Page 93 of Let Me Be the One
Her mother gave her a look that was both fond and exasperated. “Just not sorry enough?”
Callie snorted. “Tell me something I can do to help—other than marry Sutter—and I’ll try my best, I promise.”
“Let up, Liz,” her dad said, which was his verypassive, very rare method of going against his wife. “You can see she already has her hands full.”
Dramatically, her mother took in the shape of the living room. “This is the same furniture Reggie had the last time I saw him.”
“Not so,” her father countered. “That was a two-cushion olive-green couch.”
Callie glanced at the dingy three-cushion beige corduroy couch that took up part of the room now. It was clear which seat Reggie had preferred, because that cushion was smashed, with a clear indent where he’d sat. Parts were worn thin, edges frayed.At least it isn’t olive green.
“I suppose you’re right.” Her mother pinned her with another look. “You’ll need a little time to absorb everything I’ve told you.”
She’d absorbed it already. The situation wasn’t good. Her mother had pointed out that if they started selling houses, people would assume they were in a financial crisis. And at the core of it, they were. If they lost one contract because of rumors, others would follow and that could lead to the domino effect.
Her dad tried to brighten the situation. “I wouldn’t mind retiring early.”
Appalled, her mother frowned at him. “We’re only in our midfifties!”
“So?” He drew her in, and then danced her across the floor. “More time for us to enjoy our lives.”
Fussing at him, her mother pulled away. “We won’t have a life if we don’t figure this out.” Once again, her gaze landed on Callie.
And so it continued.
The first hour had been the worst, fending offrepeated mentions of how she should do the right thing, how the family needed her, how she’d been raised better than to go backward when she should be going forward—backward being Reggie’s house in their old neighborhood.
Forward, apparently, meant marrying Sutter.
It had her throat tight, thinking of the possible financial ruin of her parents’ business.
Thinking about marrying Sutter was worse.Far, far worse.
Now, especially.
Realizing that she’d never loved him had been bad enough. Accepting that she’d gone along for all the wrong reasons had made her question her character.
But now, after knowing Tanner, after experiencing what intimacy should be between a man and woman? No way would she settle for Sutter, not ever, not for any reason.
Whether things progressed with Tanner or not, it didn’t matter. She would not involve herself with Sutter. Just the opposite. She wanted to cut all ties with him beyond professional courtesy.
Now if her mother would just put her brain on finding another workable solution, they could, possibly, salvage this visit. Or her parents could leave, disappointed in her—as usual—and she could forge on with her plans, flimsy as they seemed to be.
Trying to gain another topic, Callie asked, “Where is Glory, anyway? Why didn’t she come with you?”Or return yet, as she’d promised?
Flitting her fingers in the air, her mother said, “I sent her off on a little trip.”
Suspicion stirred. “A trip where?”
“Research, really.”
“That’s not her job,” Callie pressed. “What kind of research?”
With a delicate huff, her mother gave in. “I wanted her away from you. She’s been negatively influencing you, encouraging you in all this…” The wave of her hand encompassed everything. “Nonsense.”
Gritting her teeth, Callie replied, “She’s not a lackey, Mother. She’s your niece, and she’s like a sister to me.”
“Don’t worry about her. She’ll return soon enough.”
