Bayou Baby - Lexi Blake Page 0,88
something a hooker did,” Angie continued.
That man was going to pay. “Seraphina obviously isn’t a hooker. Harry doesn’t have two dimes to his name, and if Sera was making money off some other man, she would dress better than she does. Britney’s father was being a massive ass and I dealt with him. The saleslady and security guard blamed Sera for Brian being a nasty lecher. Tell me something. Has that man ever hit on you?”
She shook her head. “No, but he does make me uncomfortable from time to time. Why on earth was Sera at House of Hanover? Tell me you’re not getting her a dress for my wedding.”
“Well, if I don’t, she’s promised me she’ll show up in some sequin-encrusted jumpsuit that will make the entire wedding party look like a prison disco.”
“I don’t think that’s a thing, Mom. I’m really confused. I thought you hated Sera. I talked to Harry about it earlier. I told him he shouldn’t trust you, that you’re playing some game.”
She wasn’t surprised that was what Angela thought. It was certainly what Cal had thought, but she was curious about Harry. He hadn’t mentioned anything when they’d talked earlier. “And Harry said?”
“Harry said I was wrong and that even if I wasn’t, once you got to know Sera, you would like her.”
“I don’t know if I would say I like her.” She couldn’t quite admit it yet. Not out loud. It still felt a bit like a betrayal of Wes. “But I think I should try to be tolerant if she’s going to be around. Harry seems very taken with her. I would have thought you’d be all right with the situation. You’re the one who argued I would lose Harry if I didn’t change.”
“You don’t change.”
“I assure you I have. I wasn’t always the woman you know. I changed for your father, and now I’m thinking it wasn’t for the better.” She took a sip of the rich Cab. “Angie, I know I’ve told you in the past to not cause scenes, but you realize there’s a place for them, right? Your grandmother was wrong about some things.”
“My grandmother was a terrible person. She didn’t care about anything but appearances. No, I don’t tend to follow her rules. Dad wasn’t much better.”
“And I went along with it.”
Angie frowned. “If you hadn’t, Dad would have divorced you. Mom, what’s brought this on? I don’t understand what’s happening. Did you cancel the dress order because someone wasn’t nice to Seraphina?”
“They treated her like garbage,” she explained. She’d been able to hear her mother-in-law’s voice, clucking about how every woman in the world had to deal with a jerk like Brian Brewer, and Sera should have been gracious and found a way not to make a scene. “I know I say a lot about wearing the right clothes and presenting yourself properly, but I realized today that if my sister had walked into that store, they would have treated her the same way. Harry gets a pass because he’s an attractive young man. He’s white and handsome. My sister had her privileges, too, don’t get me wrong. But she was poor, and in our world that means she could be preyed on.”
“Did Sera slip something into your tea?” Angie asked. “You sound a little woke there, Mom.”
“Well, of course I’m awake.” She shook her head. “All I’m saying is I’ve been reminded lately that I came from humble beginnings. There were good things about that world. Sweet things. Things I miss, and I’ve started to wonder if I can’t find some of that part of me again. I realized I’m not actually offended by the sight of someone’s toes as long as they’re properly maintained. And I like dogs. I’m thinking about getting a dog. A small one, though. I think I might like a sweet companion.”
“Who are you?” The question came from her daughter’s mouth with a little bit of shock tingeing it.
Wasn’t that the question? “I’m not sure. But I think I would like to find out. I definitely think I want a different life for my granddaughters, and maybe that starts with changing what I find tolerable. Your grandmother thought it was perfectly acceptable for a man like Brian Brewer to treat a woman like Seraphina as if he had the right to whatever he wanted from her because she was below his station, but god forbid I wore the wrong shade of lipstick or expressed a damn opinion. Or use the