Page 67 of Bridesmaid to Bride

Smoke is coming out of my father’s ears, and I know this can’t be good for his heart. At the same time, I could never stand back and watch that injustice happen, especially to West’s parents.

Sand kicks up behind me as I fight to catch up to Dad, the cool night air a welcome slap to my face. “Dad, please.”

“I don’t even know what to say to you right now.” His voice is a cocktail of exasperation and disbelief. We’re standing under the stars, the only other light the distant glimmer of the venue behind us casting long shadows on his face. His eyes are wide with disapproval, something I’ve come to recognize all too well.

“I’m really sorry about Senator Easel.” My voice shakes.

“I cannot believe you spoke to him that way.”

“He called West’s parents hillbillies!”

“If the shoe fits…”

“Dad! You don’t talk like that.”

“Eva, get a reality check. They live in the sticks. They aren’t educated. They’ve probably never even ventured out of the deep south.”

I gasp, the rush of anger heating my cheeks. It takes me a beat, but a realization dawns. “Oh my God.”

“What?”

“You actually look down on hard working folks like them. You think they’re shit on your shoe.” I shake my head. “You aren’t any better than them, Dad. You’re just different. You’re better at some things, and they’re better at others.” And if I’m being honest with myself, West’s parents are better at a whole lot more things—at least the important ones. Kindness. Compassion. Giving.

“Look at their behavior,” he snarls. “Inappropriately approaching a senator and trying to score a meeting. Who the hell does that?”

“Desperate people. That’s who.” The words catapult from me.

He runs a hand across his face. “It was Paige’s night. There had to be a better time and place.”

“Honestly, Paige was gone, and they approached him very politely. He wouldn’t even give them the time of day, just like he hasn’t for the past year. When else were they going to get the chance to confront him?”

“Anytime but now.”

“Sometimes now is the only time you’ve got.” My jaw tightens at the memories of me doing everything to get in front of investors for my food business. I did everything to save the dream I’d had since I was a little girl. “The senator was dodging Bonnie when he knocked the drink from her hand. He would never answer their letters or schedule a meeting. I know you were great friends with him in law school, but Dad, it’s clear how Senator Easel operates now—slimy maneuvers behind closed doors.”

“So what? That’s him doing his job.”

Defiance flickers in my eyes. “And West’s parents were just doing theirs—fighting to keep their livelihood.”

Ugh, for the first time since my business failed, I see the silver lining in it. Because that failure gave me a deep understanding of how it feels to be fighting to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. To be so achingly desperate to keep things going you’ll do anything to keep it afloat. “When you’re in that situation, you swallow your pride and you do what you have to do.”

Dad exhales. “You really think their public showdown is gonna change anything?”

“Maybe not,” I concede, the edge in my voice softening. “But silence sure as hell wasn’t getting them anywhere.”

Dad meets my gaze, and something in the set of his mouth tells me he understands more than he’s letting on. But he’s immovable when it comes to matters of principle. “You’re on thin ice, Eva. I need to be able to rely on you—to know you’re behind me and whatever it takes to ensure our business stays afloat. Getting on Senator Easel’s shit list just put us in danger. So, I hope it was worth it—standing up for West’s parents’ business at the cost of ours.”

Guilt twists a knife in my gut. “I didn’t mean to do us any harm—”

“But you did.” He shakes his head, disappointment etched in every line of his face. “Representing my firm requires a certain decorum, professionalism.”

“And, what, I don’t have that?”

He swallows hard, his jaw tightening. “Foster... you might’ve ruined your chance with him. We need Senator Easel’s support. Now what?”

“I don’t know. More than anything, I want our firm to survive. But I don’t want to sell my soul for it.”

“Oh, daughter, how naïve you are.” He bats a hand at me. “You live in a dream world.”

---