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I stare after him feeling numb. I knew Grandfather thought those things about Mom, but—
He’s never said them out loud before.
He’s been angry, he’s shouted at her, but he’s never called herdefective. He’s never acted like there’s no redemption for his youngest daughter. It’s always been,your mother needs to find her wayandyour mother is sick and we can help her if we keep trying. But that was a man that has finally reached his limits, and it scares the hell out of me.
Mom’s alone and suffering in that rehab clinic, and Grandfather is sitting here in his khaki pants and his polo shirt and worried more about his family’s bottom line than about his daughter.
I stand, feeling shaky, feeling sick, and it hits me all over again that I’m only worth something to the family if Ido the right thing. If I obey Grandfather and keep my mouth shut and do as I’m told then everything will be okay.
Then I’ll be worth something.
But that has never worked for me before. Years and years I’ve kept quiet, followed the rules, done everything right, and still Sara Lynn tortures me and Grandfather ignores me and the rest of the family pretends like I don’t exist. Only Mom ever says she loves me. Only Mom ever tells me that I’m beautiful and that I matter.
The rest of them don’t give a damn about me and they don’t give a damn about Mom.
I head into the cold air-conditioned interior and slip up the back staircase. Inside my room, I find the clutch from the night of Sara Lynn’s party, the one from the Oak Club. Inside is a small, white business card with only a name and a number.
Ford Arc.
Nobody ever looks at me like Ford did. Nobody ever talks to me like Ford did. He’s brash and assuming and aggressive, but he also thinks I’m worth something to him—even if that’s only for his own selfish reasons, at least I know where I stand.
And there’s that kiss. That knee-shaking kiss.
I don’t want this. I don’t want anything to do with Ford, but I also despise the thought of marrying Matthew Keyne and living a life of mediocrity serving a family of people that think I’m nothing but the pointless castoff of the despicable junkie black sheep daughter.
If I get engaged to Ford, they’ll have to pay attention to me.
Hell, they might even bleed.
I dial his number. My hands are shaking as I raise the phone to my ear. It rings and rings and finally clicks as he answers.
“Hello,” he says, and his voice is soft and low like a velvet rumble.
“You made me an offer,” I say and blurt out the words before I can stop them. “Do you still want to convince me that it’s a good idea?”
“You’re calling to negotiate?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
He laughs like it’s the end of my life. “How about I pick you up tonight and we discuss this at the Oak?”
“I’ll meet you there at eight,” I say and hang up.
I’m doing this. I can’t believe I’m doing this.
I am not defective.
I am bigger and better than Grandfather thinks I am.
I hope.
Chapter 8
Kat
I’m trembling with nerves and sweating a bit as I step out of my family’s black Mercedes car. The driver rolls down the window and looks at me as the valet at the top of the steps opens the door to the Oak Club and waits patiently.
“Would you mind waiting?” I ask and lean toward the window. “At least a little bit.”
