Page 86 of Marry Me, Right Now

“I think it’s great,” I said automatically. Then I realized she needed extreme honesty right now. “I mean, the business education in me is programmed to think it’s a bit odd that you have a business that isn’t designed to make money for the first little while. But then, many businesses take time to get their footing. Just because it’s different doesn’t make it wrong. I think you’re really helping people who need it. A lot of people say that they support the arts, but that’s only when it’s convenient for them, and only at the highest level.”

I smiled at her proudly. “Yet here you are, supporting people before they become famous. Helping the little guys, breathing some fresh energy into the art scene at a grassroots level. Money be damned, you’re creating real change for these people, Mia.”

She nodded. “That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m so relieved to hear you say it that way. That you get it.”

“I’m really proud of you.”

Her eyes shone up at me, then darkened. “There’s another thing. Your mother seems totally oblivious to the fact that George is jealous of you.”

“What do you mean?”

She looked almo

st comically surprised. “You have to know this.”

“What makes you think he’s jealous of me?”

“Let’s start with the way your mother treats the two of you totally differently. It was clear as a bell at the wedding. Did you not notice?”

“No.”

“She even speaks to you differently. Treating you like the golden boy who can do no wrong, and snipping at him at every turn, assuming that he’s making a mistake. Second guessing his every move. She just expects you to be the winner and him to be the loser. She was babbling on at the wedding to half of your family.”

I wracked my mind but didn’t recall. “Really?”

“Seriously. No wonder he’s ticked off about his perfect brother. You know how he was out to get you by not letting you know the details of your Uncle Geoffrey’s inheritance. He wanted the house for himself, likely figuring that he deserved it since you got the company.”

“But he was offered a position there. He’s always been welcome.” I felt like she was speaking a different language and I just couldn’t understand her.

“Why would he want to work under you? In your shadow? He’s been eclipsed by you his entire life.”

I didn’t think that Mia would make something like this up, but I just wasn’t seeing it. “I’ll think about this,” I said carefully. “Ready for spaghetti and meatballs?”

Mia nodded, realizing that I needed time to process. She gave me a little hug. “Sure. Thank you.”

I did like that she was opening up and becoming more real with me, but having her speak about my family as if she saw more about who they were than I did was rattling. Even though my gut reaction was to feel ticked off, she was so observant and clever that I’d be a fool if I didn’t think about what she’d said. She had always been right about these things.

M I A

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STRESS RELIEF

When I heard Jacob coming in the front door around six-thirty Monday evening, I couldn’t resist saying, “How was your day, dear?”

He grinned, immediately playing along. “Wonderful, honey. How are the kids? Did little Jimmy cut his first tooth yet?”

“Oh yes, sweetheart,” I said while shaking the martini I had prepared a few minutes ago. “He wants to replace it with a gold one, but I warned him that might not be as trendy in a few years.”

Jacob laughed, accepting the fancy glass I handed him. “What’s this?” The huge martini glasses had stems with blue and green swirls through the glass like a marble. They looked like the sort of handmade treasure that was so expensive that I’d normally be afraid to touch them, but I wanted to try to get used to everything in this home.

“I accidentally found these crazy glasses in the cupboard and felt inspired. This is vodka, peach and pineapple juice, with lemon bitters.”

He took a sip, tasting it thoughtfully, then took a much bigger sip. “Please tell me you have enough to make eighty-four more of these.”

We plopped on the couch. “At least one more,” I said. “Rough day?”

He rolled his eyes dramatically, taking another swig before placing his glass on the table. “Yeah, today pretty much sucked,” he said.

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