Page 14 of Crash into me
The thought makes me wonder. “Is Warren upset with me?”
“Skyler …” She looks at me intently, the power of a vixen hiding behind her green eyes. “The thing you have to understand about men is they’re pliable, like puddy.”
I snort, if they can change so easily, why is she still married to a fucking psychopath? I have to remind myself that she’s the same as him. Money hungry and determined no matter the cost to get what they want in life. Even if what they want is material and useless.
She went quiet. I hadn't realized.
Finally, she adds, “Warren will forgive you for hanging out with that boy.”
I inhale a sharp intake of breath; referring to the love of my life as ‘that boy’ sends a sour taste down my throat.
She continues, “Just be sweet to him. Overly sweet.” Is that what she’s doing with me today? Being overly sweet for me to be moveable, changeable?
Or did she just stay here to simply make sure I got the streak out of my hair?
I have no one to talk about Foster with, so what the hell? “Why do you hate him so much? You don’t even know him.”
“I do. It’s obvious what he is.” She turns her nose up.
“And what’s that?”
“A player going nowhere.” She sighs. “Trust me, Skyler. That crash was the best thing that’s ever happened to you. Minus you getting hurt, of course.” She frowns a little. She pulls her long stemmed glass to her lips, drinking the last sweet drop of her Dom Perignon. “You can get whatever you want in this life, Skyler. Warren will still want to marry you, don’t you worry.”
She really doesn’t know me at all.
I lean back in the wooden chair. “Why do I have to be married off anyways? I mean, you have plenty of money.”
The question makes her uncomfortable, and she reaches for her empty wine glass, sighing that she’ll soon have to refill it herself. “It’s not about more money, Skyler. It’s about staying within a circle of wealth. If you don't marry into it, you’re not a part of it.”
I allow the waterfall to transport me for a moment.
I tilt my head to look at her, squinting one eye so the sun doesn’t blind me. “Yeah, but what about like … and hear me out because I know this is crazy …” I laugh. It’s small, but it’s the first real laugh I’ve had in days. “What about marrying for love?”
She nods, understanding. “Love doesn’t give you financial security.”
I hear someone’s footsteps behind me, and I worry my father has returned. “Who missed me?” Rita sings.
The brightest smile flashes across my face as I turn to see her wrinkled cheeks, my favorite feature of hers. Decades of laughing and smiling have made them, and I love that. “Mrs. Rita!” I nearly choke, jumping up to throw my arms around her.
“Oh, dear! Don’t hurt yourself!” She peels me off carefully, checking over every piece of my body. “How are you?”
“I’m good! What are you doing here? Did you leave something?” I’m rambling, but I’ve missed her so much. “Do you want to come swim?” I gesture to the water and Mom.
Rita shakes her head, giving a double take of us lounging together by the pool. “No, dear, I need to get settled.” She shuffles us a little further away from Mom to get out of hearing range.
She places her hands on my shoulders, looking me square in the eyes. “I’m back, Skyler.”
I tilt my head. “What about the kids? The daycare?”
“You’re like my kid, and I need to be here with you.” Her voice is small, quiet.
I stiffen from the look in her eyes, and that’s when I realize she knows. “Who told you?”
“Foster’s Grandma, Adeline.” She frowns. “I knew they weren’t good to you, but I didn’t know this.” She keeps her voice low, but a snarl is attached to it. I look back to Mom who is on her phone, chatting with another desperate housewife, I’m sure.
I ball my fists. “She promised.”
“She did, but God, Skyler. How can you expect her to keep that a secret?”