Page 57 of Kandi's Crush: A BWWM Sweet Billionaire Romance

My mother hated my father. They’d argued constantly ever since he popped into my life. My father annoyed my mother. She hated that he lavished me with expensive gifts and shopping trips to New York. But she was a clever one. She’d needed reinforcements, so she’d called in the big guns.

Goody walked into the loft and looked around in amazement.

“Wow. This is how the other half lives. This place is fabulous.” She handed me a large mason jar filled with clear liquid. I knew immediately that it was her special occasion moonshine, and I kissed her cheek as I accepted the container, resisting the urge to lock it away somewhere.

“Thank you, Goody.”

She turned and gave Chadwick a huge bosom hug, an official welcome to the family. Pop-Pop planted a kiss on my cheek and shook Chadwick’s hand, patting him on the shoulder. Chadwick smiled appreciatively. Auntie Marie greeted me with a small, almost apologetic smile.

“Come here.” She pulled me in for a hug and whispered, “Our sweet little baby girl is a wife.”

My mother gave me a polite and chilly hug. She completely ignored Chadwick, and I reached out for his hand to offer support. This is the second time that she has disrespected my husband and this time was in our home. She wouldn’t do it again.

“Dad, I would like you to meet my husband, Chadwick St. Clair. Chadwick is a longtime family friend. Gosh, I’ve known him my entire life.”

“Mr. Vincent,” Chadwick extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Kandace has said many good things about you.” We all knew that was a lie. There wasn’t much to say about my father. I hadn’t fully recovered from his period of absence from my life.

“Young man, when you get a chance, I would like to have dinner with you.” A gentle smile graced his face. A face that was strikingly similar to mine.

I groaned on the inside. I didn’t mind him tagging along with everyone else, but I minded Franklin stepping in with this doting father act.

“Of course,” Chadwick answered.

I offered to take everyone on a tour of the loft. Everyone but my mother wanted to go. She opted to pout at the dining table. An awkward silence engulfed the room when we returned to the dining area. My mother looked like she’d swallowed a bullfrog, and we were all uncomfortable with her unpleasant disposition.

“Why don’t we eat dinner?” I suggested. Chadwick and I walked to the kitchen to retrieve the lasagna and breadsticks.

“I’ve never seen Celeste like this,” he whispered.

“I have. This is one of her tantrums.” I huffed irritably and picked up the lasagna pan with the potholders. “She will not control my life or guilt me on this. She’ll survive. Take the salad and the breadsticks.” I pulled my shoulders back and held my head high before returning to the dining area.

Eight navy-blue upholstered chairs surrounded the large reclaimed wood dining table. Chadwick sat at the head of the table with my grandfather at the opposite end. I sat between my father and Chadwick, facing my mother, aunt, and grandmother.

Pop-Pop led us in prayer, and we ate in silence for a few minutes until Auntie Marie put her fork down.

“This is painful. Let’s talk. I believe we should celebrate love, and I hate that we didn’t know about the ceremony. Promise me you won’t keep any more secrets.”

My grandparents nodded in agreement.

“If you had told me twenty-one years ago that this would happen, I would have called you a liar,” Goody chuckled. She glanced between Chadwick and me. “We were at the St. Clairs’ house with you. Chadwick walked past without acknowledging your presence. Genevieve asked if he wanted to hold you. You should have seen Chadwick’s face. He looked like someone had ruined his summer because you weren’t a boy. Now, here you two are.”

Everyone but my mother laughed. She turned her nose up as she finally spoke.

“Why did you get married? We didn’t even know you two were dating.”

“Love. We married for love,” I replied honestly. My mother flashed a devious half smile.

“Love. I didn’t think I raised a romantic. I’m sure you’re in love, but what about him?” She nodded toward Chadwick, and I turned to face him. He nodded, affirming his love for me.

“I love her. Very much.” he smiled, keeping his eyes on mine.

“You’re incapable of loving my daughter the way she deserves,” Mother said dismissively. She chewed loudly on a heaping forkful of salad. “What about work, Kandace? What are you going to do for work? Or are you going to sit on your ass and shop?”

The rude comment elicited a gasp from our guests.

“Young lady, you’ve gone too far.” Pop-Pop glared at my mother.

“Pop-Pop, I’m okay,” I assured him, turning back to answer her. “I will not sit on my ass. I will work. I can spend more time on the administrative side of Scrub-A-Dub. I could lend a hand with staffing for the Loyola contract.”

---