Her mother sits down on the matching chaise and says, “Okay, I’m all ears. What is this all about?”
“Ms. Kane, I convinced Aria that coming to speak with you was in our best interest. She was, and is, hesitant because she’s concerned about how you’re going to react.”
“Look, the buildup isn’t necessary. I’m a model but that doesn’t make me an idiot. Are you screwing around with my kid?” she point blanks at me, raising a brow.
“Mom!” Aria shouts.
“Well, what else could it be? She’s not in trouble. I’m not in trouble and you keep using the term ‘we’. Tell me I’m wrong. Do you think that I didn’t have older men swelling up every time I walked in the room at her age? Look at her. She’s probably every professor's wet dream.”
“Yes, she is gorgeous, but that’s not what this is about. We’re involved. That much is true but my intentions aren’t to bag your daughter and toss her aside. We’re building a relationship here.”
“Sure, sure you are. Just like I’m trying to build relationships with every twenty-something that I bag,” she scoffs and takes a sip of her drink.
“Respectfully, you and I are not the same,” I tell her, trying to quell the desire to assert my position less delicately.
“Aria, are you kidding me? Why? You could have your pick. Quarterback, valedictorian, bad boy, whatever you want and you decide to get involved with a man almost my age?”
“We have a connection, Mother. I like him very much and he likes me. He treats me right and he makes me feel safe.”
“Listen, Ms. Kane. We could have just kept this a secret until graduation. We didn’t. We came to tell you because you have a right to know what’s going on in your daughter’s life. If my intentions weren’t honorable, why would I do that?”
“I appreciate you telling me but that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t approve. She’s eighteen. I can’t tell her what to do anymore, but I’m telling you, if you hurt her, I will have your job. Do you understand me?”
My baser instincts tell me to shut her down. She’s clearly had no idea how to raise this girl for the last eighteen years, and now that she’s an adult, she wants to talk about approval and make threats? But then, she is a parent and her opinions do matter. If her intentions are pure and she’s trying to look out for her child, then I should respect that. That much I can do for Aria. Always for my little girl.
“I have no intentions of hurting Aria.”
“Fine. Now, if you don’t mind leaving, I’d like to have a word with my daughter in private.”
“Of course. But first, there’s one more thing.”
“Great, is she pregnant?”
“No, nothing like that. There’s this boy, Lanz. He’s been watching your house. He’s obsessed with Aria and you need to be on the lookout for him. I’m counting on you to be vigilant. Call the police if he comes onto your property.”
“Aria, why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“It’s just become a thing. Before, there was nothing to tell.”
“Because this boy has been watching your house, he’s seen Aria and me coming and going. It’s possible that he might say something about this to the Academy officials. If he does, you need to be prepared for that as well.”
“A scandal. Perfect. As if I don’t have enough of those on my own,” she rolls her eyes and her lack of empathy for her daughter’s circumstances pisses me off.
“Yes, you do have enough of those on your own. I’ve seen most of them in the tabloids, but your daughter isn’t having your kind of problem. She’s the victim.”
She whips her head around and glares at me, “I’m not the victim? I bring all these things on myself. Huh?”
“I have no idea. I don’t even know you. Just…please be prepared for Aria’s sake.”
12
A MOTHER’S WRATH
ARIA
It’s the moment I’ve been dreading.
I walk Anthony out to his car, wishing I could just jump in with him and run away, never to return. My mother is watching us through the living room window, just chomping at the bit to bite my head off when I come back inside.
