Chapter 24
“Having fun?” Garret asked Monica twenty minutes later. She stood at the edge of the dance floor holding an empty tray. It appeared as if she was looking for someone in the crowd, Harrison perhaps?
Startled, Monica turned to face Garret. “Well, not really. This isn’t how I expected to spend my evening.”
Garret brushed the side of her face with his fingertips. Guileless blue eyes looked back at him. He was fairly certain his father was somewhere watching. “You could come home with me. I promise you’ll have a much better time.”
“Who are you?” She thought he looked like a much younger version of Harrison.
“My name is Garret, Garret Coulson.”
“I…I need to go.” Monica started to walk away.
“No, come with me first, I’d like to show you something.”
Without giving her a chance to resist, Garret took the serving tray from her hand and placed it on a nearby table. He then grabbed her wrist and began leading her toward a door. Monica looked around frantically but let Garret lead her out of the lobby and into a secluded hallway.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“I just want to talk to you. It’s awful noisy in there.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
When they were alone in the hallway, Garret released her and asked, “What do you see in him?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” she said, her voice wavering.
“My father.”
“How do you know?” she whispered guiltily.
“It doesn’t matter. How old are you?”
She didn’t answer immediately. Finally, she said, “Twenty-five.”
“Good lord, you’re my age! He’s married. Do you think he’s going to leave my mother?”
“I love him.”
“Fuck.” Garret rubbed his forehead. “Has he made you any promises?”
“Promises?”
“Did he say he was going to leave my mother?”
“Please don’t hate me,” Monica begged. “But I love your father; I can make him happy.”
“I’m going to warn you—if you have any grand ideas of getting pregnant, trying to force him to leave my mother to marry you, he had a vasectomy. He can’t get you pregnant.”
Monica didn’t respond. She hadn’t known he had a vasectomy; they had never discussed it. But when they first started their affair, Harrison refused to use a condom, telling her not to worry about it; he was taking care of things. She thought that meant he would marry her if she got pregnant. In fact, she assumed that was what he secretly wanted—for her to get pregnant and then he would be able to end his loveless marriage.
“What’s your name?”
“Monica.”
“How did you meet my father?”
“Are you going to tell your mother about me?”
“No.”
“I was a cocktail waitress at the Roseville.”
“So Dad picked you up there?” Garret was disgusted.
“No, it wasn’t your father’s fault. He was always so nice to me, so charming. He never made any advances. I promise. He used to come into the bar with another woman, but not your mother. I’d seen your mother before.” She paused for a moment.
“Go on.”
“Well, I was working and I overheard your father break up with her. He told her she was getting too serious and that he didn’t want that kind of relationship. When she left the bar I approached him.”
“What do you mean?”
“I told him I’d had a crush on him forever, and if he ever wanted to go out—or whatever, I would be there. No strings.”
“Is it his money?”
“No!” She sounded insulted. “I love your father. Your mother doesn’t love him. I can tell. When I see them together, she never touches him. I’m sorry. I know she’s your mother. But I knew I could make him happy. And I do.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“Do you hate me?”
“No. But I don’t know why you’d care.”
“You’re Harrison’s son.”
“So?”
“Well, if Harrison ever left your mother… I would be your step-mother.”
“Monica, you’re wasting your life on my father. I seriously doubt he’s going to leave my mother. For one thing, my grandfather does not believe in divorce, and if you know anything about my family, you’d know my father doesn’t cross his father.”
“I don’t know about any of that. I just know how I feel.”
“I’m going back to the party now. I’ve said all I have to say. For your own good, I wish you’d reconsider this relationship. It’s not good for you.” Without saying another word, Garret returned to the party.
After Garret left, Monica lingered in the hallway alone, considering all that had been said. Before she had a chance to return to the lobby, Harrison burst into the hallway, clearly angry.
“What the fuck were you doing with my son in the hallway all this time?”
“Nothing, Harrison. Just talking, honest.”
“Talking about what?”
“Nothing important.”
“Are you fucking my son?”
“I just met him!” Tears filled her eyes.
“Don’t lie to me.”
“Please, Harrison, don’t talk to me like that. I love you. I didn’t do anything with your son. I was just trying to be friendly.”
“I pay for your apartment; I give you a very generous allowance. So I don’t expect you to screw around, especially with my son.”
For the first time in their relationship, Monica felt like a whore—bought and paid for by the mighty Harrison Coulson. In spite of her feelings, she didn’t want Harrison to be mad at her. She reached out for his hand, but he pushed her away and left her standing alone in the hallway.