One Step Closer(98)

“I’m still your mother and I won’t have you speaking to me like that.”

Wren shifted in her seat. The waiter came and asked Wren if she wanted a beverage. “Just water with lemon, please.”

“Sparkling or still?”

“Still will be fine, but I’d love a lemon wedge with it.”

“I’ll have another vodka tonic,” Veronica said before the girl could walk away.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“It’s a little early for the hard stuff, isn’t it, Mother?”

“Look, I wanted to have a nice lunch, but since you’re being so unpleasant, I’ll get right to it.” The bright red and overly long acrylic nails clacked on the surface of the crystal glass as she picked it up. “I know you’re going to be touring, and Caleb has to get his house in order in California, so I’m very willing to step in and offer my help. I can move into the Bould—””

Wren’s hair was tied up in a messy bun on the top of her head, but the hair on the back of her neck bristled, and Wren’s eyes locked with Veronica’s. “Wait, what? What do you know of Cale’s plans?” she interrupted.

“Cale. That’s so cute.”

Wren’s brow furrowed and she put up a hand to halt Veronica. She was about to ask a question, but she already knew the answer. “No, how do you know what his plans are?”

Veronica looked uncomfortable, cornered as she was by Wren’s intuition. She reached up and patted the back of her hair nervously.

“Well, Macy mentioned it at the reading, and then I spoke to her on the phone last evening. She seems very nice and she loves Caleb. She just wants the best for him.”

Wren huffed and shook her head, ready to bolt out of the restaurant without hearing another lying word. “First; no you won’t be moving into the Boulder house. I’m not an idiot. I know exactly what you’re trying to pull.”

“I’m just trying to help you. Macy will be moving into the Denver house with Caleb, and they’ll want their privacy, Wren. Be reasonable.”

Wren felt like her mother was trying to herd her in a direction she didn’t believe or want to go in, but despite telling herself to remain calm, she was affected. Her pulse increased, and she could physically feel heat seeping up her neck and into her face. “Caleb has no intentions of being with Macy. Stop lying. You won’t intimidate, hurt, or cajole me into giving you what you want. Edison gave you more than you deserved in his will. That God-awful ring on your hand is worth a few million, so sell it if you need money.”

They hadn’t ordered, but the waiter made no move to approach the table during the heated exchange.

“How dare you say that to me? You have no idea what I put up with when I was married to him. I did it for you, you ungrateful brat!”

“Yeah. The best of everything, trips, having your face on the Lux brand, dripping diamonds, ” Wren spat, venom dripping from every word. “You had it so hard.”

It was as if the dam had broken and everything she’d ever wanted to say to her mother was gushing forth. “You poor thing. Anyone who ever met you knows you never do anything for anyone but yourself. I watched it through four husbands. I’m sort of surprised you haven’t found another one. Caleb had you pegged from day one, and he was only fourteen!”

“Should have known you’d latch on to that little prick. He made my life hell!”

A smug smile settled on Wren’s face as she began to scoot from the booth and throw her unused linen napkin on top of the table. “We’re done, Mother. I don’t ever want to lay eyes on you again. You won’t get a dime from me, so stop trying. I despise you.”

“You would have nothing if it weren’t for me marrying that cold bastard, Wren. You should thank me!” Veronica derided.

If looks could kill, Wren would have dropped dead on the spot, but she smiled sweetly at her mother. “You know? You’re right. Thank you, Mother.”

“That’s better. Now, it will end up costing too much money to contest the will, and that would be foolish. So, as soon as everything comes out of escrow, I’ll take residence in the Boulder house and you can set me up with a modest bank account. I don’t need much, Wren. Just a comfortable life.”

Wren couldn’t believe her ears and she almost laughed out loud. “You’re deranged. You should seek professional help.”

“Well, I won’t be taking sharp objects to my skin, that’s for sure.”

Loathing reminiscent of what she experienced in her youth exploded inside Wren, and angry tears stung her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to start crying in front of the very woman who caused her enough misery to hurt herself. Her instincts were to flee and she found herself longing for Caleb’s presence next to her. He wouldn’t allow Veronica to treat her this way and she chastised herself for agreeing to see her at all.

“This is over. I’m leaving.” Wren began to scoot the last couple of feet out of the big booth, but couldn’t because Macy had appeared out of nowhere.

“Not so fast, Sunshine.” Her lips slid into a salacious grin.

Wren’s heart plummeted and she was stunned into silence. Veronica’s intention was to tag team her with Macy. Both of them seemed desperate enough to do anything to get what they wanted. Veronica wanted her money, and Macy wanted Caleb and everything that came with him.