that is anything but in my life. I sincerely apologize. You’re a very nice man and deserve the truth.
With that being said, if you’re going to date my mother, you should ask her about what led me to call her that terrible word. I am sorry about doing it in a public setting, but I stick to my belief that she is indeed a whore.
Most sincerely,
Ellery Witt
Ellery pressed the send button and glanced at her friends, who had gone back to talking about the upcoming holiday work schedule that had been released. The waiter had politely but firmly refused to serve her anything other than iced tea, which was rather odd, but she figured Daphne had something to do with that. Or perhaps she’d been cut off before she’d begun because of her outburst.
She supposed she deserved as much.
She, Rachel, and Fiona had decided to grab appetizers and martinis after a long day, and Fiona had suggested Sutton’s Steakhouse because she was on the prowl and wanted a few wingmen to fly with her in the adjoining bar later. Ellery had wanted to go home and pull on jammies, but she knew Josh was studying and would be home late. So she reluctantly agreed to the peer pressure exerted by her coworkers.
When she’d seen her mother sitting with Evan, it was like gasoline being poured onto smoldering ashes. Swoosh! Her thoughts tripped over each other. What the hell? Evan had a connection with her. Not Daphne. Yeah, he didn’t know that, but that didn’t matter. Ellery was the person he’d shared his troubles and dreams with. Not Daphne. Her mother didn’t get to have him. Not after what she’d done.
Ellery had pressed her fingernails into her palms and forced herself to remain calm. After her initial reaction of sheer rage, she’d felt a bit of relief. Evan and her mother would have figured everything out by now. Now at least everything was out in the open. But then her mother had approached their table. Ellery had tried not to be provoked, but when she’d looked up at her mother, the glint in Daphne’s eyes paired with Evan standing in the background looking concerned had made Ellery so angry that those horrible words flew out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
But she meant them. Or at least she meant the whore part.
“I can’t believe Susan got both Black Friday and every Saturday in December off. What kind of bullshit is that?” Fiona drawled, sipping her martini and spearing another olive from their cheese board. “Ellery, snap out of it. Your mom’s gone, and the maître d’ has stopped shooting us dirty looks.”
Ellery looked at Fiona. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come.”
Rachel shot a sympathetic smile at her. “That was a little dramatic, but don’t worry, we’ll still hang with you. Come on, stop moping. You’re a tough cookie, Elle.”
Was she? She didn’t feel that way. She felt more like a cookie that crumbled at the slightest pressure, leaving pieces of herself behind. Beneath her bluster was a blister, rubbed raw and never healing. How did one heal a blister? Oh yeah, they stuck to the stupid plan and stopped wearing things that made the blister. “Yeah, well, sometimes tough cookies crumble. It’s been a suck-ass year so far.”
“Says she with this on her finger,” Fiona teased, picking up Ellery’s hand so her diamond engagement ring caught the light above and looked extra bling-y. The classic, princess-cut diamond seemed to be mocking her because her one night with Josh had yielded no sex or intimacy. After the movie, he’d followed her upstairs, tucked her into bed, and avoided any attempt to talk him into staying in bed with her. He’d gone to study. She’d spent the rest of the week as she’d spent the others—alone and stir crazy—trying to stick to her plan of not complaining and giving Josh the room he needed.
And trying not to think about stupid Gage and the number she’d copied from her hand onto hotel stationery and slid into her wallet. The paper she was supposed to tear up and toss.
But didn’t.
“Ha,” Ellery said, pulling her hand away. “That’s the only good thing about this year.”
“You graduated,” Rachel pointed out with a sigh. “I can’t wait until I have a diploma.”
“Stop changing your major and you will,” Fiona said good-naturedly. Then she glanced over at Ellery. “I know you’re pissed at your mom for whatever reason, but who was that hottie hotster with her?”