Shock - Marie Johnston Page 0,66
chatting couples and small groups on my way to the mini bar. Next to it is a table holding flutes of what I hope is water. I grab one and at the same time a server wanders by. I do what I’ve seen in the movies and grab a glass as they pass.
“It’s Aurelia’s favorite,” a woman says next to me.
Mrs. Wescott.
“This is for me, actually. She wanted water.”
“Mm.” She tilts her head like she’s inspecting a bug, but her expression is more curious and less hostile than I expected.
I lift my glass toward the group of people I assumed she was in. “I thought we’d have to fight our way through there to get to you.”
Her smile is brief. “An aide needed a word. Gerald is used to covering for me as I get pulled away.” She looks around. “Where is she?”
“Samuel wanted a word.”
Her brows lift. She’s an older version of Lia, just as elegant, but with an obvious command of power. I can see how the woman’s shadow swallowed Lia up. “Indeed. And you’re okay letting her go?”
“She can make her own decisions. She doesn’t need me to make them for her.”
Mrs. Wescott nods. “I’m surprised you came. After our last meeting, I didn’t think you’d want to come.”
And if I didn’t, neither would Lia. “We do things that are important to the people that are important to us.”
Mild surprise registers in her expression. “These things haven’t been important to Lia.”
“But they are to you, and I can’t speak for her, but I think she misses you.”
This time her smile is sad. “I miss her as well. Her father does too. I suppose we could make more time to get to Sunnyville. We just thought…” She purses her lips.
“That she’d come back.”
She feathers her fingers over her tight bun. “I suppose every parent’s goal is to raise their children to make their own way in life. I shouldn’t complain when she does just that.”
“She’s amazing at what she does.”
“Indeed. I shouldn’t be surprised. Gerald’s mother was a nurse and she used to bend Lia’s ear with stories. I didn’t think she remembered them.”
“They must’ve been close.” My phone vibrates. Dammit. I ignore it.
“That they were.” She pats my suit coat over my phone. “You’re buzzing, Mr. Monroe. I’d better let you go, but I’m glad we had his chat. Make sure Aurelia finds us as soon as she’s free. She’ll know how to cut through the crowd.”
I plan to ignore the call anyway, but she slips away. I weave to a corner of the room by a side panel the servers hustle in and out of, setting down our glasses on an empty serving tray.
My phone is done ringing by the time I fish it out. Cass.
Frowning, I call her back. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Ford, I didn’t expect you to call back so soon. I stopped by your place.”
“Is something wrong?”
She pauses and I turn my back to the room like it’ll help me hear better. “I have to talk to you about something.”
“I’ve got a few moments.” I don’t, but she’s never dropped by to tell me something. My gut says this shouldn’t wait.
“Oh no, we should meet in person—”
“Cass, I’m out of town. What’s going on?”
“I was offered a position at a hospital in Melville. I accepted.”
Air whooshes out of my lungs. My world stills and all the noise behind me fades away. “What?” I couldn’t have heard her correctly.
“It’s more pay, more staff to help with the workload, and I can even work from home a day or two a week.”
“Cass…Melville? That’s…that’s not—”
“Not Sunnyville? I know. But it’s better for me and Jayden.”
“What about me?”
“You can come visit.”
“Cass.” I can’t believe she’s doing this.
“Look, Ford. I’ve thought long and hard about this.” She said that the last time she ripped the rug out from under me. “I’ve been applying to different places.”
“You went on interviews when I was watching Jayden?” I didn’t think she could sink lower than she did the day he was born and she left my name off his birth certificate.
“You’re moving on. It’s time for me to. I’ve stayed here for three years for you.”
“How can you say you stayed for me when you left me?” I shake my head. “You know what, never mind. It’s in the past.”
“It’s not like I could go running home to my parents after leaving like that.” Bitterness laces her tone. “Enough time has passed and I have the work experience to go anywhere. It’s