don’t I invite some reporters in here to get the scoop too?”
That seemed to get his attention. He stiffened then set my glass on the bathroom counter. “You’re months shy of your thirtieth birthday, Joseph. Is it too much to ask you to act your age?”
“Is it too much to ask you to actually love me for me instead of my political potential?” The alcohol had loosened my tongue, and the words were out before I could stop them, but I was still sober enough to instantly regret it. As a young child, I’d learned to not show any sign of weakness to my father or he would use it against me. I’d be revisited by that gem, whether it be now or later.
Over the last few weeks, while I’d had plenty of time to wallow in my misery, I realized that was where I had screwed up so royally.
I’d let my parents know that I actually loved someone.
I thought my mother, who had begun to lament the fact she was never going to be a grandmother, would be thrilled that there were grandbabies on the horizon. I was too blind to admit they’d never approve of Rose. But then, I thought Rose would win them over—how could anyone meet Rose and not love her? I should have known they would never accept anyone other than Hilary as my wife.
God, I’d been so stupid.
And now I was paying the price.
Disgust twisted his mouth into a sneer. “Love has nothing to do with this! It’s about respect and right now not only are you treating me with disrespect, you’re treating your candidacy as a joke.”
I stiffened. “You’re right. The candidacy deserves more respect from me, but you, on the other hand, do not. You have to earn respect and I can’t think of a single thing you’ve done to earn mine.”
My father’s reddened face darkened. “I’ll be more lenient since you are obviously drunk, but I will remind you now, and then again when you’re more sober, that there is much more at stake than your pride, Joseph.”
I clenched my fists. “Just leave her out of this.”
“You have to accept that there is no life for you with Rose Gardner. She’s moving on without you and you need to do the same.” He picked up his briefcase and set it on the chair next to me.
I turned to look out the window out into the parking lot. “I don’t want to talk about Rose.” That was a flat-out lie. I wanted to talk about Rose and ached to actually talk to her. How many times had I picked up my phone and almost called her? But I didn’t want to talk about her with him .
He pulled a folder from his bag and held it toward me. “She’s still working with that drug addict she hired and she’s been spending a large amount of time with that televangelist. I believe they’ve begun a relationship.”
“ Jonah Pruitt ?” I asked before I could stop myself. My gaze landed on the folder.
A hint of a grin lifted his mouth. “Yes, I believe that’s his name. I have several photos of them embracing. She’s been seen coming and going from his home and spending hours with him.”
Anger surged in my chest, boiling my blood. “You’ve had her watched?” But beyond my irritation at his surveillance, anger that she’d already moved on, and who she’d moved on with , filled my head. I’d always presumed she’d end up with Mason. Was she upset and devastated enough to end up with that low-life Pruitt? His mother almost killed her and then he must have swooped in and took advantage of her vulnerable state. How could Mason let this happen? I wanted to drive to Henryetta and beat the shit out of both of them.
Just to drive his point home, Dad set the folder on the table and opened it, spreading photos of a woman with Jonah. I tried to look away, but my traitorous eyes refused. The two people in the photo were undeniably Rose and Jonah, and there was no doubt they were embracing. To prove his point, they were in different clothes in three set of photos. His investigator had caught them at least three times. Tears filled my eyes.
“I see that
That seemed to get his attention. He stiffened then set my glass on the bathroom counter. “You’re months shy of your thirtieth birthday, Joseph. Is it too much to ask you to act your age?”
“Is it too much to ask you to actually love me for me instead of my political potential?” The alcohol had loosened my tongue, and the words were out before I could stop them, but I was still sober enough to instantly regret it. As a young child, I’d learned to not show any sign of weakness to my father or he would use it against me. I’d be revisited by that gem, whether it be now or later.
Over the last few weeks, while I’d had plenty of time to wallow in my misery, I realized that was where I had screwed up so royally.
I’d let my parents know that I actually loved someone.
I thought my mother, who had begun to lament the fact she was never going to be a grandmother, would be thrilled that there were grandbabies on the horizon. I was too blind to admit they’d never approve of Rose. But then, I thought Rose would win them over—how could anyone meet Rose and not love her? I should have known they would never accept anyone other than Hilary as my wife.
God, I’d been so stupid.
And now I was paying the price.
Disgust twisted his mouth into a sneer. “Love has nothing to do with this! It’s about respect and right now not only are you treating me with disrespect, you’re treating your candidacy as a joke.”
I stiffened. “You’re right. The candidacy deserves more respect from me, but you, on the other hand, do not. You have to earn respect and I can’t think of a single thing you’ve done to earn mine.”
My father’s reddened face darkened. “I’ll be more lenient since you are obviously drunk, but I will remind you now, and then again when you’re more sober, that there is much more at stake than your pride, Joseph.”
I clenched my fists. “Just leave her out of this.”
“You have to accept that there is no life for you with Rose Gardner. She’s moving on without you and you need to do the same.” He picked up his briefcase and set it on the chair next to me.
I turned to look out the window out into the parking lot. “I don’t want to talk about Rose.” That was a flat-out lie. I wanted to talk about Rose and ached to actually talk to her. How many times had I picked up my phone and almost called her? But I didn’t want to talk about her with him .
He pulled a folder from his bag and held it toward me. “She’s still working with that drug addict she hired and she’s been spending a large amount of time with that televangelist. I believe they’ve begun a relationship.”
“ Jonah Pruitt ?” I asked before I could stop myself. My gaze landed on the folder.
A hint of a grin lifted his mouth. “Yes, I believe that’s his name. I have several photos of them embracing. She’s been seen coming and going from his home and spending hours with him.”
Anger surged in my chest, boiling my blood. “You’ve had her watched?” But beyond my irritation at his surveillance, anger that she’d already moved on, and who she’d moved on with , filled my head. I’d always presumed she’d end up with Mason. Was she upset and devastated enough to end up with that low-life Pruitt? His mother almost killed her and then he must have swooped in and took advantage of her vulnerable state. How could Mason let this happen? I wanted to drive to Henryetta and beat the shit out of both of them.
Just to drive his point home, Dad set the folder on the table and opened it, spreading photos of a woman with Jonah. I tried to look away, but my traitorous eyes refused. The two people in the photo were undeniably Rose and Jonah, and there was no doubt they were embracing. To prove his point, they were in different clothes in three set of photos. His investigator had caught them at least three times. Tears filled my eyes.
“I see that
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