“No. This is a surprise visit. Just call her. She’s secretary to the president of the company or something.”
“Mom?”
She whirled around. Her eyes narrowed. “Lennox? What are you doing down here?”
“Working.”
A couple of seconds passed and then she laughed. “What a little liar you are, telling everyone you’ve got some impressive job and you answer phones at the security desk.” She sneered. “God. To think I ever was the smallest bit proud of you.”
Frank, the security guard, looked at me with pity. It would take one word from me and she’d be escorted from the building. I gave him a slight head shake. I’d handle this the same way I always did when it came to my mother: the hard way.
“So it’s just another lie that you’re fucking one of the big money bosses?”
My face flamed. “Are you trying to embarrass me?”
“Well, you tried to embarrass me, by making me ask for a person that doesn’t even exist—my successful daughter.”
“Hey, hey, now. I’ma ask you to refrain from such language or I’ll escort you out.”
“Frank, I’m taking a break. I’ll be back in ten.”
“Take your time.”
I started to steer her toward the big windows by the front door.
“Or maybe he’s the big boss you’re fu—”
I stopped and got in her face. “Shut your mouth or I will have him call the cops. Because you are quite obviously high.” I glanced at her big purse. “Wonder what they’d find if they searched you.”
“You’d love to do that, wouldn’t you?”
I didn’t answer. I just stormed over to the corner and waited for her to follow. “Why are you here?”
“I told you I was coming to visit.”
“Why? You don’t even like me.”
She notched her chin up. “You’re my daughter. I don’t have to like you to love you.”
“Did you pick up that gem on one of those crappy daytime TV shows you’re addicted to?”
“So? It’s true.”
“If Maxie hadn’t told you that I was doing some rich guy, you wouldn’t have shown up here today. You thought if you tried to embarrass me, I’d give you money to go away, didn’t you?”
And there was the nasty glare. “You’re a pretty girl, but I can see you haven’t learned to curb that nasty tongue. No wonder you haven’t got a man to marry you.”
“Because having a man is your definition of success?”
“Better that than pretending answering phones is some kind of glamorous ‘career,’” she said with a sneer. “I don’t understand you, Lennox.”
I forced myself to loosen my fists. “You’ve never understood me. So why don’t you just go. Don’t pretend you came here to see me. You fled to Minnesota to make Billy Ray jealous. I’m sure you’ve already called him and bragged about Maxie begging to hire you, and how much money you’re making in tips because you’re still so hot. Telling him how many guys hit on you. It’s some kind of test for him to see if he hauls ass up to Minnesota to get his woman back. In the meantime, you’re partying your ass off like it’s 1985.”
“You think you’re so smart. I shoulda listened to Adam and smacked—”
“Ladies. Is there a problem here?”
Brady. God. I needed to hear his voice, but I didn’t want him here for this. I didn’t want my mom to know that I’d fallen for this sweet, sexy, warm, funny and loving man. The fact he had money didn’t matter to me, but all my mother would ever see when she looked at him was dollar signs. Let her think I was too bitchy to “catch” a man. Let her think I had delusions of grandeur about my job. It’d always been easier for her to believe a lie than see the truth.
“Miss Greene?”
“No, Mr. Lund, there’s no problem. I was just giving her directions and she’s about to leave.”
“Frank said—”
“I’m sorry I left my post. I’m going back there right now.”
My mother gave me a disgusted once-over, wiped her nose on the sleeve of her coat and said, “You’re pathetic.” Then she walked away.
Breathe.
“Lennox.”
“Give me a moment.”
He moved in behind me, there if I needed him.
But I could control this. I’d been doing it for years.
I watched her until she got into a cab.
Please be gone, out of my life for good.
I flinched when Brady put his hands on my arms.
That didn’t deter him. “Who was that?”
“No one.”