Page 62 of Waiting for Acceptance
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I may have overreacted.”
“May have?” She looks at me with thatare you kidding mestare and I grind my teeth.
Running my hand through my hair, I step closer to her, my voice low. “I overreacted, okay? Are you happy?”
Her face hardens. “No.” She turns and walks away, leaving me feeling completely clueless as to how I’m going to fix this. I’m about to go after her and fumble my way through an apology when my father appears beside me.
“I need to speak to you, privately.”
“Now isn’t a good time.” His hand shoots out to stop me when I start to walk away.
“It wasn’t a request.” He nods to a room off the main ballroom and we head that way. When the door latches behind us I feel a cold chill shoot down my spine. “What the hell did you say to Jessica tonight?”
“You invited her, didn’t you?” He puffs his chest, and it’s all the answer I need. “I told you,twice, that I was bringing someone this weekend. Not just anyone, my girlfriend. Someone I’m actually serious with. Did you honestly think I would just leave Lauren behind and run off to escort Jessica instead?”
“You and I both know you’ve never been serious about anyone. I don’t see this ending any differently than the string of women you’ve fooled around with in the past.” The look of disgust on his face has my blood boiling. “She’s got nothing to offer you, son.” I bare my teeth, trying to remain calm.
“And how would you even know that?”
“I ran into her in the hallway earlier while you were speaking with Jessica, the woman youshouldbe here with.” I close my eyes to keep from rolling them. “I asked her about herself and she told me what she does. She’s a sales agent… That’s it! She didn’t say much about her parents, got all smiley when she mentioned that all she does in her extra time is hang out with her friends,” he practically spits out the words, a humorless laugh following. “She’s probably just some gold-digger that will distract you from your work and spend all your money.”
“She might have just been nervous to talk to you after the way you spoke to her earlier.”
“Well, then you need to find a woman with a backbone, Fitz! You’ll see soon enough; she’s all wrong for you.”
“That’s your opinion.” He gives me a bored look and I fight the urge to shove everything he’s ever given me back in his face. “You don’t even know her. You have no idea what she has to offer me.”
“I know it won’t be enough,” he says confidently.
“You’re never going to accept the choices I make for myself, are you?”
“Maybe when you start making the right ones. Which better be soon, you’re getting promoted in two months. Time to get your shit together, Fitz.” I nod, watching the man I am supposed to look up to most tell me I’m still not good enough.
“You may not let me make many of my own, butLaurenis my choice. Like it or not, she’s not going anywhere. Not if I have anything to say about it.” I walk out of the room and slam the door behind me. Worrying that after the way we left things, I maynothave a say in it anymore.
CHAPTER 34
LAUREN
I was having a pretty good day. Getting to put Jessica Vanderbilt in her place was entertaining as hell. Hearing Fitz speak, and getting the chance to speak on the subject of social media marketing myself was thrilling, and the mixer was actually a hit. I was talking to two guys about the changes they’ve been seeing in numbers regarding upstate housing recently, when Fitz came up and went all cave-man on me, getting mad that I was being nice. Tohisfucking associates at that. And my day just kind of went to shit.
Lucifer
Where are you?
Me
Home.
Lucifer
Did you suddenly inherit the ability to teleport?
Me
YOUR home.
I probably should have said it that way the first time.
