Page 171 of Tormented Billionaire Romance Series

For once, couldn’t he have showed a little more interest and asked for more information? He cared so little about what I had to say.

“I was going to ask you how you’re doing,” Dad said finally, “but since you’re about to go to a party, I can safely assume you’re well and I shouldn’t spend too much time getting you bogged down in the details.”

I closed my eyes and gripped the phone a little tighter, wondering if he could hear the plastic straining in my grasp. I wanted to let him know he couldn’t be more wrong. I was suffering, unwell, always an inch away from going bankrupt; but, that would be getting bogged down in the details and he’d made it very clear he didn’t want that.

“I’m fine,” I lied.

“I’m glad to hear it. Do you want me to hand you off to Crystal for a minute, if you have one to spare? I’m sure she’d love to hear about the party.”

“Oh, that’s…”

My protest died on my lips as Crystal spoke over me, from out of nowhere. “A party?” she exclaimed, voice tinny from the poor call quality, thanks to my old and cruddy phone. “She’s going to a party?”

“Find out for yourself,” Dad said.

“Dad…”

Another unheard protest as he passed the phone over to Crystal. She pressed, “What sort of party, darling? Not a rave, I hope. I don’t want to think you could get that much lower.”

I was certain the phone would shatter in my hand in a minute. If this went on for much longer than that, I’d wind up lobbing it at the wall just to get her to shut up. She had always spoken like a California girl, despite having spent most of her life on the East Coast. Every sentence twisted up at the end into a falsetto, and it was like nails raking down a chalkboard funneled right into my ear.

Honestly, it was the sound of her voice that got me, more than the veiled insult. It didn’t even bother me that Dad said nothing in my defense, didn’t reprimand his so-called wife for her behavior. If he was listening, that was.

“It’s a Halloween party. A costume party. I’m going as Cinderella.”

Crystal tutted. “The maid princess. Well, I suppose they don’t have a princess that worked at a coffee shop. Are you still doing that, by the way?”

“Yes.”

“Well, you never were much of a self-starter. Never very ambitious. Whose party is it?”

Even though I really didn’t care about Carter Bryant’s party for the most part, it occurred to me now that I could use it as a way to get one over on her. “Do you know a guy named Carter Bryant? Famous in the—”

Once again, I was cut off. Crystal squealed in shock and while I hated the sound, I couldn’t have been more satisfied.

“TheCarter Bryant? No way You’re making fun of me. There is no way thatyouwould be able to get into a party like that.”

I decided to withhold from her that anyone could come. “Well, I did. And if you’ll excuse me, my ride is here.”

“Wait, Megyn!”

I hung up on Crystal, grinning with a fierce satisfaction, though it didn’t last long. Who was I kidding? She’d do some research and find all the advertisements for the party and realize I was full of shit.

Yeah,said a little voice inside me,but until then, she’ll be pissed and that’s great.

I allowed myself another little grin and then went to finish the rest of my preparations. Maggie pulled up in the driveway just as I finished putting my shoes on. I considered that to be lucky, since I really hadn’t wanted her to know what I had on under my dress. Expensive shoes were not within my budget. I had on the blue Converse I wore every day, for every occasion. I figured it wouldn’t matter much, since the dress was long enough to hide them.

Maggie honked her horn, a little blip to let me know she had arrived. I grabbed my purse and shoved my keys in, making sure to lock my new deadbolt on the way out.

Maggie stared at me through her windshield as I approached under the dusk-purpling sky. I ducked my head, nerves tinging in my stomach, absolutely certain she stared because I looked awful.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” I said, smoothing my skirt under my thighs and climbing in.

“Megyn.” Maggie shook her head, a wide smile spreading on her lips. “Holy cow! I have never seen you like this before. You lookamazing!”

I blushed and lowered my head even more, wishing I hadn’t put my hair up so I could hide behind it. “It’s not all that different from what I’m normally like.”

Maggie grabbed my shoulder. “You’re kidding me. You’re so pretty always, but with the mascara and the lipstick and… and the everything, I’m seriously blown away.”

---