Page 104 of For The Weekend
“This is…” She huffs. “I can’t believe you’ve been keeping this from me.”
“Because you don’t ever listen to what I have to say. It’s not easy to be your daughter when you’re so critical of me, and I’m afraid to bring anything up to you because you’ll either ignore it or tell me I’m making it up.”
She stays quiet, so I take that as my sign to go on. Maybe she’s finallygetting it.
“I dread going to family events because of what you might say to me. It’s not a fun way to live.”
An eternity passes before she finally speaks, proving she doesnotget it. “Well, I’m a horrible mother, aren’t I? Raising you, keeping you fed and clothed, andsupportingyou when you dropped out of college. How terrible to have parents who give you money to open your bakery. What an awful mother I am.”
I squeeze my eyes shut. “This is exactly what I’m talking about. You’re not listening to me. I never said I’m not grateful for you and Dad, but you speak to me as if I’m a piece of shit. That’s how you make me feel, and I’m done taking it. Because I know what it feels like to be loved for all of my faults, and it doesn’t feel like that with you.”
“What are you talking about, Eloise? You’re my daughter. Of course I love you.”
“Then please start being kinder to me. Stop judging me. Because I can’t be around you. And I especially don’t want to bring my boyfriend around you. Not when I know what you think of him.”
“You’re still with him?” She scoffs. “Good lord, Eloise. He is not the man you?—”
“He’s everything I want. I love him, and if you can’t deal with that, then you can fuck right off.”
There’s a stunned silence on the other end of the line, and I glance over at Sloane, who smiles and nods, silently clapping. I smile too. I think of how Roman would be proud, and like him, I don’t have much else to say. “That’s it. That’s all I called to tell you, that I’m done being your punching bag. So, I guess I’ll talk to you later, if you want. But only if you can have a good conversation with me. Otherwise… Bye.”
I hang up on her and fall onto the couch. Sloane hugs me. “That was so fucking awesome. I’m so proud of you.”
I exhale a relieved breath. A weight off my shoulder. “That felt good.”
“One down, one to go. Just gotta work it out with Roman next.”
I roll my head to the back of the cushions. “Actually feels easier now that I told my mother off. I might go complete a triathlon or something while I’m at it.”
“You’re on your own for that one,” she says and checks the time. “The bus will be coming in a few minutes. You want to stay for dinner?”
“Obviously.”
As we head outside to walk down to the bus stop, I throw my arm around her slim shoulders. “Thanks for being my best friend.”
She slings her arm around my waist. “Thanks for beingmybest friend. And I wouldn’t worry too much about Roman. I don’t know him as well as you do, but I’ve been around those Stone boys long enough to know he fits right in. They all love hard. This is a rough patch. You can work through it.”
I accept her wisdom with a sad smile because while it will hopefully work out for me, it won’t work out for her.
But I’ve got her back.
And she’s got mine.
Chapter 30
Roman
“Slow down, Maze.”
She briefly stops her galloping at the corner of the sidewalk to wave at me to hurry up. I picked her up from school, a change in our regular schedule, but this couldn’t wait.
And neither could my daughter.
I hold out my hand for her so we can cross the street, heading straight toward Sweet Cheeks. I texted Eloise to see where she was earlier this afternoon, and it made me nervous that she didn’t text back right away, but when she eventually did, she informed me she was working, so here I am.
Ready to lay it all on the line.
As I stand outside the door, my heart thuds in my chest, and I wipe my palms on my jeans before pushing on the handle. Mazie races in, jumping up and down at the counter, while I slowly step inside, my gaze sweeping around the place for my woman. But she’s nowhere in sight.
