She kept her expression calm. “Perhaps I don’t want an eye job. Perhaps I want my face to reflect my life.”
His gaze sharpened at the edge in her tone. “Of course, that’s your option. I won’t demand that you—”
That did it. “You demand from me all the time, Philip. You don’t value what I do for the children, you’ve got our life all planned out, and you never listen to one word I say.”
He drew himself up in affront. “Calm yourself, Lacey. This is an important crowd.”
“Important to whom?” Unaccustomed anger thrilled through her blood. “These people know nothing about real life—nothing. This is an artificial world, Philip, and you don’t even know that, do you?” Fury gave her a second wind. “There are children going hungry tonight, but they’re only stories on the news to you, aren’t they?”
“Lacey, get hold of yourself.” He grasped her elbow. “I told you that silly volunteer work wasn’t good for you—”
“Silly! You, who keep rich, bored women looking like they’re twenty-five, have the nerve to call what I’m doing silly?”
“Shh, Lacey…” He cast a glance at the windows, then drew her behind a pillar. “Is it that Marlowe person who’s got you so upset? He’s not our type, Lacey. Your father told me about him. He’s a born troublemaker, and he took money to abandon you once before—”
Lacey jerked away from him, rage and shame swirling into a witch’s brew inside her. How dare her father tell that humiliating story? How dare Philip presume to judge her? To write off what she did as useless and foolish?
She had to get out of here, but Philip would never let her leave alone, not as long as he thought he had a claim on her.
And she could not bear to spend one more second in his company. Time had run out.
“We’re not getting married, Philip.”
“What?” He took a step closer. “Lacey, you’re distraught. You know how high-strung you are. I’ll take you home and you’ll get a good night’s sleep. Everything will look fine tomorrow.”
But certainty flooded her veins. She refused to give a raven-haired bad boy the credit, but Dev’s arrival had, at least, made her open her eyes and see that she’d been drifting.
She might not know what she was doing with her life, but she knew what she would not do. But emotion wouldn’t sway Philip. Only reason would. “Philip…” She forced calm, placing one hand on his arm. “You don’t love me, and I don’t love you. And marriage isn’t a business arrangement.” At least, not for me. “We wouldn’t make each other happy, Philip. We’d wind up like your parents.”
She had him there. In one of his few moments of unbending, he’d told her how much he’d hated growing up with parents who made every excuse to stay apart, until one day they’d finally split up.
“I don’t think you know what you’re saying,” he murmured. “You should think about it a little longer.”
She shook her head. “I won’t change my mind. I’ve been avoiding this for too long, but I knew. I told you, too, Philip. Be honest. I never led you to believe I wanted to marry.”
“I thought I could change your mind.”
“I’d like to part friends, if we could. And I’ll explain to my parents.”
“They won’t be happy.” His mouth was tight.
“No, they won’t be happy. You’re exactly what they want. It’s me who doesn’t fit.” She’d felt it all her life, but she’d never understood why. She’d tried very hard to bury that sense of displacement, but when she allowed herself to look deep, she saw the girl who did everything perfectly…but didn’t feel like it was ever enough.
Philip’s jaw worked as he stared off into the distance. Finally, he exhaled in a long gust, shaking his head. “You’re never going to find whatever that romantic fantasy is, Lacey.” He turned to face her. “Don’t you know that by now? Haven’t you made enough mistakes?”
She stiffened. “Apparently not.” She forced calm where temper wanted to reign. “I’ll tell my parents. You don’t have to deal with it.”
“Fine,” he said curtly, facing the windows. He paused after two steps, speaking over his shoulder. “Is it Marlowe, Lacey? Is he what’s gotten you stirred up?”
She recoiled. “Of course not. You think I’d be that foolish after what he did?”
Philip sighed. “Apparently, my judgment isn’t to be trusted.” He shook his head. “Don’t do anything you’ll regret. I would still take you back as long as you don’t embarrass me.” He turned to face her. “Why don’t you come inside now? It’s getting chilly out here.”