Page 23 of Changing Rules

“Your grandmother will be here in a few weeks,” she says. “She wants to see you.”

“Why?” My hands tremble slightly. I have very mixed feelings about my grandmother. She loves me, I really think she does, but I don’t think she cares about me. I’ve always been the one who tried to stay in touch, while she only made an effort when I was visiting her in Montgomery. When I wasn’t there, I didn’t really exist to her.

“Really?” Mother snorts. “When was the last time you saw her? Or talked to her?”

“When was the last timeshesaw me? Or talked tome?” I take a step back to let an older couple and a young blonde woman enter the restaurant.

Though I walked in feeling on top of the world, I suddenly feel as if I don’t belong here. That’s my mother’s effect on me.

She groans. “Stop this. She’s an old woman, full of sentiment. She wants to see her granddaughter—heronlygranddaughter, may I remind you. Would it really be that difficult to show up for her? Are you so selfish you can’t set your hatred for me aside for one fucking dinner?”

Jake’s image appears in my mind, my talk with him about his mother’s birthday party swimming in my head.Is it that hard to sit through one fucking dinner?he asked.

My mother sounds exactly like him.

This isn’t selfishness. This is a matter of mental health. This is self-preservation. I’m not sure I have it in me to sit through a dinner in my mother and Kevin’s awful company.

“Isabella!”

I flinch as if she slapped me across the face. Numbness sweeps through my whole body.

“Okay, I’ll be there.” The words are out before I realize it.Shit.

But I can do this. I can handle shutting down my emotions for one night. It’s nothing I haven’t done before.

“Text me the details.”

“What about your boyfriend?” she grits out. “Don’t you want to introduce Alexander to your family?”

“Alexander doesn’t even want me talking to you, so I can’t imagine he’d want to meet you.”Lies, lies, lies. He would never let me go there alone.

“That’s bullshit. Tell him we expect him there.” She seethes. “Your grandmother wants to meet him, and she’ll eat me alive if you show up alone. ‘How is it possible you’ve never metIsabella’s boyfriend?’” she says, mimicking my grandmother’s voice.“‘How can you sleep at night not knowing who he is?’” She huffs. “I’m not interested in being lectured. Do you hear me?”

Eyes closed, I drop my head back against the brick wall behind me. “I’ll think about it.”

“Fine.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes. I’ll send you the details once we finalize them.”

After I’ve hung up, I push myself away from the wall.Fuck. How long have I been outside? I look at the screen. Seven minutes. Seven shitty minutes, and I’m ready to climb the wall because of her. My headache is throbbing now. God, what I’d do to just go home.

But I can’t. Not without Xander. So, with a cleansing breath, I straighten my dress, running my hands over the skirt a few times. I’m in no state to stay and hold a conversation. I hope Audrey won’t mind us leaving.

Inside, I head for our table but immediately halt in my tracks. The blonde who entered the building a few minutes ago is sitting in my place.

As I force myself to approach, the three of them break into laughter. With every step, I’m more certain I know who this blonde is.

God, I hope I’m wrong. Audrey can’t be that cruel, right?

I focus on Xander, and what I see brings my heart dangerously close to exploding. The glint in his eye is familiar. Warm and tender. It’s the look he typically reserves for me. Only this time, it’s aimed at this girl.

“Hey.” I put my hand on his shoulder, garnering his attention. “Sorry. I needed to take that call. It was…important.”

“Who was it?” he asks, head tipped back.

“It doesn’t matter.” My voice is shaky as I glance at the blonde who’s still sitting in my seat. “Um…”

---