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Most of all, that I can’t do it to him. I can’t distract him from his driving. He’s in a fierce battle, both on the track and within Collings Motors, and I shouldn’t drag him through this, too.

But Mason knows the risk. He’s willing to take it.

And so am I.

“Mum, we’ll talk about this another time. I think once you are over the shock, you’ll see things with a clearer perspective. Or maybe you’ll need your therapist’s help navigating your feelings about it. But let me be very clear. I’m not giving up Mason to appease you, or to protect my family from a stupid round of worthless gossip in the tabloid media, or to spare the Collings Motors PR arm from having to work some overtime hours. Is that understood?”

Then I march over to the door, pull it open, and force a smile on my face for Caleb and Isla. “So sorry, I have to put in my other earring, and then I’m ready to go.”

“Did you even try to stop this, Caleb?” Mum cries desperately, rounding on him as soon as the door closes behind them.

“Mum, we’ll talk about it later. Not now. And Caleb does not deserve to be dragged into this,” I say firmly as I put in my earring. “Things in my life are a conversation between you and me.”

Caleb and Isla look from me to Mum and back to me. “Um, I assume we’re talking about Mason?” he guesses.

“Yes!” Mum cries.

“No!” I say at the same time. “I mean, yes, we were talking about Mason, but not anymore. We’re going to a gala.”

“I can’t bear to go through that hell again!” Mum says to Caleb. “I can’t believe you didn’t talk her out of this! This is going to blow up everywhere, and it’s going to be horrible for everyone, from us to the company to your father—”

“This isn’t our business,” Caleb interrupts. “Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it. But I’m not having this conversation with you, Mum. I love you. I love Catherine. And what she does with Clark is none of my business.”

“Caleb!” she cries.

“I’m sorry, but it’s not,” he says firmly. Then he turns to me. “Are you ready?”

“Yes. We need to go,” I say. “You’re due to be onstage in fifteen minutes.”

“You always spread such joy in my life,” Caleb quips.

“I can’t believe you two are acting like this!” Mum seems desperate to resolve this so-called problem before we go downstairs to the sponsor gala.

“Acting how? We do not have time for this conversation right now. We have a gala to go to, and there’s nothing more to discuss. I’m dating Mason, and that’s all you need to know.” I turn to Isla and Caleb. “You look gorgeous, Isla.”

And I do mean it. She’s wearing a beautiful corset gown, with a white top and straight, floor-length lilac skirt. There’s stunning floral embroidery on the corset, and the look is soft and breathtaking.

“Thank you,” Isla says, as if she didn’t just witness a tense family conversation, “and I love your silver gown!”

I glance down at my dress, lightly moving my hands over the delicate sequins. When I picture Mason’s reaction to it, all the drama I just had with my mum goes to the back burner. It doesn’t deserve my time right now. I need to focus on my job, which is getting Caleb where he needs to be tonight and making sure he speaks to all the right people before he flees the ballroom. Then I’ll spend time talking to our sponsors and find a way to sneak off and be with Mason.

The conversation with Mum will wait until tomorrow.

I open the door and find the Collings Motors security people waiting for us. Both Mason and Caleb get security escorts to public events because sometimes it’s hard for them to even get to a car due to fans crowding them.

We’re escorted to the lift, and the doors close. Isla begins talking to Caleb, pretending to straighten his tuxedo tie, and he chats with her good-naturedly. Mum is rigid by my side, and I glance down and see her knuckles are white as she grips the little black clutch in her hands. My stomach feels icy. I don’t want to cause her pain. I don’t. But I don’t see how there could be much interest in my relationship after an initial announcement. It will be gossip for a cycle or two, and then it will be old news. Seeing me with Mason will just be normal.

But it will be about us. Not her.

I lift my gaze to her profile. This reaction is who my mother is. The affair resulted from her feeling lonely and neglected. Now she’s trying to get me to dump Mason because of the embarrassment and bad publicity it could cause her.

Because it’s always about her.

I love my mum. I do. I never would have reacted so badly to the affair if I didn’t love her so much. But I see her differently now that I’ve grown up.

It’s not my fault that her affair blew up in her face. I paid the price for it once. But I’m not paying the price for it again.

And I refuse to pay for it with Mason.