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After returning to the hotel, Cruz told her Presley how he needed to check some emails and check in back home on things he’d left behind and how he’d meet her in the hotel restaurant after she’d eaten breakfast. He told her he’d snuck into the room when she was sleeping through the night to grab his laptop and took it back to the other room. She was annoyed she’d not even noticed he’d come into the room while she slept.
Irritated she’d made a point to deadbolt the door after she’d gone back to her room to get ready for the day.
She wasn’t waiting around for him to ruin her day. After getting showered and dressed, she made her way down to the lobby and spoke with the concierge about getting a train into Cannes. With a quick explanation and the concierge service actually helping her book her tickets on her phone, she was on her way to the nearby train station.
She realized she had thirty minutes before her train arrived and she sat on a bench in the sunshine and dug out her phone. She noted a missed call from home and sighed before returning the call to her mother. It was coming on eleven back home and it was possible her mother was already in bed but thought she’d her try
anyway.
Her mother answered immediately, sounding a bit out of breath.
“Hi Mom. Did I wake you?”
“No. You caught me as I was pulling my nightgown over my head.” Her mother huffed, “How are you? Do you feel better after a night of sleep?”
“I’m okay.”
“You sound tired,” her mother commented. “Is Cruz still giving you a hard time?”
“He would be if he was with me, but I ditched him at the hotel. I’m on my way to Cannes. I’m going to go
explore.”
“Ooh, Cannes is so pretty. You’ll love it. The rich and fabulous. Make sure you take sneaky photos if you see
celebrities.”
She laughed at her mother’s words. “What were you calling me for me, Mom? It’s late there.”
“It is. I’m worried about you. I was thinking of you yesterday and how upset you were over your father giving Cruz your itinerary. I don’t like knowing you’re hurting and it’s because of us.”
“Are you calling to tell me I need to forgive him?”
“Nope. In your shoes I’d be pissed too, and I’m not mediating this time. He f****d up. He needs to make his own amends. I will say Odin was over earlier this evening acting like his asshole self and demanding your number. Your father threw him out after they got into a screaming match.”
“What happened?”
“Your father caught him on his computer.”
“He was on Dad’s computer?”
“Yes. Odin got pissed off and said how at brunch he offered you his password for the computer and got in your father’s face about the double standards. Gavin reminded Odin the last time he gave him access to his
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computer, he went looking for ways to transfer money from your father’s accounts to his.”
“I think he must have gotten into the computer Mom because Odin Odin, called me yesterday. I don’t think he’s ever called me before, so he needed to get my number somehow. It was around seven my time so the morning for him and he was unhinged, Mom.“.
“The time doesn’t make sense though. He was here tonight.” She gave a groan, “he told us he’d eaten breakfast with his mom. I bet her got into her phone. What the hell did he want?”
“He was tearing into me about being on vacation and how I needed to get home so he could get his money. I told him I wasn’t coming home until July, and he said the day I get back we need to do brunch. Cruz was standing right there when Odin tore into me, and he was calling me a bunch of four–letter words which made Cruz grab my phone from me and give Odin hell.”
“Did he? Unexpected.”
“He did. Also, Mom, I hate to tell you this, but Cruz told me something last night at dinner and I was debating telling you. I feel like you have the right to know but I know it’s going to hurt you.”
“What is it honey?”
“Did you know Odin accused you of beating him?” Her mother’s silence spoke to her surprise and Presley immediately felt horrible for her mom. “Cruz told me last night he didn’t do half the things he took the blame
for. He said Odin convinced him since you wouldn’t hit Cruz, it was better if Cruz took the blame for s**t. I
guess Odin even showed them bruises all over his back and backside and told his friends it was from you.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“I wish I was, Mom. Also, I guess Odin told them he would kill himself if they didn’t do a lot of the stuff he
wanted to do.”
“Holy f**k,” her mother’s voice cracked. “I swear as a child psychologist I have strong reservations about
labels like sociopaths, especially in children but if ever a kid fit the bill, Odin Brookmore fit the bill.” Her breath
was loud as she exhaled, “they believed him when he said I beat them?”
“Apparently he bore fist marks on his back.” She heard her mother sniff, and Presley was second guessing
whether she should have told her.
“I would never hit a kid, Presley,” her mother’s voice shook with the emotion. “How could he say such a thing?”
“I don’t know, Mom but allegedly it’s why Cruz took all the blame for Odin. He didn’t deny doing a lot of the
things with Odin and being engaged with the pranks and stuff, but he swears he did most of it to cheer Odin
up because he was suicidal and scared of you.”
