Turning, I found Grace and Andy standing there staring at me in shock. “I’m so sorry. If y’all want to go home, I understand.”
Grace looked at Andy, and Andy gave my mom a disgusted once-over. “I think I’m going to go make some cupcakes. It feels like a Monday, and don’t Mondays just suck?” he asked and turned to shoot me a smile and wink.
“I think I’ll help you.” Grace turned to follow him, and in that moment I wanted to hug them both.
To find out you’ve been working for a complete stranger and then show your support the way they just had—that was something I’d never had in Kentucky. And I loved them even more for it.
“Where are you staying? We’ll go and pack you up.”
“What?” I asked my mom.
“We’re taking you home. Where are you staying?”
“No.” I shook my head, and the ache in my chest over having Brody leave turned into anger. “I left for a reason, I hated that life . . . hated everything about it. All the two of you wanted was a perfect daughter. You were the most detached parents a girl could have!” Looking at my dad, I raised my hand toward him. “And you? I heard you the day I left. You were talking to Charles and his dad about me marrying him so we could merge our stables? I only stayed with him as long as I did because y’all didn’t give me a choice! I never would have married him—having him this close to me now is making me sick. The only reason I stayed in that house as long as I did was because of Barbara. She was more of a parent than either of you, and she was always there for me. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have lasted in that f**king prison of a house!” I screeched, and my chest rose and fell roughly.
“How dare you—” my mom began, but Dad cut her off.
“Young lady, you have forgotten your place in this family.”
“I haven’t. I know exactly where I would be if I were still in your family. But I’m not. This”—I motioned toward my bakery—“is my life now. That man who just left, those two in the back, and this girl are my family now,” I said, gesturing toward Kinlee.
Wiping the wetness from my cheeks, I glanced at Charles, who was studying me silently, then over to Kinlee, who still looked upset, but proud.
Looking back at my parents, I cleared my throat and squared my shoulders. “Now I need to ask you to leave. I’m sorry I left the way I did, but I didn’t have any other option. I don’t want anything to do with y’all, or racing. I just want to continue my life here.”
“Kamryn—”
“Leave. Or I will call the police and have them remove you.” Walking around the counter, I went to stand at the door and held it open. “Don’t come back, and don’t contact me.”
“Charlotte,” my dad said by way of an order.
Mom immediately began walking toward the open door, and at the last second turned to face me, her palm connecting with my cheek before I realized it was coming. I turned my head back to look at her, my eyes wide and mouth open. But I couldn’t say anything else; I was too shocked by the force of her hand.
“You’re an ungrateful little brat. When your world comes crashing down around you, don’t come running home to us. You’ve made your decision, and as far as I’m concerned”—she raised her chin in an attempt to look down on me—“my daughter died a year ago. You have no place in our family anymore. Do you hear me?”
“Charlotte, we’re leaving.”
With one last look, my mom turned to leave, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. Dad was right behind her, but didn’t look at me as he walked out the door.
Charles walked up, his eyes glossing over Kinlee before coming back to rest on me. “Can she give us a minute?”
Kinlee grabbed my hand, and I huffed a short laugh. “She is here for me, and I don’t want to talk to you. Please. Leave.”
His lips pulled up in a small smirk, and one hand came to the back of my neck as he leaned forward to place a kiss on my forehead. I tried leaning back, but his hand held me in place. With the door still open, I could hear the clicks of cameras, and one of the news reporters talking—and I had no doubt Charles was doing this for them.
Moving his lips to the ear farthest from Kinlee, he whispered, “Do you have any idea how much you’ve embarrassed not only your parents but me as well? I won’t be as harsh as your parents, Kamryn. You have a day to change your mind. And if you know what’s good for you, you will,” he said, his tone conveying his warning.
Releasing me so quick that I stumbled back a step from the force of trying to get away from him, he turned and walked away. Slamming the door shut behind him, I locked the deadbolt and turned to throw my arms around Kinlee.
“How the hell did they find you?”
“Olivia,” I cried. “It has to be her. She’s the only one who knew besides you.”
“That stupid fuc—”
A hard sob was wrenched from my chest, and Kinlee tightened her grip on me. “Brody . . .”
“It’s okay,” she crooned softly.
“What do I do, Lee?”
“I thought you’d told him. Why didn’t you?”
Pulling back, I wiped away new tears and shook my head. “I didn’t want anyone to know, I wanted to forget about them. I told you that night because I hated that I’d been lying to you and keeping things from you. With Brody, he never asked other than the first or second time we saw each other. It was easy to forget about them.”