Love Handles (Oakland Hills #1)(79)

“You didn’t even bother to go to the funeral.”

“Not like he’d notice. Besides, Mom said I didn’t have to.”

“She told me the same thing. I went anyway,” Bev said.

“That’s because you’re always trying to be better than everybody else.”

What was it with the insults about her sincerity? “And you never think the rules apply to you because you’re so special.” Bev looked at her watch. “I’m going to work.”

“It’s Saturday!”

In less than a week she would be flying to Minneapolis with Liam. “As you pointed out, I’ve got to try to be better than everyone else.”

Kate huffed and slapped the stop button on the treadmill. “If you’re not going to let me help out at Fite, I might as well go home.”

“Don’t be that way.”

“What? If you don’t trust me to help out at Fite, why should I stay?”

“Because I’m going to convince Mom to go home tomorrow and I don’t want to be here alone. We still don’t know who broke in.”

“Please. Not that he has to break anything now.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Why steal it if the cow’s giving it out for free? Isn’t it obvious? Gramps was pimping you out. He probably planned it this way all along.”

Feeling a chill settle over her shoulders, Bev lowered her voice. “Maybe you should go home. Nobody’s stopping you.”

“I mean, all he has to do to take over Fite is take over you. And you’re hardly playing hard to get. ‘Oh, Liam! You’re the best thing evah!’”

Bev’s hands shook. “I’m going to finish getting ready for work. I’ll be gone for the rest of the day. If you’re serious about your threat to leave, now would be the time to follow through. Not that you follow through on anything.”

Kate pointed a finger. “Just because I see right through him.”

Gail came into the room peeling a low-fat string cheese from its wrapper. “Girls! Now don’t you start. ”

Kate gave Bev a narrow-eyed, daring, evil smile, and said nothing. “I’ve been dismissed, so I’m going home.”

Gail’s eyes went wide. “But I just got here!”

“Bev says there’s no way in hell she’ll let me work at Fite. Can you believe that?”

“Really, Bev!”

“Or you either, Mom,” Bev said. “Sorry, but if that’s why you’re here, you’d better go with Kate.”

Gail stared at her. “Excuse me?”

“Fite can’t handle more people at the top steering it in different directions. There are great people there who can bring Fite around. It’s my job to make sure they get the chance to do it.”

“Now hold on there, Beverly Moon Lewis,” Gail said, voice low. “I put up with that kind of talk last night, but no more.” She pointed at the couch. “Both of you, sit.”

“I won’t change my mind,” Bev said firmly.

“Oh, I think you will.” She wiggled her finger.

Kate flung herself on the sofa, pretending not to care, but Bev stayed on her feet.

Her mother frowned at her, pursing her lips, but continued, “First of all, I think that doggie idea is wonderful, and so does Ellen. She said it was amazing nobody had thought of it yet.”

“When did Ellen say that?” Bev asked.

“We spoke early this morning. New York hours. And that’s not all she said, but we’ll go over it when she gets here.”

Bev pointed at her. “No. She is not getting involved. You are not getting involved.”

Gail went over and stood next to Kate on the sofa. “I’m amazed that you continue to hold onto this crazy idea that you can stop Ellen from running her own company.”

“It isn’t hers. If Grandfather had left it to her, she would have sold it by now,” Bev said. “She just wants the money.”

Gail let out a deep breath. “Obviously I got here just in time. Listen to you. Some people are cut out for this business. Some people are not. The sooner you get back home to something not so stressful, where you can be yourself, the better.”

“Enough!” Bev ran a hand through her hair. “You’ve never understood me. You think I became a teacher because I didn’t like stress? Have you ever been inside a classroom?” She threw up her hands. “Of course not. You haven’t been inside a school since you were seventeen. Certainly none of mine.”

Her mother’s eyes went wide. “You’ll thank me,” she said finally, her voice rough. “You’re obviously breaking under the stress. Stress floods your skin with free radicals. Do you want to lose your looks before you turn thirty?”

Bev marched over to the foyer. She didn’t have time for this. “I turned thirty last December.” She slung her purse over her shoulder. “Is that all you’ve got? Because I’ve got different values than you do. If I get prematurely saggy and gray, at least I’ll have something I can be proud of that isn’t reflected in a mirror.”

That hit home. Gail sucked in her breath through her teeth. “Who do you think owns this house you’re living in?”