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“All of us?”
Jezebelle already knew, and she wasn’t even sure why she asked.
“Me, you, and Bradley, of course.”
Oh, of course. Because her mother would not give up until she got her way.
“I don’t want to be around Bradley right now, especially after his behavior last night. I thought he was my friend, but he’s not. He’s your little lackey, and I won’t be played with like a dumb little toy.”
Her mother jerked as if Jezebelle had slapped her hard across the face. “How dare you—”
“No! How dare you. I’ve tried my whole life to make you happy, and I can’t do it anymore. Nothing makes you happy, unless it’s exactly your way. Well, I can’t live like that. I can’t be that someone you want me to be. You come into town telling me I have to work at Dad’s company and you don’t even listen to what I have to say. Bradley is nothing to me. Brick is who I love.”
“He has a criminal record you know.”
Well, no, Jezebelle didn’t know that, but it didn’t matter. Whatever Brick might’ve been arrested for, she figured it couldn’t be that bad. Her mother was still trying to win the war and she’d do anything necessary to make it work.
“He also has my heart. He stole it with ease, and I’d let him do it again without blinking an eye.”
“You’re ruining your life over a man.”
“And you’re ruining our relationship over one.”
Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “Fine, you don’t want Bradley, I’ll live with it. But your father will be so disappointed in you if you do not work at the firm.”
Jezebelle nearly laughed out loud but stopped herself at the last second. Her father had been nothing but supportive of her with everything she had ever done in life. Yet her mother always tried to use her father as the tipping point in any argument. Jezebelle usually fell for it, because the last thing she ever wanted to do was disappoint him.
“I didn’t get my latest part I tried out for. I’m broke right now. I moved in with Brick because I can’t afford my rent. Money will be tight until I find a job until the next part comes along. I’m okay with that. I’m happy with that. What I do know will not make me happy is working at the firm. I will never work at the firm. You can continue to fight with me about it and create a wider divide between us or you can start supporting me and my dreams.”
“That man has been a horrible influence on you,” her mother spat as she shot a hand toward Brick.
“That man is my husband as of this morning and has been more supportive in the last five days than you have ever been in my entire life.”
“You married him.” Her mother’s voice dripped with venom. “You have no idea what you’ve done. I’ve only always wanted what was best for you. He is not that.”
“You’ve only always wanted what was best for you and how I made you look. What has he ever done to make you hate him so?”
“Simply exist.”
Ouch.
So harsh and uncalled for.
She had no idea why her mother hated Brick with such a passion. Was it the bar? Was it his tattoos? Was it the fact he brought out the strength in her to push back against her mother’s tyrant ways?
Probably all of the above.
“I know I owe you money for this little adventure you let me have. You’ll get your money. Until then, we have nothing more to say to each other.”
Her mother wanted to push her out of her life, not even try to understand her and her dreams, then she’d let her.
It hurt. It broke her heart, crushing it to pieces her mother couldn’t support her even in a small way. But she was done trying to gain her approval, even a slice of happiness.
Jezebelle turned around and walked back to the table with steady feet and started to shake as soon as her butt hit the chair. Brick grabbed her hand underneath the table and squeezed.
He leaned closer, pressing a kiss to her neck before whispering, “Do you want to go upstairs? Take a moment. You’re shaking like a leaf.”
“No, I want to stay right here and celebrate the start of our life together with our friends.”
