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I froze Christ, I’d put her out of my mind—but that clearly didn’t mean she went away co a?

I reached for the receiver as distress rippled through me “This is Ari”

“Of course it is, darling I’ How lovely that you have an assistant”

“What do you want?” I had no desire to engage in small talk with her I knehat proly head—money Plain and simple

“Wouldn’t you like to hear how I’?” she asked in her delicate tone The one I had little patience for because I was onto her “The Olstead Benefit is this Friday at the Biltmore, so I’m busy with salon appointown I really don’t want to buy off the rack, in the event someone else has selected the same Louis Vuitton or Oscar de la Renta You know, everyone has been copying Aown and I just don’t want to match anyone or wear some sort of knockoff—”

“Mother, you’re living the life of a socialite when you are, in fact, not one Use the Dillard’s certificate I gave you—along with the others you’ve likely stockpiled because they’re ‘not Nordstrom’—and buy a da mall” Okay, so I’d just snapped But I kneas only a matter of time before she showed her true colors Why beat around the bush about it?

“Aria Lynne DeMille,” she scolded in her haughty voice

“Mother, I’oes well beyond your comprehension, obviously But it’s how I pay my rent and expenses I’m under a lot of pressure here and I don’t have ti to be my parent I’ve been perfectly fine with our disassociation I accepted a long tio that all you care about is you—not Dad, not ”

“Well, I just…” She huffed, as though I’d hurt her feelings One would actually have to have feelings in order for them to be hurt So I didn’t take the bait “When did you become so cruel?”

I closed my eyes as tears burned Me, the cruel one? I’d spent the first eighteen years of et this woht years had been wrapped around self-therapy, trying to survive my messed-up childhood

I thought back to the tith, not letting anyone close, not letting anyone touch me except on those rare occasions when I’d craved it a bit too much to deny a quick interaction

That had all changed I had friends noas surrounded by people all day and I liked the, since I was addicted to one very dark and broody man, but still …

I could honestly say that, despite the drama in my life, I was happy I was in love and loved in return

The woman on the other end of the line who professed to be my mother was, in all honesty, simply someone I used to know And while I wasn’t a proponent of severing parental ties, in this case I had to admit that it was time

I pulled in a long breath, then said, “Look, I understand that you feel some false sense of entitlement Maybe it’s because of all the money Dad ious places ere invited to, the circle you were all a part of in the professional world of golf I don’t know Frankly, I don’t care You willingly chose to screw up your e, and for the life of me, I still can’t fathom why Dad was the one who had to suffer because you were the one to do soh to knohy you’re suddenly dropping intome”