Page 93 of Risk
I couldn’t be prouder to have Leah by my side. She’s incredible, smart, funny, sweet, and doesn’t judge anyone. Her soul is so pure, it makes me think angels really exist.
“You’re right.” She rolls her shoulders back and changes her tone. “Fuck these bitches. And fuck Carmichael.”
“Atta girl.”
Kerrington sips his drink. “Your mom hasn’t even looked over in our direction.”
And she won’t.
As the wait staff rush from table to table, placing chilled salad plates down, I keep my attention on my real family – the one I picked. Gage, Kerrington, and Landon didn’t come with plus ones, which means our table is only half full. I’m glad. It makes us stand out more.
It will also make my mother suffer yet another bout of disappointment caused by me.
This night’s turning out fantastic.
“What are they serving for dinner, anyway?” Landon frowns. “I hope it’s not something too froo-frooy. I swear if they put a quail egg on my plate, I’m going to Door Dash McDonalds and eat it in front of all these pretentious pricks.”
Leah cracks a laugh so loud it makes me jump. In quick recovery, she cups her mouth and ducks her head.
That’s all it takes for the mood at the table to lighten back up. Looking behind my girl, I mouth, “thank you” to Landon, and he gives me a wink. My boys love Leah as much as I do. They’ll have her back just like they’ve always had mine.
“I’m shocked they didn’t sit us at the kiddy table, or the reject table in the back corner,” Gage says.
Leah’s brow furrows. “Why?”
“Because of what Mason’s done. Personal success is a slap in their face. I expected us to be blacklisted or something, not front and center of the room at lucky thirteen.”
I’d specifically asked for this table number and placement on the floor plan. You can’t not see us where we’re positioned. Nicole probably had to move the table numbers around last minute when my mother wasn’t looking because I’d bet a million dollars we were shoved into the back dark corner of the room if my mother had anything to do with the seating plans.
“I’m sure your mom’s not that vindictive,” Leah says lightly. “She’s still your mom.”
My girl is about to learn a valuable lesson in how this world operates. “Do you play chess, Princess?”
“A little, but it’s been a while. Why?”
“Because that’s what tonight’s game is.”
Everything in this life is a game. Not a single meeting, brunch, wedding, or fundraiser is innocently benign. There are more frenemies than friends amidst the social circles spinning around us.
And my fucking mother is the ringleader and champion.
“Then I guess I’m the Queen who will protect her King.” Leah lifts her champagne flute and blows me a kiss before downing the whole thing in one long pull.
Landon rests his elbows on the table, propping his head up on his fists and sighs. “I want a Leah.”
“Well, you can’t have mine,” I shoot back.
Landon perks up. “Hey, maybe our next tech company should focus on cloning.”
“Oh, Cyborg Leahs!” She waggles her eyebrows at me. “With flavor buttons.”
My belly-laugh is drowned out by my mother’s booming voice on stage. “I want to thank you all for coming out tonight,” she says, with a grand sweep of her hand. All heads turn to the stage where a sixteen-piece band is set-up to play soon.
Scarlet Finch addresses the room like they’re hanging on her every word. She’s always known how to captivate her audience and demand respect from her mutuals. Too bad she rarely deserves it.
“Tonight’s turnout is our best to date. As you know, the Finch Family has hosted a fundraising gala for twenty-five years. It’s been an honor and a privilege that I, my wonderful husband Tom, and our two children, Grace and Jackson, take great pride in.”
The last little light in my heart with my mother’s name on it flickers and burns out.