Page 120 of Cherry Beats

Presley’s face fell, the smile slipping free and fading away like a ghost. “Be careful with your next words, Mum.”

“Why? Because the truth hurts?”

“Because I’m not about to get into this with you on the anniversary of my father’s death.”

My eyes widened, and a shiver ran through my body as I stared at Presley.

Today was the anniversary of his dad’s death, and he hadn’t mentioned it once. He’d chosen that day of significance to throw our relationship in front of the world by declaring his love for me. I had no idea what any of it meant, and I didn’t have time to overthink it. Olivia and Presley were locked in a tense staring battle that made the whole room turn cold.

“I should go,” I found myself whispering without intention, and I quickly turned away.

“Go? You shouldn’t even be here,” Olivia cackled.

Turning back slowly, I raised a brow at her and held her gaze. “Excuse me?”

“Today of all days should have remained about Jimmy. But no. You two have to throw yourselves in front of the entire press to make a circus out of his anniversary.”

“I assure you; I hadnoidea about any of that,” I told her as calmly as I could manage.

“Really? The woman who my son is apparently in love with doesn’t know the significance of today? The day that moulded Presley into who and what he is. The day that changed the course of his life. The day that—”

“Time to leave,” Presley said, pushing himself off the table and marching over to Olivia. He grabbed her arm and tried to turn her, but for someone wearing heels, she was rooted in place, unmoving as she stared up at her son.

“You know you always told me that the biggest mistake your dad ever made was loving me.”

Presley stared down at her, his strong jaw ticking and his nostrils flared.

“Make sure you don’t become the very thing you pitied all those years ago.”

“Goodbye, Mum.”

Julia was soon behind Olivia, guiding her towards the door with as little physical force as possible—a gentle word here and a nudge of encouragement there. Olivia’s eyes were trained on me as she made her way to the door, and it was only when she reached it that she dug her heels in again and leaned forward.

“West men love hard, but they do it through blind eyes, sweetheart. They don’t always see what’s best for you—only them. Presley is Jimmy’s double. He’ll get what he wants, and make you feel like it was your idea the whole time, and you won’t be able to get out of it until it’s too late. Then he’ll have the nerve to callyouthe selfish one for finally saying no. Don’t come crying to me when you’re turned into the bad guy for wanting to breathe on your own.”

Then she was gone, leaving me staring at the door she’d walked through, her words rattling around in my mind, along with all the new questions I had.

* * *

At some point, I realised we were alone again.

Dicky had followed Julia and Olivia, and Presley was preoccupied at the mini bar that was giving him whatever escape he needed.

Me?

I was a frozen mess of mixed emotions.

There were so many things to process.

The ‘I love yous’ Presley had declared.

Seeing his mum. Hearing about his dad.

Realising that I’d fallen in love with a man I barely even knew.

“What are you thinking?” Presley eventually asked me, and I looked up from the floor, taking him in with new eyes. His arms were folded over his chest, and he had a bottle swinging in his hand under his bicep. With his hair tucked behind one ear, his eyes solely on me, any woman would have been mad to say they were thinking of anything other than him.

I guess I was mad after all.

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