“I chose these clothes, Mom. Along with the hair and the shoes and all the other stuff,” I say. “But most of all, I chose him. And I chose him before I knew he had a black AMEX or had bought me so much as a bunch of flowers.”
“Honey…”
“If Beck and I had to live together with no money back in that shitty little shoebox of an apartment in LA then that would be fine with me. It’s true we’ve only known each other a few weeks and this is all moving fast. And it’s true that I’ve been hurt before. But, Mom, that’s not what’s happening here.”
She sighs one more time. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I really am.”
She reaches for my hand.
“I know that you love me and you worry about me,” I say. “Thank you for that. But you need to ease up a little.”
At this, she sniffles. “You look so grown up.”
“I’ll still need your help now and then.” I smile. “For instance, right now, I’d dearly love for someone to help me choose a gravy ladle and canapé knives.”
She gives me a glum smile. The woman is beyond unhappy and not even vaguely convinced. And I was so pleased with my speech too. However, Mom still looks vexed. “But aren’t you lonely here without your family and friends? Moving halfway across the country like this with no warning.”
Which is when Selah walks in, looking around the room with a faint frown on her face. Like she smells something bad. However, she meets the criteria of being both human and breathing so she’ll have to do. I know it’s a mistake before the words are even out of my mouth. Talk about making bad choices.
“Actually, Mom,” I announce. “You can meet one of my new friends right now.”
Selah freezes.
“Selah, what perfect timing. Come and meet my mother.”
The petite brunette socialite’s face changes from disenchantment to delight so fast it almost gives me whiplash. Fortunate, though, since I had no idea if she’d play along. “Hello.”
“You’re a friend of Alice’s?” asks my mother. And sure, the woman in question is polished perfection, but there’s no need for Mom to sound quite so skeptical.
I smile. “She sure is.”
“I sure am,” echoes Selah. “Alice and I actually have a lot in common.”
“So true.” Besides our taste in men, that’s a complete and utter lie.
“I work for Beck’s stepmother. But Beck and I go way back. Don’t we, Alice?”
I grit my teeth. This was such an error in judgment. “Indeed you do.”
“Rachel actually sent me over to see if you needed any help making your selections,” Selah inspects the table’s contents. “Are these the items you’ve chosen so far? What sweet and simple style you have. I just love it.”
“Shucks,” I say. “Thanks, Selah.”
“And this house!” Her gaze fills with distaste. “So interesting.”
“You better be careful there.” I fake laugh. “Beck chose this house and he absolutely adores it.”
“He has the funniest taste sometimes. You just can’t pick it.” Her fake laugh is so much better than mine, dammit. “Speaking of Beck, I don’t suppose he’s around?”
“He’s out.”
“Hmm. I wonder if he’ll put the mansion on Green Way Street up for sale now. It’s been sitting empty for so long.”
Given I have no idea what she’s talking about, it takes me a moment to respond. That she knows things I still don’t more than grates. “He hasn’t said.”
“How many properties does this young man own?” asks Mom, frown back in place. If it ever left.
“A few.” I shrug. “Does it matter?”
Mom wrings her hands. “I’d just like to know who it is exactly that my daughter’s involved with.”
“Might I remind you that your daughter’s a grown woman?”
“I don’t blame you for being worried, Mrs. Lawrence.” Selah smiles politely, doing her utmost to ingratiate herself. Suck-up. “Any mother would be.”
“It’s just that, relationships are hard enough when the couple have a lot in common and come from a similar background,” says Mom.
Selah nods.
Give me strength. “Because enjoying each other’s company, physical attraction, a similar sense of humor, and strong desire to be together means nothing of course.”
Selah plays with the string of freshwater pearls around her throat. “As for his properties, let’s see…there’s this place, the Green Way Street mansion next to his grandmother’s, apartments in New York, Paris, Oslo, and London, a house in the Hollywood Hills, and my personal favorite…his place in Aspen. We had some wonderful times there. Just really special