How to Love Your Neighbour(94)

Tammy’s laugh was shrill. “Please. Call me Tammy. Grace and I were just chatting about the house. Sure would be nice if you’d make some breakfast, Grace. It’s the least you could do.”

Grace was torn. She did not want to have a scene with her mother in front of Noah.

“We could go out for breakfast,” Noah suggested, his attention focused on Grace. She knew he was trying to read her, figure out what she wanted, but she couldn’t deal with both of them. She wanted to protect Noah from the ugliness of her mother’s words.

Tammy perked up. “That sounds great. I’ll get changed. I’ll need to borrow some of your clothes and makeup, Grace.”

No. She wasn’t a helpless kid. She was an adult woman who made her own way. Noah pulled Grace into his side but she barely felt the embrace. She was tired of lying down, avoiding conflict to look like the bigger person. She was tired of holding back and holding in. Telling Noah she’d loved him last night had set her free, and right now she needed to free this part of herself. The angry, hurt girl who had always made do because she’d never had any other choice.

“No.” The word came out harsh.

“You okay?” Noah said, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek.

“No. You should go.” She needed to do this on her own.

“Grace.” The one word was strained.

“That’s rude, Grace,” Tammy said.

She looked at Noah, cupped his cheek, drawing strength from the look in his gaze, the one that said he had her back. “I’m okay. But I need to do this alone. Please.”

He frowned, clearly struggling with what he wanted to do versus what she was asking. “I’m right next door.”

Tammy glared at her as Noah left. But his faith in her made her stronger.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Grace said.

“You should take your own advice,” Tammy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Excuse me?”

“You didn’t exactly give him a reason to stay, now, did you?”

“I’m not talking about my relationship with you. We’re ending this now. You’re leaving.”

“Like I said, I’ll take whatever market value is for this place and be on my way.”

A wave of nausea rolled through Grace. She leaned on the counter. “That’s not happening.”

“Fine. My lawyer only gets paid if I do, so even if I get nothing, I win. Your name won’t be in any more fancy magazines after this.”

Her stomach dropped. “Why are you like this?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It didn’t have to be like this,” Grace said.

“You’re right. It doesn’t have to be like this. You’re always talking about choices. Now you have to make one. Give me my house or give me my money. Borrow it from your boyfriend if you have to. It’s pocket change to him.”

“You’re not getting anything from me or from Noah. You don’t deserve anything. From anyone.”

Tammy stepped closer until she was in Grace’s personal space. The hard look in her eyes was all too familiar.

“Life doesn’t always give you what you deserve. You need to learn that lesson. As your mother, I ought to be the one to teach you. What do you want more: me out of your life or a life with that man? Because I’m pretty sure my presence alone could mess that up. Even if it doesn’t—and make no mistake, there are plenty of ways it could—your career will take a hit when I contact the media, when you’re dragged through the mud. Social media is a beautiful thing, my girl. I can reach out to any news outlet with a simple post. Tag Noah’s name to it? That’s got gold mine written all over it.”

Grace pushed off the counter. “I wanted to understand why you were this way but it doesn’t matter. None of it matters. I can’t go back. I won’t. You aren’t worth the fight and you sure as hell aren’t worth the attention. You’re nothing to me. You have no idea what family, loyalty, or love mean. But I’ll get you your money. It’ll come with an NDA and an agreement that you never darken my doorstep again.”

It hurt, saying the words, but it also healed. She didn’t want to give her the money and had no idea where she’d get it, but she wanted to protect Noah more.

“Whatever it takes.” Tammy gave a self-satisfied smile.

“Get out. You can come back tomorrow morning and that’ll be the last time I see you.”

She shrugged it off like she was devoid of human emotions. “Fine. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

Grace laughed bitterly as Tammy turned to leave the kitchen.

“That’s the first time you’ve ever said those words and meant them.”

Her mother didn’t even reply. Which was fine. Grace was done listening.





44


Grace felt like she’d put caffeine right into her veins. She couldn’t control her jerky movements as she paced her house. Noah had phoned a record number of times but she needed to close this chapter of her life before she could go to him. She’d texted and told him to just give her until this afternoon.

After Tammy left yesterday, she’d showered off the visit, gone to the bank, and taken a loan against her home. With a check in hand, she’d drafted up the papers for her mother to sign and had them checked by the same lawyer who helped her with Noah’s contract.