Page 60 of Lavish
“We’ll fix it,” I said quietly.
“Good.” Her voice was clipped. “Because we can’t have this falling apart. At least until I can figure out how I want to take Dante’s conniving ass down. The worse mistake of my life, if I’m being honest.”
I nodded, letting my eyes drift over to the party. It would be nice to be asked how I was feeling about this, or even for her topretendto care.
“This stress has not been good on me, Serena. My blood pressure, you know,” Mama continued. “I might need you to pick up my prescription when you’re back in town. I have meetings all day next week. I can’t get away.”
Prescription?
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Mama waved me off. “Nothing for you to worry about.”
I sighed before nodding, and looked back around the room.
“Where are Omar and Audrey?” I suddenly asked.
Mama made a face. “Not here.”
“The point of all of this is toshowpeople our families are friends again. They should be here too,” I said.
“Are you questioning my decisions?”
“No, ma’am, but I want this to work for all of us too. No failures, remember?”
God, she’s looking at me like I’ve ruined everything.
“Then perhaps don’t point out problems in public,” she said coolly, lips barely moving. “I got this. You just do as I say.”
I felt my throat tighten.
“Your posture’s slipping,” she added, already turning her head toward a passing guest.
I straightened.
“Everything okay here?” Miles stepped in, his presence solid and disarming all at once.
Mama’s eyes immediately went to his empty hands. “Where’s the champagne?”
“They ran out,” Miles said smoothly.
“Don’t embarrass me” was Mama’s finally warning before she disappeared into the crowd.
We stood there in silence for a few more seconds. My brain was trying to come up with an appropriate response to this situation. But I felt…stuck. I didn’t like feeling this way. I could fix everything else, but not when it came to my own heart and feelings.
Miles, however, wasn’t as composed. I could see it in the set of his shoulders, the way his fingers twitched at his sides.
“Crowds like this can be overwhelming,” he said suddenly.
I saw the way he balled and released his fist. Everything told me to be petty and ignore him, but my damn mouth opened. “Really? I thought you loved being the center of attention.”
“Not anymore.”
He grabbed two flutes of champagne from a passing server and handed one to me.
“Since my dad’s incident, I don’t get invites anymore. I mostly bully my way into places.”
I blinked. “Really?”
