Page 95 of Look at Her and Die

I carried the groceries inside and got started on dinner.

By the time everyone was surrounding the table, it was apparent that everyone was in a mood, even Posy.

Everyone went their separate ways, and I headed outside when Posy said he still had more work to do.

I followed him outside, thinking I would find him in the barn, but he was nowhere in sight.

Twenty-Five

I have the paper towel habit of a wealthy person.

—Searcy to Posy

POSY

I was angry.

So. Fucking. Angry.

Earlier we’d gotten those papers saying that both Taryn and her own mother were suing her. Then, I’d been in the barn when my mother had stopped by and let me know that she’d ‘appreciate it greatly if I could make it to her formal dinner this week.’

When I’d said I wasn’t going, she’d told me I was, and then informed me that if I didn’t go, she’d be helping Searcy’s mother form a suitable case against her.

And since my mom didn’t bluff, that’d just pissed me way the hell off.

I’d agreed to go to dinner, but only because I wanted to buy myself some time.

Her parting shot of ‘don’t bring the girl’ had only made me even more mad.

As soon as I’d eaten dinner, I’d headed to my office over the barn and got onto a call with Apollo.

After ensuring that he was looking into my mother and her bullshit, I headed back downstairs and came to a halt when I saw my girl feeding Bumbo an apple.

“You’ll make him fat.”

She jumped and turned, her eyes wide.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” I apologized.

She smiled, but it didn’t meet her eyes.

“Bad day?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Ignorant people. Plus, had an issue with the bank in town. I closed my account.”

My eyes widened. “What happened?”

She explained, and I gritted my teeth.

“That might’ve been my mom’s fault,” I said. “She’s determined to cause problems with me.”

“What do you mean?”

I explained what’d gone on with my mom today, then explained what she had to say about the dinner, and how she’d told me not to bring Searcy. I’d followed it up with, “My stepfather runs that bank.”

“Well,” she shrugged, “I closed my account regardless. It doesn’t matter what they say now. I closed my account.” She hesitated. “My mom has a lot against her. She’s bitter and angry at the world over something my father did years ago. She can’t hurt me. She doesn’t even have complete custody of her kids anymore. If she wants to fight me for them, she’d have to take me to court, and Anders and Kent are old enough now that their opinions will be taken into consideration. She can’t win.”

“That’s not going to stop me from going to this dinner and figuring out what it is my mother wants,” I grumbled as I gave Bumbo a good scratch.

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