Page 26 of The Distiller's Darling

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“Stop fidgeting, Naomi.” Her mother’s commanding tone made Naomi realize she’d been tugging at the hem of her dress.

“Sorry.” She clasped her hands together in front of her like a child in a school picture.

“Don’t do that either, it makes your bosom cave in.”

“Thanks, Mom.” She sighed.

“You’re not here to mope, darling. You’re here to be charming and remind the Board that they’re lucky to have a man as talented as your father as a candidate.”

“How could I possibly remind them any more than you’re already doing?”

“By standing there and being single,” her mother said sweetly.

Tanya, standing next to Naomi, choked on her champagne as she stifled a laugh.

Naomi gave her sister-in-law her best evil eye. “You want to say something?”

“I wouldn’t dare.” Tanya grinned at her. “I’m perfectly happy back here, out of the spotlight.”

“Nice try,” Naomi muttered, then raised her voice. “Mom, don’t you think Tanya’s boobs look great in that dress?”

Her mother’s eagle eye fastened on Tanya’s impressive cleavage. “Tanya, go talk to Dr. Mutternauer. He loves busty, unavailable blondes.”

Tanya rolled her eyes. “That’s me.”

“I’m going to make you a t-shirt that says Busty Unavailable Blonde,” Naomi said.

“Oh, good, I’ll wear it to the kids’ soccer games.” With that, Tanya headed off to her target, an undecided Board member.

Naomi would be glad when the hospital Board made their decision. The meeting to decide who would be the next Chief of Medicine at San Francisco General was in a few weeks, and as it got closer, her parents were getting more frenetic in their attempts to seal the deal for her father. Hence her presence here, at yet another charity gala. This one benefitted the city’s food bank, so she could hardly begrudge it, but she was definitely more weary of the parade of social events this year than she usually was.

She loved her family dearly but had never managed quite the same amount of separation as Noah had from his. But then, his dream career fell right in line with what his family thought he ought to be doing. They’d just wanted him to do it for them, not himself. Naomi’s family didn’t think art was a real job. And if she wasn’t going to be a doctor or a lawyer, they would prefer she marry one.

She suppressed a shudder. Marriage was the last thing she wanted to think about. Especially here. Right on cue, her mother tapped her shoulder. “Naomi. Avi Hershfeld is here.”

“So?”

“So, you should talk to him.”

“You forced me to go on a date with Avi when I was sixteen. He groped me in the back of the car and then told me I should get implants like his sister.”

“He’s a very successful entertainment lawyer now.”

“That doesn’t surprise me at all.”

“Well, what about—”

Naomi turned to her mother, surprised by the sudden rage that was boiling in her belly. She’d been listening to the litany of available men in her parents’ circles for years. Why it was making her so angry today, she had no idea. “I’m not interested. I’m here to help Dad. I’m happy to help Dad. I want him to get what he wants. But why can’t you be interested in what I want?”

Her mother blinked. “What do you want?”

Naomi sighed. “Did you know that I just signed a lucrative contract with Z Gallery?”

“Good for you, dear. What does that have to do with your relationship status?”

“Nothing.”

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