Going Down in Flames (Going Down in Flames #1)(33)

Everyone clapped. A waiter set a plate of beef medallions in front of Bryn. She doubted any of her tablemates wanted to talk to her, so she focused on chewing and swallowing.

The second speaker took the stage and began reading a list of the families who contributed to various buildings or areas of study. When Sinclair—her mother’s maiden name—was called out, Bryn froze midchew. A man with white hair and frigid blue eyes climbed onstage to accept his certificate. Warm and fuzzy looking, he was not.

The urge to run screaming from the room was strong. That might attract unwanted attention, so she pushed her chair back from the table and went in search of the restrooms. Thankfully, they weren’t hard to find.

The bathroom was as lavish as the ballroom. A crystal vase of white roses sat on the black marble counter between double sinks. A large, beveled mirror in a thick, silver frame hung on the wall. She washed her hands and then searched for the paper towel dispenser.

An elegant blond woman, dressed in a blue silk gown, entered the restroom and observed Bryn’s wet hands. “The towels are under the mirror.”

Bryn reached out to touch the underside of the mirror’s frame. She found a paper towel and pulled. “Thank you. I knew they had to be somewhere.”

“Your bracelet…is unusual.” The woman’s tone held an accusation. “Where did you buy it?”

Wrist held in front of her, Bryn said, “My mother gave it to me.”

The woman reached to steady herself on the countertop. “Is your mother Sara Sinclair?”

Bryn nodded. Her heart pounded as she realized what this might mean. “Are you my grandmother?”





Chapter Twelve

The woman didn’t deny it. She didn’t do much of anything. Just stared at Bryn with a pained expression on her face.

Words tumbled out of Bryn’s mouth. “I’d like to talk to you. You could stop by my room after dinner.”

“That’s impossible.” Her grandmother’s words dripped venom.

What the hell? “I’m your granddaughter.”

“Genetically speaking, you may be my granddaughter.” The woman straightened her shoulders. “But you’re nothing to me. If you’re expecting to waltz in here and inherit what your mother left behind, you can forget about it.”

This all came down to money? Seriously? “I don’t want your money, but I do want to know how my warm, loving mother came from an iceberg like you.”

“I’m not the cold-hearted one. Sara turned her back on her family and our entire way of life.”

“You were forcing her to marry a jerk. What did you expect?”

The woman stiffened. “I expected her to do what I did. Throw herself into caring for her child and let her husband go his own way.”

Anger turned to pity for the woman who believed a loveless marriage was acceptable. “Your life is wrong. Her life with Ferrin would’ve been wrong. My father is a good man. He makes her happy.”

“Life isn’t about being happy. It’s about loyalty and obligations.”

The door to the bathroom swung open. Two women entered, oblivious to the argument they were interrupting. Her grandmother took the opportunity to escape out the door.

So much for a happy family reunion. All her life, she’d envied people with large families. Every holiday and birthday celebration she’d experienced was a party of three, just her and her parents. And it looked like that wouldn’t change any time soon, unless her father’s family was friendly. That was something she’d investigate later.

Bryn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Once she could unclench her fists, she walked out into the hall. As she reentered the ballroom, she came face-to-face with Zavien.

His eyes narrowed.

She pointed a finger at him. “Don’t even think about it. I met my grandmother, and it wasn’t a heartwarming reunion.”

“I told you not to attend this evening. What did you expect?”

It would be so easy to shift and literally bite his head off. But that would be bad. Bryn didn’t want to go to jail, so she poked him hard in the chest. “You’re not my keeper. Get out of my way before I show you how much attention I can attract when I put my mind to it.”

“I don’t know why I’m even bothering with you.” He stalked off.

Ouch. Okay, she’d been mean first, but still…that hurt. Time to pull up her big girl panties and head back to her seat.

When she reached the table, a waiter removed her dinner plate and replaced it with a piece of carrot cake. She remembered her mother’s words. There are few problems in life sugar and fat can’t solve.

She dug into the cake. The cream cheese icing melted in her mouth and soothed her temper. As she savored the last bite, applause caught her attention. She glanced at the stage. It was empty. The program was over. Thank God.

She stood and exited with the crowd. The walk to her room seemed to stretch on forever, and her feet ached. Stupid heels. She’d wear flats for the rest of the school year.

When she finally reached her bedroom, she saw a certain someone with spiked hair waiting on her balcony. Should she leave him out there? Tempting thought, but he was the only person she could talk to about her grandmother. So she opened the window and let Zavien inside.

He held a white cardboard box. “I wanted to apologize.”