a bedtime story for her birthday? How did she become the kind of person who would try to blackmail her own father?
I’ve given my daughter everything she could ever want or need and this is how she repays me?
That’s when it hits me. Brittany is only selfish and spiteful because her mother and I have given her everything. And on the rare occasion when one of us said no, the other would say yes every time.
But not this time.
“And I want—”
“Enough.”
She scoffs. “What?”
“I’m not giving you anything, Brittany. In fact, I’m cutting you off. No more Jag, no more allowance, and no more trips on my dime. It’s time you learned to value the things you have. I’m only sorry I didn’t teach you this lesson sooner.”
Genuine fear widens her gaze. She folds her arms defiantly. “Fine, then I’ll just have to tell Petra—”
“No, you won’t, because I’m going to tell her myself.”
I leave her sputtering in the kitchen as I march back to the dining room.
Eden and Petra both look up at me as I enter.
“Is Brittany all right?” Petra asks.
Eden shoots me an anxious smile that I wish I could kiss away. But before I can do that, there’s something I need to say.
“Petra, I’m sorry, but our marriage is over.”
“What? Christian, I don’t understand. Why?”
“Because I’m in love with Eden.”
CHAPTER 12
EDEN
Mom’s fork clatters against her plate.
Of all the things I thought Christian might say, never in a million years could I have guessed that he would choose right now to come clean about his feelings for me. Surely, he knows my mom can’t take the stress. Right?
My first instinct is to laugh it off, play it up as a joke—until Brittany storms into the dining room, her face twisted in anger. She zeroes in on me.
“This is all your fault, you stupid fat skank—”
“Brittany,” Christian booms, the deep vibrato of his voice making me flinch. “I will not have you disrespecting my family in my house. Now pack your bags and go back to your mom’s house.”
His tone is final, daring her to refute him.
She looks back and forth between me and Christian, helplessly. Then, in an almost comical showing of immaturity, she shrieks like a banshee, stomps her foot once, and marches out of the room.
Christian lets out a heavy breath. Seconds tick by in silence. Until…
Mom clasps her trembling hands.
“You’re in love with my daughter?”
Christian reclaims his seat at the table and turns to my mother. “Petra, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen. But Eden and I have grown closer than I ever thought possible. She’s a remarkable young woman. I want to be with her—” His eyes meet mine. “—if she’ll have me, that is.”
Mom takes a sharp breath.
“I don’t understand. Eden, why didn’t you say something?”
“I was afraid you’d be angry,” I tell her.
“How could I be angry with you over this?”
“Not just with me. With Christian.” I reach across the table, and he meets me halfway, squeezing my hand. “I was worried you’d make us leave, and then you wouldn’t have health insurance or a place to live.”