Page 98 of The Quarterback Sneak

“Zach?” he asks with raised brows. “You think your parents will be okay with accepting you into our high society life with Zach as your escort?” He laughs, shaking his head. “Zach is using you. You’re a prize to be won, and you’ll be left with nothing once he’s through.”

“Sounds familiar.”

“Does he even know how to waltz?” I scrunch my lips because he has a point. I haven’t exactly told Zach what the debutante ball entails, and it’s a week away. “Zach is your rebound, and you’re going through a bad-boy phase. You’ll be out of the picture in a month.”

Turning, I walk around the kitchen island to leave. “Think about it, Honey. He’s not meant for our world. He’ll flounder at every step, never quite impressing you, and you’ll both start to hate each other.”

“You mean like we do now?”

Stepping out of the room, I tread the stairs, not bothering to say goodbye. If my mother let him in, then she can let him out.

“Hunniford.” Her shrill voice cuts through my soul. “You shouldn’t treat guests like that.”

“He wasn’t my guest.”

“What did Jamie want?”

“I’m sure you know. He asked if he could take me to the debutante ball.” She crosses her arms, looking pleased with herself. “I told him no.”

That makes her frown. “But I already agreed with Jamie’s mother that he’d take you.” And therein lies the real reason Jamie came here tonight. His parents forced him.I knew it.

“So? He can take McKenna. If she’s good enough to publicly screw, then she’s good enough to be seen with him there.”

“Hunniford. Go to your room.” Her shoulders rise, and it’s weird seeing her acting like a real parent. “You don’t talk about Jamie like that.”

I walk with a little skip in my step down the hall. “Why not? I’m just speaking the truth. Maybe if you lived in reality, you’d be more inclined to hear it.” I’m testing her now, stomping around haughtily in my robe. Her shoulders rise, and her lips screw together.

“You should watch what you say, Hunniford.”

“Why? It changes nothing. No matter what I say or do, you’ll always try to control my life and decisions. Things would be a hell of a lot easier for everyone if you just gave me some space to breathe.”

Stalking to my room, I slam it shut and lock it. A small laugh leaves my lips, and I can’t stop grinning. A mix of anger and excitement course through my veins, knowing my father probably heard that, but he’ll be too chicken shit to get involved. He’s always left everything to my mother and a small set of foreign au pairs.

Finally, it feels like they can no longer control me, and they don’t know what to do about it. Even if Zach doesn’t show up at the debutante ball, I’d rather be there alone than give in to spending more time with Jamie.

I shift my gaze to my phone sitting on my nightstand and check it. Still nothing from Zach, but plenty of pleading texts from Jamie. I toss it to the side, and my feelings start to sink in. Zach didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth about Tiff, and he hasn’t called me since his big win tonight. I know he’s not out celebrating with anyone because I’m the only person he’d celebrate with in this school.

Who knows where Zach and I will end up after this, but at least he helped me realize the importance of standing up for myself.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Honey

My fingers pinch at my satin gloves, ready to pull them off. I frown every time I look in the mirror. A great sense of unease bubbles in my stomach. This isn’t right. I should have fought my mother harder and pushed for the silky A-Line dress that fit me like a dream. Instead, I’m wearing a dress that Oscar De La Renta created after a heavy night of red wine. I look like a whipped cream monstrosity, and the idea of walking out of this room makes me want to gag. Coming here was a mistake, but my mother wouldn’t have let my absence slide. This is her biggest event on the social calendar.

“You look beautiful, Hunniford.” My father offers me a stilted smile and kisses me lightly on the cheek. It’s impersonal and formal, like him.

“Thank you, Father.” He adjusts his cuffs, admiring himself in the mirror, not giving me a second glance.

I could still get out of this. My father might be too interested in his own appearance to notice me sneak out.

Lifting the thick fabric, I step off the pedestal and say, “I’m going to go to the bathroom.” It’s my one shot at getting out of here.

“Hunniford.” My mother stops me just as I reach the door. “Let me have a look.” I sigh, rolling my eyes, then turn with a sarcastic smile. We haven’t spoken in a week; she’s been avoiding me ever since I yelled at her in the hallway, and the quiet has been nice. Hard to disappoint someone who doesn’t talk to you.

She shuffles over, assessing me like I’m a racehorse about to leave its stall. Her face shows appreciation until she gets to my neck. “I know you’ve got a weird connection to that cheap necklace, but can you please wear your grandmother’s pearls, just for tonight? There are a lot of important people to impress out there, and I don’t want your carnival jewelry to be the main reference point of who you are.”

There she is. It’s been so long that I almost missed her sarcastic barbs.

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