“You seem to have no problem flaunting your . . . your what? Friend? I don’t even know what to call him,” Beverly said, her lips twisted into an ugly frown as she stalked around her desk.
“His name is Ty. You can call him my partner. Or my boyfriend. How about prospective son-in-law?”
“Zane Zachary Garrett!” Beverly slapped her hand on the desktop, cheeks flushing. “I will not stand for it! I will not ruin this family’s name by having a son who thinks he’s g*y simply because he’s got an easy screw on hand!”
Zane’s eyes widened, and the anger he’d been trying to hold back broke free. “You are totally out of line.”
“As are you,” Beverly snapped. “He is after your money, pure and simple.”
“You don’t even know him. You’ve said all of three words to him, all of them cruel.”
“I know his type, and they’re all the same no matter what parts they have.”
“I guarantee you’ve never met his type before.”
“Zane.”
“I love him, Mother. And he loves me. It has nothing to do with money.”
“Did he tell you he loved you before or after you mentioned your family was wealthy?”
Her proposition was patently ridiculous, but his analytical mind was forced to stop and a take a moment to consider the answer anyway. It had been after, in fact, but it didn’t matter.
His pause made Beverly close her eyes and sigh deeply. She seemed truly tortured by the revelation, and for a brief moment her defenses dropped and Zane could see the war behind her mask. She was torn between love of her son and prejudices and preconceptions she had held all her life.
Zane stepped forward, desperate to use that torment to his advantage. “Mother. Please, just give him a chance. You said you have only one son, but you could have two if you’d just see him for what he is.”
She pressed her lips into a thin line, fighting not to show any more emotion than she had. She knew it was a weakness Zane would exploit, and she made an effort to bury it away again, right in front of his eyes.
Zane understood suddenly, the realization hitting him like a blast of cold water, what Ty had seen him do so many times.
He was stunned into silence by how badly it hurt.
Beverly took a deep breath. She put her hand on his chest, and when she spoke, her voice wavered. “Have I ever told you how proud I am of you?”
The pain dug deep inside him, and Zane had to choke on a breath to fight back tears. “No, ma’am.”
She pursed her trembling lips and gave a jerky nod. A tear broke free as she stepped closer and hugged him. Her head barely came to his chest. Zane realized he was crying as he hugged her. She felt old and fragile, so very fragile in his hands.
She pushed away and turned, wiping her eyes as she paced away. “I simply can’t, Zane,” she said, her voice ragged but gaining conviction. She shook her head. “You can’t have it both ways.”
“Both ways?”
“You can have your family, Zane. Or you can have him.”
Zane took a step back before he realized he’d given ground. While they had always argued over these things, never had his mother been so cold, so ruthless, and he couldn’t even absorb it as he stared at her. His stomach was roiling.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Zane,” she said with an almost-sympathetic tilt of her head. “It’s my job to protect this family at all costs. You’re my son. But you’re also a drunk and an addict, you’ve got a worthless job with no future, and you’re a widower who’s taken up with another man.”
“I—”
“He’s not interested in you, Zane, merely your family’s fortune. Can’t you see that? He’s no more than a whore who works on credit!”
“That’s too far,” Zane whispered.
“I will not have you running off and marrying that man to give him access to the family’s money.”
“Mother.”
“If you choose him, I will draw up a statement of disavowment, Zane.” Her voice was shaking, but she clearly meant it. “You will be cut off from the family’s fortune to protect it.”
Zane thought he might throw up right there on the carpet. She actually believed this would put him in his place.
“It’s really very simple,” Beverly said. She took a step toward him and put her hands on his arm. “You don’t even have to go back to Baltimore. All you have to do is call in to start the retirement paperwork. We love you, Zane. You need to be at home.”
The bile rising in his throat kept him from answering. There was roaring in his ears, and he wanted to roar along with it and rail at her, but he couldn’t find the words. She’d never had a chance, despite what she thought.
“You’re talking about my partner. The man I love.”
“Zane. Blood is thicker than water.”
Zane’s body went cold. “Mother, he’s shed more blood for me than you ever will.”
He turned and headed for the door.
“I’m not bluffing, Zane!” she called after him. “At least think about it!”
Zane rushed out of the house, blinded by rage so intense he thought he might injure himself if he didn’t dispel it somehow. He shoved the front door open and began to pace on the front porch, dragging his hand through his hair.
The floorboards creaked behind him and he whirled to give his mother another piece of his mind. He drew up short when he found Ty standing there.
“You okay?” Ty asked, his voice gentle.
Zane struggled for a breath and realized he was about to start hyperventilating. He was definitely not okay.
The next thing he knew, Ty was beside him and pulling him into a tight embrace. He squeezed his eyes shut and clutched at Ty’s shirt, hurting so much he couldn’t imagine standing at all if it weren’t for Ty holding him up. Ty’s hand came to rest on the back of Zane’s head.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “Breathe.”
Zane was shaking, falling apart. His own mother. “Ty, she—”
“I know, I heard.” The anger in Ty’s voice was masked by layers of warmth and support as he murmured into Zane’s ear. “Family ain’t all about blood, Zane. It’ll be okay.”
The soft West Virginia twang was more comforting than Zane would have expected, but he still buried his face in the crook of Ty’s neck. He just needed another minute to let the pain peak. He could understand why she didn’t like that he was with Ty. Prejudices ran deep, as did the desire to continue the Garrett name, and to Beverly Carter-Garrett, appearances were everything. But couldn’t she just be pleased to have him happy, like a real mother? Why the hell couldn’t she give Ty a chance?