“You don’t believe,” her mother’s voice trailed off.
“Not in a million years, Mom. In fact, after talking to Cruz last night, he realized Odin was manipulating him
and Anderson. He doesn’t believe it either. I’m sorry Mom. Maybe I shouldn’t have told you. If it wasn’t still a
problem, I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
“No. I’m glad I know.”
“Where is Dad?”
“In his office. He is trying to get caught up on a bunch of work.”
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“Mom, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“I feel terrible I’ve hurt you. I shouldn’t have told you.”
“I have a right to know I’m being accused of such a thing. I simply don’t know why nobody ever said it before.
I mean if he was telling the boys who else was he telling?” Scarlett’s voice was shaking.
“Mom,” Presley felt her own tears on her cheeks.
“I think I need a good hot bath, a glass of wine and then bed. Enjoy Cannes sweetheart, take loads of pictures and selfies and send them to me, okay?”
“Okay, Mom. I love you,” she waited for her mother’s response and then when they said goodbye she immediately dialed her father’s number. It didn’t matter how angry she was at him, she was going to make
sure her mother was taken care of.
“Hey P.” He answered first ring, “I’m glad you called.”
“I f****d up, Dad.”
“What happened sweetie?”
“Cruz told me something and I shared it with Mom just now and I think it’s really hurt her, and I think she’s
quite upset.”
“What is it?”
“Did you know Odin told people Mom beat him?”
“Are you f*****g kidding me?” her father’s voice rose more than an octave.
“No. Cruz told me half of the things he took credit for, like when he tore up all my paintings off the fridge, it was because he was trying to make sure Mom didn’t beat Odin again.”
“I’m going to kill the fucker.”
“Mom’s really upset, Dad. I shouldn’t have told her. I felt she deserved to know but now I’m wishing I’d kept my mouth shut. Cruz told me about all these bruises which were fist sized on his back.”
“I’ll go check on her. Don’t worry about it, Presley. She deserved to know such an awful thing being spread about her. I’ll take care of her.” Her father took a breath, “how are things with Cruz?”
“What do you think? His father called him last night and asked whether or not I agreed yet to the marriage.”
“Marriage?” Gavin questioned, “what f*****g marriage?”
“Apparently Mr. Hawley wants Cruz to marry Gavin Brookmore’s greatest mistake.”
Her father was quiet for a heartbeat and then he questioned with a snarl, “I’m sorry, Presley, I think I heard you incorrectly.”
“Mr. Hawley called Cruz and told him he was expecting him to marry your greatest mistake. He also said the only reason you gave Cruz my itinerary was because he threatened you financially.”
“The lying piece of s**t. I gave Cruz your itinerary because I feel strongly there is unresolved issues between the two of you and as your father, I want to see you get over the anger and the pain. I didn’t send him there so you could be coerced into being married to a man you barely tolerate. I was hoping, with all my heart, you two
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would resolve the issues and you’d be able to let go of the rage you feel towards him because it’s not good for you. As for my greatest mistake, I want you to forget whatever the jackass even suggested such a thing. You, my sweet daughter, are the best thing to ever happen to me. If it hadn’t been for you, for your mom getting pregnant with you, my life would have been a shallow, hollow miserable existence. I love you. I love you more than anything in the world. I might not be the best Dad in the world but never, not ever, would I have considered you á mistake. It is not a thought which has ever entered my head. Hawley is a giant ass wipe. I golf with him once a month but we’re not friends. Especially now.”
She blinked and wiped tears off her cheeks with her palms. “Dad.”
“I know you’re angry with me and you have every right to be. I said things earlier which were ill–advised, and I misspoke but baby girl, you are my girl, and I love you. The last thing I want for you is to be forced to marry into the Hawley family.”
“He said he was going to pull all his business from you.”
“Let him. I don’t give a shit.” Gavin Brookmore grunted. “I have enough money in my bank account I could retire today, let my VP take over the business and be done with it. I mean I’m only fifty–five and I have tons of life left in me to work but never at the expense of my daughter.”
“Thanks Dad.”
“I love you, P.”
“I love you too, Dad. I’m still mad at you.”
“Rightly so. I’m going to go talk to your mom and make sure she’s okay. Thank you for calling me.”
“Give her a hug for me, please.”
“I will. Enjoy your day sweetheart.”
As she hung up the phone, she noted her train was approaching and she pushed off the little bench and made her way to the carriage. The way it stood right now her day was off to a terrible start. She really hoped Cannes would improve her mood.
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