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Esme crossed her arms, her face a mask of anger and hurt. “Out of control? You’re out of fucking control, Debs. It just happened. Nice! Is that your excuse? Do you have any idea what this could do to her? Getting involved with the likes ofyou? Can’t you even see what this could do to her future? She’s too young, Deborah. Her life hasn’teven started. She doesn’t need you and all your… dramas. She doesn’t need you leading her on and breaking her god-damn heart. And I don’t needyoufucking my daughter!!!”
Deborah felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. She was losing control of the situation, and the fear of public exposure loomed large. Would Esme really tell the board about this? Why would she? Didn’t all those years of friendship mean anything to her? “Esme, we like each other. Well, I like her. And I believe she feels the same way. I know this is hard to understand, but our feelings are real. I’m shocked too. I was going to make it all stop, but my feelings took over.”
Holly reached out, taking her mother’s hand. “Mom, please. Would you listen to her? I know this must have been a shock, but we didn’t do this to hurt you. Deborah and I want to get what we’ve got a go.”
Esme stared back at Holly, her expression softening ever so slightly, but the pain in her eyes was still evident. She shook her head slowly. “I’m not saying all this for my benefit, Holly. It’s about you and what’s best for you. Deborah, I thought you, of all people, would understand that. I was there for you with everything that happened with your ex.The way they were talking about you in the press! And on social media. You had journalists going through your goddamn garbage at night! How many calls were made to your office? To your associates? Christ! Everyone knew every last detail of your love life.”
“I know, I know. We’d be discreet, Es. It won’t be like last time. We’re not talking about marriage and kids here. Holly and I are just getting to know each other?—”
“Well, it looks like more than that to me!”
“Yeah, this is getting awkward now. Who has a full-blown debate with their parent while they’re naked in bed with their girlfriend? This can’t be right. Why don’t we call time out on this and get together to talk about it when we’re all fully clothed?”
Deborah swallowed back a sob. She could sense Esme’s disappointment and was desperate to appease her. “I understand, Esme. And you know me. Better than anyone, I reckon. I would never do anything to hurt Holly. That’s not my style. You should be pleased Cam didn’t see her, right? I’m not your typical heartbreaker. I want to support her. I’d love to help her find her path. Please trust me on this, Es.”
Esme stepped back, her shoulders sagging as if the weight of what she’d just learned about her daughter was too much to bear. “I just don’t know what to think right now. I will need some time to process this,” she said.
Holly smiled at her mother. “Mom, we’re not asking you to be okay with this. Not right away. We get it. But please… give us a chance. Give us a chance to prove to you—and to everyone because they’re all going to find out—that this isn’t a mistake.”
Esme looked between her daughter and Deborah, her conflicting thoughts evident in her eyes. Finally, she shrugged her shoulders and turned to leave the cabin. “We’ll talk about this later. Make yourselves decent and come back up on the deck. People will start talking, Holly. I’m so disappointed in you.”
“Mom… you knew I was gay, right?”
“Of course! That’s not the issue, and you know it. Listen, I’m trying to settle into married life. It’s weird. You know I’ve always been a bit of a… well, a loner, I guess.”
“No, Mom. You’ve always been the life and soul.”
“On the outside, maybe. But I don’t belong toNora’s world. I love the bones of the woman, but I’m way more comfortable polishing glasses behind a bar and listening to people’s problems than tottering around on boats with all these real estate…”
“Freaks?” interjected Holly, causing her mother to laugh.
“Yeah! Something like that,” Esme agreed.
“And you know something? You’re right. You have always listened to people’s problems, so please listen to mine. I want to be with Deborah… and my mother disapproves. I adore my mom more than anything, and it will tear me apart. What should I do?”
“Get dressed. We’ll talk about it later.”
As Esme walked out, Deborah felt a mixture of relief and dread. The secret was out, and the path ahead was uncertain. She turned to Holly, who watched her mother leave with a pained expression, her shoulders trembling slightly.
“Holly? How are you feeling?” Deborah asked with a gentle tone.
Holly shook her head, and Deborah watched with concern as her young lover’s tears glistened in her eyes. “Yeah, I think I’m okay. I just… I’m just hoping she’ll get her head around this eventually.”
Deborah pulled Holly into her arms, holding her tightly. “I want you, Holly. I’ve never wanted anyone this badly. It’s as if we just fit. Don’t ask me why. I guess the age gap is a bit weird. I don’t know anything about surfing. I’m not a party girl. I haven’t listened to a new song since 1998, you know? I’m pretty old-school when it comes to romance. But we’ll get through this together. I promise. I want to know you.”
“God, and I want to know you. Inside and out,” Holly said with a smile as she pushed her hand under the covers and traced her fingers over Deborah’s soft skin. “When I’m not with you, I crave being with you. All I want to do is kiss you, lick you, taste you… I want to know every single part of your body. I swear I could worship you, Deborah. It’s like I know you. I know what you like without having to ask. Isn’t that odd? I feel so insanely attracted to you on every level. I know I’m younger than you, but age is just a number to me.”
“Tell me about it. Almost as soon as I walked in the door last night after our little fight?—”
“It wasn’t a fight.”
“I know. But I couldn’t handle it. I couldn’t get you out of my head. And when I got home, even though I was supposed to be sorting out dinner forsome bigwigs that came over last night, I had to rush to the bedroom and touch myself. I came so hard, Holly. You make me come so hard. You make me feel alive again.”
Still, fear gnawed at her. She had a high-profile job, and her life was often all over social media. The idea of everyone talking about them, the headlines she was already imagining, and the scrutiny of her friends and family made her break out in a cold sweat. She wasn’t sure she could handle it. She had barely survived her divorce, and the idea of going through something similar again made her feel sick.
“Deborah,” Holly said softly, looking back into her eyes. “I can tell what you’re thinking. We can do this, you know? I don’t care what people think. I’m not afraid.”
“You’ve only just got back to the States. People don’t know who you are.”
