Penance (Long Slow Tease, #2) (6 page)

Not that she could do that now. No, it was showtime
, which meant Michelle had to be ‘on’ at all times to charm and schmooze the guests. Thank God, this year she didn’t have to suffer through her mother’s attempts to set her up with different men. As if she would ever consider being married to man who’d never had to wash his own clothes, or whose idea of adversity was their favorite coffee shop running out of soy milk. Michelle prayed that maybe, just maybe her mother would see how truly happy Wyatt made her, how very much she loved him, and not judge Wyatt on pretentious bullshit like how many vacation homes he had, who his parents were, and if Michelle’s dating him would be politically or socially beneficial for her mother.

They started up the
front stairs of the grand Tudor-styled home and Michelle took a deep breath, trying to still the anxiety that ramped up with every click of her heels against the stone steps. Memories of her childhood filled her mind, an endless stream of never being good enough, never being smart enough, never being perfect enough to earn her mother’s love. She glanced over her shoulder at the concrete walkway leading up to the house and remembered when she’d drawn on it with chalk when she was six. It had been right before some big political event and her mother was furious that Michelle had spoiled the manicured look of the home with her drawings. It was easy enough for the gardener to spray the concrete clean, but Michelle’s mother had flipped out. Michelle could still remember her oldest brother interceding, telling their mom to back off. Thankfully, her mother had listened to him, but Michelle would never forget that day. While her mother never, ever touched her in a violent manner, there hadn’t been a whole lot of sanity in her mom’s gaze.

A shiver worked its way down Michelle’s spine as she remembered the four, sometimes five
-hour screaming lectures about embarrassing the family with her selfishness, how she upset her father with her lack of self-control, and how she was nothing but a spoiled brat. She had to be better, faster, more skilled, smarter, work harder, and most especially of all, be so perfect a man would never betray her. Michelle’s adult mind knew her mother had been way the fuck out of line, but even now as they approached the home, with each step, Michelle found herself growing more and more fearful that she’d somehow mess up and earn her mother’s wrath. She had to be constantly aware of being watched, always on her guard, and never, ever do anything to disgrace her family.

As they approached the front door, Wyatt tugged on her hand.
“If you want to make a break for it, just let me know. I’ll fake food poisoning or some shit.”

She smiled at him and allowed herself one brief
, delicious kiss, the warmth of his mouth chasing away the icy memories and grounding her in the moment. Her heart swelled with love for him and she paused for a moment, letting her gaze roam his rugged features then gave him a small smile, trying to put how much she loved him into her eyes as she said, “My guardian angel.”

His flush was barely noticeable beneath his tan and made him all the more
entrancing.

The sharp, cold tone of her mother’s beautiful voice floated down the stairs
. “Michelle, how good to see you.”

Turning on her heel, she
gathered her courage and faced her mother. Tonight, the esteemed Mrs. Sapphire wore an impeccable white cocktail dress with a tastefully ruffled hem. From the top of her carefully styled blonde head to the tips of her toes she was flawless. Feelings of inadequacy rushed through Michelle as her mother gave her outfit a slight look of disdain.

Well, she’d managed to disappoint her mother before she’d even said a word.
She could practically hear her mother cataloging her faults, the short dress, her slightly mussed hair, how she didn’t wear jewelry that perfectly matched. The look of disapproval tightening her mother’s lips made Michelle’s stomach churn.

Just like old times
.

“Hell
o, Mother. I’d like to introduce my boyfriend, Wyatt Callahan. Wyatt, this is my mother, Bethany Sapphire”

Wyatt stepped forward and offered his hand. “Pleased to meet you,
ma’am.”

Michelle’s mother
barely brushed his fingers with her own then gave Wyatt her trademark freeze-your-balls-off smile. “Welcome to our home, Wyatt. Please, won’t you come in?”

They walked into the grand foyer
and Michelle took a quick glance around. The study off to the left had been redone, but it looked like the parlor hadn’t been changed since Michelle last visited. Her mother was constantly redecorating the house as if by changing the wallpaper she could similarly change her marriage.

As they made their way to the party out back Michelle’s mother and Wyatt kept up a steady stream of small talk.

Once they reached the back porch, Wyatt stopped and whistled.
“Well, this isn’t like any barbecue I’ve been to back in Texas.”

Michelle slid a possessive hand into his, giving all the bitches nearest to them a blatant ‘
hands-off-mine’ glare. She could see the bored, rich, wives drinking him in and practically drooling all over themselves. Then the younger set, the ones who treated sex like something as casual as blowing your nose, followed the gaze of the older women and she saw more than one woman suck her stomach in.

Giving her a
tight smile, her mother said, “Michelle, darling, go fetch your father.”

She glanced at her mother and tried to think of a reason she should stay here instead of leaving Wyatt alone with
the bitch. “Are you sure I won’t be interrupting something? You know how Dad gets when he’s talking business.”

“He made me promise to let him know the moment you arrived. So go
run along and let him know you’re here.”

Wyatt gave her hand a squeeze. “I’ll wait here for you.”

She reluctantly removed her hand from his grip, leaned up and kissed him leaving a big red lipstick mark on his cheek. “I’ll be right back.”

Wyatt chuckled wh
en Michelle’s mother asked one of the passing servants to get a napkin so Wyatt could clean himself.

After getting stopped a dozen times to say hello to someone,
Michelle finally found her dad sitting on the back patio looking out at the last of the sunset over Lake Michigan. She took a deep breath of the fresh lake air, recalling fond memories of going out on boats with her brothers when they were teenagers and smoking pot while hanging out on the lake. Things had been so much simpler when her only goal in life was to have fun.

