word ‘damn’ for that matter.”
“I’m going to need more wine.” Angie poured herself another drink. “Is now a good time to tell you Austin and I have decided to put off having kids for at least five years?”
Well, that was disappointing. And also encouraging. “You want to work on your career?”
“I know everyone on Austin’s side of the family thinks I’m going to settle down and be a wife and mother, but I want something more. It’s not that I don’t—”
She held a hand up. “You do not have to explain yourself to me. Maybe I would have questioned you a few years back.”
“It was Cal and Wes’s places to make something of themselves,” Angie said tightly. “Dad told me I had it easy. All I had to do was convince someone to marry me.”
Sometimes she hated her husband. “You have a degree.”
“I know the only reason Dad paid for college was you convinced him it would be a good place for me to find a husband. But then you didn’t push me. I think you wanted me to have the degree because you didn’t. Because you knew you didn’t have any way to fight back if things went wrong. Dad controlled everything.”
“And your grandmother made sure I understood that if I left, I left with nothing. I had to sign a prenuptial contract.” There had been so many times she’d wanted to leave, wanted to find a way out, but she’d settled. “Your father never hit me. You should understand that. But he didn’t love me.”
“I don’t think Dad loved anyone,” Angie replied. “I think he had kids because it was expected. He did all the things a family of our station is supposed to do. Take good pictures. Go to church. Raise strong sons and obedient, marginalized daughters. I want a career, Mom. I want something to fall back on.”
This was something she could do for her daughter. “I’m setting up a trust for you. It’s exactly what your father set up for Cal, and would have set up for Wes on his twenty-fifth birthday.”
Angie went still. “Are you serious? That was millions of dollars.”
Millions of dollars that would keep her daughter safe from having to make the same hard decisions she had. “Yes. Sometimes I think your father’s early passing was a miracle.”
“I know Cal thinks that way. The idea of having everything dumped in his lap would have sent Cal running. I’m fairly certain if Dad had changed his will, Cal would have handed everything right back to you.” She reached out, putting a hand on Celeste’s shoulder. “Mom, I think all of this is great. I do. I’m just surprised.”
“I think the last few years sent me reeling, but having Harry here, well, like I said, I’ve been reminded I wasn’t always this woman.”
“But I think we should be careful around Sera,” Angie said, pulling away. “She’s got a kid. I wouldn’t want the child to get hurt.”
“I don’t think Sera’s bringing the baby to the wedding events, if that’s what you’re worried about. Harry says she’s been careful about introducing him to her son.” Though it looked like the couple was taking a leap tonight. Unless they were going into New Orleans for the night, but that wasn’t the impression she’d had.
“That’s not what I meant. I meant it seems like it’s far too early for anyone to get close to that child,” Angie said, her tone going stubborn. “No one knows if it’s going to work out between the two of them. They should wait to bring the kid into it until they’re sure, and even then, I think it would be best if you didn’t get close to him. You’ve been through a lot.”
“Well, I didn’t offer to babysit.” She wasn’t sure where this was coming from. She’d barely ever mentioned Sera’s son. She wasn’t sure she remembered the child’s name. “I’ve already talked to Harry about the fact that the child’s father could return at some point and cause trouble. He didn’t seem to think that would be a problem.”
Angie mumbled something under her breath about the least of their problems, but when she turned, there was a grim look on her face. “I’m only trying to think about that kid. I can’t imagine what it must be like to get to know a bunch of men who disappear from his life. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Do you know something I don’t? From what I’ve heard, Sera’s only dated one man since