Unbreak My Heart (Rough Riders Legacy #1)(82)

NZ: I figured you did, because you’re on top of things, but I thought I’d ask. Do you need me to do anything else?

Me: You know the next two projects on tap, so see if the files containing that data are missing. Make a list and we’ll discuss on Monday.

NZ: Will do. Thanks boss

When I glanced up from my phone and saw the distasteful looks, I offered a benign smile. “I’m sorry, you probably think I’m being horribly rude, but I’m not. See, I wasn’t initially invited to this event and being the boss, I do work on Saturdays so being out of touch isn’t an option.”

They blinked as if work was a foreign word.

“Do any of you have jobs outside the home?” When no one answered, the whiskey started talking. “None of you wanted a career outside of…whatever it is you do all day? You’re content to boss the servants around? Have lunch at the club and brainstorm ways to help the less fortunate? No offense, but that kind of life would drive me bat-shit crazy. I didn’t graduate from college and gain all this knowledge so I could support my husband behind the scenes and run a household. I run a company. A multi-million-dollar corporation. I have employees who rely on me. I have bosses who rely on me. And since I’ve reached this level of responsibility, I can’t just politely pocket my cell phone in my twin-set and ignore my business just because it’s the weekend. I’ll bet none of your husbands left their cell phones in their lockers this morning before they strutted onto the golf course.”

Two of the woman looked surprised, two looked defiant, two looked embarrassed and one woman looked annoyed.

My drinky-poos caught up with me. I excused myself from the table to search for a bathroom.

Upon exiting the ladies’ room, I saw my mother across the narrow hallway, pretending to study the photos on the wall, but I knew she’d been waiting to pounce.

She faced me. Her eyes had the nasty glint that promised this ass-chewing would be a doozy. “Are you happy now that you’ve humiliated me in front of my friends on what’s supposed to be my big, special day?”

“How exactly have I humiliated you?”

“Where would you like me to start? By getting drunk? By shoving cake in your mouth as if you were food deprived?”

“I am food deprived. You can’t have an open bar at noon and then skimp on appetizers.”

She adopted a patronizing expression. “I wasn’t aware an open bar was an open invitation to get drunk. No one else seems to have taken advantage of free booze or taken issue with the food.”

“I’m sure none of your friends noticed as they were too busy gossiping.”

“You certainly presented something for them to focus on with that embarrassing and tacky gift you passed off to me.”

My cheeks heated, more from anger than embarrassment.

“I specifically told you what to buy me and as usual you ignored me.”

“Newsflash; it’s called a gift for a reason. You don’t get to dictate what gift I buy you.”

“If you had, you wouldn’t have disgraced yourself and shamed me.”

“Shamed you,” I repeated. “No. That’s what you’re doing to me right now. Barely acknowledging my existence. Putting me at a table with a bunch of pearl-clutching do-gooders whose only purpose are their pet charities? Yeah, no wonder I was drinking. But I suppose it was too much to hope that I might’ve had a seat at your table, for your ‘big special day.’ After all, I’m only your daughter.”

Her lips curled into a sneer. “Grow up, Sierra. You’ve always been such a brat if you’re not the center of attention.”

Same old shit, different day. I didn’t know why I bothered with her.

“Not to mention your complete and utter disrespect for me when you had your cell phone out and were texting during the entire event. How does that make me look? Like I raised a rude child with zero manners.”

If I pointed out Dad raised me, then she could pass the blame onto him, so I said nothing.

“Now I have to worry that you’ll employ that same ‘humiliate my mother’ tactic at my wedding.”

“Wrong. It won’t be an issue because I’m not coming to your wedding.”

She rolled her eyes. “Again with the bratty, threatening behavior.”

“So with that…I’m done.” I turned away.

Boone was striding toward me. With each step he got closer, that hollow space inside me shrunk.

Then his strong arms were around me. He kissed me squarely on the mouth—not a sweet lover’s peck but a quick reminder of his possession and his passion for me. He peered into my eyes and whatever he saw there had him concerned. “What happened?”

“Nothing I wasn’t expecting. Can we—”

“Who, exactly, are you?” my mother demanded.

Boone held his hand in front of my mom’s face, but he never looked away from me when he said to her, “Hush. I was talking to her.”

“Can we just go? I parked—”

“You don’t get to hush me—”

“Don’t interrupt Sierra again,” he warned in a low, menacing tone.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw her jaw drop. No one ever spoke to her that way.

But my man did. “How did you get here so fast?”