She spotted her father, a tal
l, distinguished man with a full head of dark hair threaded with silver at the temples and back. He had a commanding presence, and she wasn’t surprised to see him surrounded by people listening to his every word. With a smile he gestured with his half-full glass of scotch, his booze of choice, and spotted her watching him.

“If it isn’t the most beautiful girl in the world!”

“Dad, stop that.” She grinned at him and eagerly accepted his hug as he came forward. “Dad, my date’s alone with Mom.”

He stiffened, then turned and set his glass down. Looking back to the crowd he turned on the charisma. “Ladies and gentlemen, if you’ll forgive me, I have to go meet my daughter’s boyfriend.”

There was some good natured laughter and Michelle let out a sigh of relief as they left. “You don’t think she’ll say anything mean, do you?”

Her father gave her a bleak look and they walked faster. “Well, it all depends. If she’s sucking up to him she’ll be as sweet as pie. If she feels like he’s beneath her
, she’ll let him know it.”

“Dad, you promised me you would talk to her. That’s the only reason I came today.”

“I did talk to her, or at least I tried to. You know she would listen to a serial killer before she’d listen to me.” He looked incredibly weary for a moment, his true age showing. “If there needs to be damage control I’ll do it.”

Wyatt counted to twenty – twice – before he could answer Mrs. Sapphire’s question. What came out of his mouth wasn’t exactly PC, but then again, Mrs. Sapphire hadn’t bothered with niceties when she asked him if he was with Michelle to get her money. If it had been anyone but Michelle’s mother he would have ripped her up one side and down the other, but they were in a public place, and the last thing he wanted to do was embarrass Michelle.

He looked Mrs. Sapphire in the eye and said as calmly as possible,
“No, I’m not with Michelle for her money.”

“Oh please, Wyatt. Don’t bother lying to me.
Michelle’s a spoiled bitch and we all know it. Only money would make anyone put up with her. If you’ll walk away, I’ll pay you ten thousand dollars to never see her again.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

Mrs. Sapphire placed one of her hands against her chest in an overly theatrical offended gesture. “You can’t talk to me like that. You may have fooled Michelle, but you haven’t fooled me. I know your type.”

He took a step closer, unable to help himself. “You know, some people are together because they love each other, not because it’s profitable. But then again
, you wouldn’t know anything about that. And if you ever call Michelle a bitch in front of me again, I’ll personally toss you into that big lake.”

“
How dare you.” Her blue eyes, so like Michelle’s, widened in true shock but he noticed she didn’t raise her voice enough for anyone to overhear.

“
No, lady. How dare
you?
I don’t know why you’re trying to break Michelle and I up, but I can assure you that while your daughter may deserve a hell of a lot better guy than I am, she
chose
me and I’m not going anywhere. I love your daughter with all my heart, and I pity you for becoming so cold that you’d try to do this to her. Didn’t you see how depressed she was? Didn’t you ever notice that since Owen’s death she’s been living with one foot in the grave? She’s finally living again and there is no way I’m letting you hurt her.”

“
Hurt her? I’m trying to protect her,” Mrs. Sapphire said in an angry whisper.

“From what?”

“From men like you who will break her heart,” she spat out then flushed as a few party goers looked her way. Gathering herself, she gave him a smile as fake as a three dollar bill. “Do you think I haven’t tried to set her up with appropriate young men? Do you think I haven’t done everything I can to help her heal? I love my daughter, very much.”

Truth rang out in her words and Wyatt ran his hand through his hair. “So do I
and I will do anything to make Michelle happy.”

“
You are not the right man for her and you cannot give her what she needs.”

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was Michelle’s mother. Uber
cunt that she was, he had to admit she had a right to be concerned about her daughter. He had no job, PTSD, and really nothing to offer Michelle other than his battered heart. If he had a daughter he’d be just as protective, but a little less harsh. Or at least he liked to think he would. Either way, the last thing Michelle needed to see was him fighting with her mother.

“Look, can we just start over? All I’m asking you to do is give me a chance to prove how much I love your daughter. I swear to you I would never hurt her.” He held her gaze, willing her to see his sincerity.

Her mother leaned into him and he noticed for the first time that her pupils were pinpoints and the scent of alcohol hung heavy on her breath. After studying her closer he was pretty sure she was drunk or high on something, but Michelle had never mentioned her mother having a drinking or drug problem. In fact, she’d once said that she wished her mother would get wasted, that it might help dissolve the stick up her ass. Well, it looked like Mrs. Sapphire was indeed under the influence, but the stick remained intact.

“You men,”
Mrs. Sapphire said in a voice that reminded him of a hissing cat, “are all alike. You think that you can promise a woman the moon and stars, but as soon as you get bored you’re off sniffing after another slut.”

He jerked back, surprised at
both the abrupt change of subject and the vehemence in her whisper. “I’ve never cheated on Michelle and I never will. It’s not in my nature.”

She laughed and patted his cheek with an icy smile. “My dear boy, you must take me for an
idiot. All men cheat, it
is
your
nature. I just wonder how long you’ll put up with Michelle before you go sniffing around for a piece of tail on the side without so many issues. You don’t have what it takes to make my daughter happy. Don’t try lying to me, I know your type.”

Shocked by the venom coming from such a stately looking woman, he gaped at her. “My type?”

“Yes, your type. You managed to blind Michelle to your true intent with your good looks and easy smile, your charm, but I see you for who you really are. A gold digger trying to worm your way into Michelle’s fortune. We both know she’s flawed, that she has issues that would drive any man away, and the only reason you put up with her is for your own financial gain. No man would endure Michelle without some kind of ulterior motive. She isn’t perfect, she’s weak and flawed, and it’s only a matter of time before you leave her. If you have any sense of honor you would leave my house, pack your bags, and never bother Michelle again.”