“I disagree. You’re wrong about this. One hundred percent wrong. He told me to hold on to the things that make me happy with all of my heart. Since Brooke is the only woman who can ever make me happy, I’m holding on to her.”
“He told you that, son?” she asked, her tone much more diffused than when she’d first started in.
“From his deathbed, yes, he did.”
A look of pain came over her face, and I could see she was still grieving. “He had some regrets at the end of his life, but he would not condone your relationship with Brooke. The Blackstone name was too important to him.” She shook her head slowly. “No, he wouldn’t approve, Caleb, not after all he did to make certain you were given the best of everything life had to offer.”
“But isn’t that what any parent does for their child? Want them to be happy and try to give them the best of everything?”
She was frustrated with my logic, I could tell.
“It will never last. Your relationship with Brooke will not stand the pressures of society. She won’t be able to rise above her scandalous past—”
“She doesn’t have a scandalous past, Mom!”
“Brooke will never be accepted as one of the tribe,” she said tightly.
“Brooke doesn’t care about social affairs, and frankly, neither do I. If I don’t go to another event, where the tribe struts around dressed to kill, attempting to blow Chanel-scented smoke up my ass, then I’m good with that. I can still give to the charity without attending.”
“You need a wife who understands how to move in the world you were born into, son.”
“Someone like Janice, you mean?”
“Yes, exactly. The Thorndikes are just as devastated about this as Janice is. Alicia told me how shocked they were to find out you were in another relationship so soon after breaking off with Janice. It doesn’t sit well with them at all.”
“Well, don’t get your hopes up there, because Janice is definitely not a candidate for my future bride. It didn’t sit well with me when I was betrayed by their daughter. I’ll spare you the ugly details and just leave it there. And they are ugly.” She grimaced. “Furthermore, there is only one person who will ever claim the title of Mrs. Caleb Blackstone, and her name is Brooke Casterley.”
“Caleb, for heaven’s sake. We all know Janice, and have for years. I am sure she is not capable of anything any other woman scorned would do given your hasty breakup with her.”
Mother dearest, you have no fucking idea. Obviously Janice’s parents were clueless about the mental nastiness and manipulation she was capable of. I should’ve taken pictures of my bathroom before Ann cleaned it. James had received a few texts from her, since I’d blocked her number. Even James had been surprised at the things she’d told him about me. “She still believes you’ll marry her,” he’d shared with me the other week. “She says you’re only biding time with your ‘English slut’ until you come to your senses and beg her forgiveness for breaking up. She’s fucking delusional, my friend.” I couldn’t agree more. Thank fuck I got away from her when I did.
“Janice is nothing to me and never will be.”
“This is very disappointing, Caleb, and if your father were alive, he’d tell you the same.”
No, he wouldn’t.
“It’s happening, Mom,” I fired back angrily. “The best thing for you to do is let the notion of Janice and me as a couple go. She was never even a consideration for me.”
“So, you truly are going to marry this girl with no family, no money, and no social status of any kind?” she asked, exasperated.
“When she is ready, yes, I am. And I will expect all of my family to welcome her into our tribe with enthusiastic acceptance and kindness. If you can’t do that for Brooke, then you won’t have me in your life, either.” I let her know I was dead fucking serious. “If you don’t believe me, just wait and see what happens.”
I never thought I’d see the day where my mother gave up on any of the standards she held. But after I said that last bit, the fight just went out of her. Surprising. It was strange to witness, because I’d never seen her lose the veil of aloof confidence she always carried around. Ever. Surely this wasn’t the last I’d hear of it.
THE Autumn Ball occurred every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving at the Massachusetts Club in Back Bay. This year would be the 108th black-tie, formal-dress charity ball, and also marked the first public event for Brooke and me. It was, in all respects, our coming-out party. After tonight, there would be no more speculation, or predictions about our relationship, because it would be undeniably confirmed.