AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Would that be considered assault? I guess if she wanted to press charges, she could. But it’s not like she’s innocent. I have a laundry list of things she’s done to me, too, but we’ve always managed to handle things privately. I really don’t see her calling the cops on me when I could press charges for attempted murder just as easily. I’m sure someone somewhere has a picture catching her or Pete sprinkling mustard on my dinner.
I hear her in her office, and I stand to close my own door so I can concentrate when my dad stops in my doorframe.
“Can we talk, Gigi?”
I sit back down and nod, and he shuts the door behind him as he walks fully into my office and takes a seat across from me.
He runs a hand along his jaw, and then he levels his gaze at me. “What happened?”
I bit my top lip between my teeth before I answer. “She moved a big meeting while I was out of town so she could take the credit for it, and I confronted her about it.”
“And sprained her wrist?” he asks.
“You want the truth? She slapped me across the face, and when she went to do it again, I grabbed her wrist and twisted it.” So I leave out the part about me shoving her first. It was self-defense.
He blows out a breath.
I’ve always been a little closer to my dad than my mom, and the opposite is true for Amelia. I think it’s part of why she went off to be a teacher for a few years, honestly. She was closer to Mom in the city, and I grew even closer to Dad.
But that doesn’t mean he’ll take my side in this. She’s the one milking a sprain, while I’m the one who looks like the monster.
“Be that as it may, I can’t have you two fighting like this. I can’t have you hurting each other on purpose,” he says.
“She keeps moving appointments and meetings around to try to make herself look better. I feel like I can’t leave town to watch my own husband play in his games because I’m terrified about what she’s going to do while I’m gone. What do you propose we do?”
“I don’t know, but I have to be honest here.” He stands and paces my office for a beat. “I’m at my wits end with you two, and I’m not sure either one of you deserves this place when you’re acting the way you are.”
It feels like yet another physical blow even though this one is strictly emotional.
“Are you kidding me?” I practically gasp at him. “I’ve worked so hard my entire life to show how much I love the vineyard. You know what she loves?” I ask, jabbing my thumb toward the wall we share. “She loves money. She loves status.”
“She loves Drew,” he says softly.
“Then why is she sleeping with Pete?” I hiss, and I slap a hand over my mouth as soon as the words are out.
His eyes widen. “What?”
“He was there this morning when I confronted her about moving my meeting,” I say flatly.
“Do you have proof they’re…you know?” he asks, getting a little awkward at the end as he addresses the fact that his daughter is sleeping around with the vineyard staff.
“Not photographic, but the insinuation was there, and nobody tried to deny it. He was hiding and only came out when we, uh…got into our little altercation.” I raise my brows pointedly at the end. If they had nothing to hide, then he wouldn’t have been hiding.
He shakes his head with a bit of disgust. “I’m sorry I asked.”
“I’m pretty sure he’s who sprinkled the mustard on my food, too.”
“Do you have proof of that?” he asks.
“No.” I shake my head. “But maybe we’re even now. She tried to kill me, I sprained her wrist. Eye for an eye.”
He purses his lips and tilts his head as he narrows his eyes at me. “You really think that’s what she was trying to do?”
“It’s what she almost did. Nobody seems to think it was all that serious since I was able to get my EpiPen right away, but what if I didn’t have one at my place? What if someone had to drive me a half hour to the hospital?” I shrug. “She took a risky shot there.”
“Yeah,” he murmurs. “I guess whatever the case, whichever one of you Mom chooses…the other should pack it up and move out. Or maybe she won’t pick either of you.”
My brows dip in alarm. “Did she say that?”
