Blossom Street Brides (Blossom Street #10)(51)

When it came to the business side of their relationship, they were on solid ground. Annie had proved to be an asset to the company, taking on the responsibility of handling their corporate clients. Her ideas were good, and she’d proved herself to be more than capable of dealing with these larger accounts.

When she’d finished, Bethanne praised her daughter’s efforts. “It sounds like you have everything under control.”

“I had excellent training,” she said, complimenting Bethanne.

Bethanne walked around to the front of her desk and leaned her backside against the edge. “On a completely different subject—”

“Are you going to berate me about Max? If you are, then I’m leaving right now.”

So that was the way it was going to be. “Berating you wasn’t my intention. You’re an adult and fully capable of making your own decisions. It’s highly unlikely anything I say will change your attitude toward Max. It would be foolish of me to try.”

“I don’t like him, Mom. If you’d heard the horrible, ugly things he said to me, you wouldn’t be so quick to defend him.”

“I didn’t defend him, and I won’t defend you to him, either. What happened is between the two of you.” If Max had been disrespectful to her daughter, then it went without saying that he’d been provoked. Annie was certainly capable of being argumentative and belligerent.

“He’s not a good person, Mom.”

Bethanne held up her hand, stopping her. “I believe you’ve already made your dislike of Max abundantly clear.”

“Good,” Annie snapped. “Because you need to hear it.”

“How you feel toward Max doesn’t change my love for him,” Bethanne said, and crossed her arms.

Annie’s face tightened, and her eyes narrowed with impertinence. “I’ll never accept him as my stepfather.”

“I’m not asking you to.” It was important that Annie understood this. “What I’m asking is that you accept him as my husband.”

Annie’s eyes flashed first with defiance and then confusion. “What does that mean?”

“It means that Max and I are married. He lives with me when he can, which unfortunately for the time being isn’t full-time. We’re hoping to change that in the near future.”

“Is he moving to Seattle?” Annie demanded, as though this was the worst possible news.

“We don’t know yet. It’s one option.”

It took a moment for the meaning to soak into Annie’s stubborn brain. “You’re not saying that you’re moving to California full-time?”

“Like I said, I don’t know yet. That’s another possibility, and one we’re thinking through carefully.”

As if she’d received an electric shock from the chair, Annie bolted to her feet. “But what about—”

“No decisions have been made, Annie. Max and I are talking, and I wanted you to be aware that there’s the possibility that I will either sell the business or move our headquarters to another state.”

Her daughter’s mouth took on the appearance of a mounted bass. “Have you lost your mind? I can’t believe you’re actually considering such a thing. You can’t leave Seattle. This is our home … your home,” she amended. “It’s ridiculous … it’s preposterous.” Her eyes narrowed. “Max asked you to do this, didn’t he?”

“Annie, I’ll say it again. Nothing has been decided.”

“Mom,” she cried, and it almost sounded as if she were close to tears. “You aren’t actually considering this, are you?”

“As a matter of fact, I’m giving it serious consideration.”

“And you don’t understand why I detest Max? Look what he’s doing. He’s taking you away from all of us … from Andrew and Courtney. What about the baby? What about me?”

“Can you blame Max for wanting me in California?” she asked softly. Her chest tightened at the pain she saw in her daughter’s eyes. She felt it herself. “Every time he’s in Seattle, there’s drama.”

“Oh, so all this is my fault.” How quickly the angry defiance replaced the hurt and worry.

“You aren’t the only one, Annie. Your father isn’t helping matters any.”

“That’s because he loves you.”

Bethanne disagreed. For a short while, Grant had managed to convince her of his love, but his true colors showed themselves in short order. “I’m sure your father has regrets. He made a mistake, and he’s sorry. The real problem is that his ego can’t accept the fact that I chose another man over him. He might claim undying love, but the only person Grant really loves is himself.”

“How can you say that?” Annie cried. “You don’t know what it’s been like for Dad since you married Max. I worry about him, Mom. It’s like the light has gone out of him. He feels like he’s screwed up his life so badly that he’ll never be the same again. Dad needs you, and you’re turning your back on him.”

“Enough, Annie. I sincerely doubt your father is pining his life away because we’re no longer married.”

“You don’t know anything when it comes to the way Dad feels about you.”