The Bad Daughter(66)

Robin narrowed her eyes, a picture taking shape in her mind. “Tall, dark hair, green eyes? Played basketball?”

“That’s the one.”

“Was he? The best, I mean?”

Melanie chuckled. “Sadly he was not.” She shook her head. “No. That honor would have to go to Ronnie Simon.” She nodded, agreeing with her own assessment. “Yep. He was something else.”

“I don’t think I know him.”

“No, you wouldn’t. You were long gone when they moved here.”

“They?”

“He and his wife and kids.”

“He was married?”

“Still is.”

“Did you know?”

“Of course.”

“Was that him just now, on the phone?”

“No. That was months ago.”

“What happened?”

“What usually happens. It ended. And don’t you dare get all judgmental. Like you’ve never had an affair with a married man?”

Robin shook her head. She remembered the damage her father’s multiple affairs had done to her family, and she had made a solemn vow that she would never knowingly sleep with a married man.

“Can I get you ladies anything? Something to drink, perhaps?” the receptionist asked.

“No, thank you,” the women said together.

“Were you in love with him?” Robin ventured after several seconds.

“With who? Ronnie Simon? Don’t be insane.”

Another moment of silence.

“Have you ever been in love?” Robin asked.

“As if I have time for that nonsense.”

“Love isn’t nonsense.”

“It isn’t?”

“What about Landon’s father?”

“That jerk? Biggest mistake of my life.”

“Do you ever hear from him?”

“Never. Are we done with the interrogation yet?”

“I didn’t think it was an interrogation.”

“What would you call it?” Melanie asked.

“A conversation?” Robin asked in return. She’d actually been enjoying the last few minutes.

“Conversations usually work both ways,” Melanie said. “How would you feel if I were to pepper you with questions about your sex life?”

“Go ahead,” Robin said, her back stiffening, as if she were physically bracing herself for what was to follow. “Ask me anything.”

Melanie shrugged. “I have nothing to ask.”

“You’re not curious about my life at all?”

“Not particularly. I think I know pretty much all I need to know.”

“And what’s that?”

Melanie swiveled around in her chair, crossing one knee over the other and staring directly at Robin. “I don’t think you really want to get into this now.”

“Might as well,” Robin said, tingles of anxiety starting to ferret through her veins. “Not much else to do.”

“Breathe,” she heard Blake say.

“Fine. I think you’re a spoiled brat who assumes the world revolves around her.”

The breath caught in Robin’s lungs. “But I don’t think—”

“Sorry. I thought you were interested in what I thought,” Melanie said.

“I am, but…” Invisible hands reached for her throat.

“I think you feel entitled and superior. You and Alec both. The two of you always uniting against me, laughing behind my back. Or right to my face, judging by last night.”

“We weren’t…” Unseen fingers pressed down on her throat.

“You think you’re better than me. You think you have all the answers because you have a college diploma, and you think that gives you the right to sit in judgment of my life, my parenting, my relationships…”

“I was just trying to get to know you.”

Breathe. Just breathe.

“Why? What’s the point? Are you planning to stick around when this is over?”

Robin said nothing.

Melanie sneered. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

“It doesn’t mean that we…”

“What? Can’t be friends? News flash—we’ve never been friends.”

“Because you’ve never given me a chance,” Robin said, the words shooting directly from her lungs. “You’ve hated me since the day I was born.”

Melanie looked toward the ceiling, as if she were seriously considering what Robin had said. “You know, you might finally be right about something.” She shrugged. “Anyway, you were Mom’s favorite, so what does it matter? What’s that stupid saying—‘It is what it is’? When this is all over, when our father dies and Alec is either in jail or back in San Francisco, you’re going to return to L.A. and marry the Ken doll of your dreams. And maybe it’ll work out, and maybe it won’t, but one thing is certain: I’m going to be stuck here in Red Bluff.”

“You don’t have to be stuck,” Robin said.

Melanie raised both eyebrows.

“You’ll have money,” Robin said. “You’ll be able to afford professional help for Landon. You can put him in a special school…”