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Must’ve been his clean-shaven face.

“Valley. You’re getting more beautiful each day. Shame your mother isn’t around to see you grow into a wonderful young woman.”

If he hadn’t mentioned my mother, I probably would’ve taken that as a compliment and even as a flirtatious try to get closer to me.

Mentioning my mother was never a good idea, and Dad thought the same.

“No need to bring up my ex-wife,” he spat, trying not to sound too annoyed with his friend.

“Why, it’s true, isn’t it? She’s a wonderful young lady. Sure you don’t want to help run this town?”

Helprun it.

As if a woman wasn’t able to run a damn town on her own.

That sexist comment made me want to run for mayor, but that motivation quickly washed away as more guests arrived, interrupting this lovely conversation with Lennard.

“Excuse me. I’ll go check on Della and see if she needs my help in the kitchen,” I told him and my father, and after shooting a glare at Lennard, I turned and walked to the kitchen where Della was checking on her appetizers.

She insisted on making some of her own as she wanted to impress Dad’s friends with her culinary skills.

“Oh, Valley. Come try one of these Bruschetta’s I made.”

Those weren’t hard to make.

Just put some diced cherry tomatoes drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt onto a small piece of bread of your choice, sprinkle some basil on top and you’re done.

But I didn’t want to upset her, so I took a bite and smiled at her as the different tastes mixed together in my mouth.

“Delicious,” I told her, eating the rest and then washing my hands in the sink to avoid oil stains on my dress.

“Thank you, sweetie. You look wonderful tonight,” she complimented, looking down at my dress and then rubbing my arm.

“You too. That’s a really lovely dress, Della.”

I loved her like I should’ve loved my biological mother, but I had never had a real connection with her the way I had one with Della.

She was the kindest woman I had ever met, and Dad was lucky to have her by his side.

“Thank you, darling. Here, take this,” she said, handing me a glass with what looked like champagne in it.

I frowned at her and smelled what was inside the glass, and as the bubbles tickled my nose, I grinned. “You’ll let me drink?”

“You somehow have to make it through the night, don’t you?” she asked, winking at me.

“Go have fun, sweetie. I’ll be right with you guys. Just have to finish up these salmon parfaits.”

I smiled at her and nodded, and once I walked out of the kitchen to go back to Dad, I stopped in my tracks to take in all the new guests that had arrived in a matter of minutes.

How on earth would I find my father in this crowd?

I sighed, standing right there between the dining and living room, wondering where to go while our house filled up with more people.

“Dear God,” I muttered, wishing the party would already be over.

I took a few sips of the champagne, not liking it at first but then forcing myself to enjoy it and taking another sip.

Although I illegally showed my body to adult men when I was only sixteen, I never tried alcohol before, and after this one glass I was afraid to already be addicted to it.

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