Power Play (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 2)

Me: I know.

He sends me a winky face as Shelli sits down in front of me with a bowl of fruit.

Boon: I’ll see you at dinner?

Me: Yeah, I’m trying to fight off this headache.

Boon: Get some rest. Skip if you need to.

Me: Will do.

I lay down my phone and exhale, rubbing my temples. I’m pretty sure I’m getting a headache from the altitude here in Colorado. I don’t know if it’s because the last time I was here, I was rejected, but I hate being in this damn city. I just want to go back home.

“You okay?” Shelli asks, and I nod.

“Yeah, just feeling a little shitty.”

Concern fills her features. “I thought you got your meds changed?”

“I did, but I still feel off.”

“Maybe you should skip dinner?”

I shrug. “Maybe. I don’t know yet.” I take in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I feel stressed, and I hate that feeling. I know it has a lot to do with how everything went down with Boon’s mom. I usually don’t care if someone doesn’t like me, but it’s my boyfriend’s mom. I don’t want her to hate me, but I also refuse to be a pushover. I will try again, for him, but after that, if she’s still an asshole, then it is what it is. She can hate me all she wants. As long as Boon loves me, I’m good. “Can I ask you something?”

Why did I say that?

Shelli looks up from her bowl. “Sure.”

“Has a boyfriend’s mom ever not liked you?”

She puckers her lips, thinking. “No, everyone has always loved me.”

Of course they have. I don’t know why I even asked her.

“The only one who has ever really mattered is Fallon, and she loves me.”

I groan loudly. “You were the wrong person to ask.”

“Why, what happened? Did Boon’s mom not like you?”

“Shh!” I hiss, and we both look toward my mom’s room before meeting each other’s gaze. “I don’t think so. She was awful to me the other night.”

That protective look comes over her face. Before she can answer, though, my mom asks, “Who was awful to you?”

We both look at her as she walks over to the counter, pouring herself a cup of coffee.

“No one,” I reply, and she raises a brow as she comes to stand beside me.

“Posey Rose, stop lying to me,” she demands, but then her eyes soften. “Are you okay? You look a little pale.”

I wave her off. “I have a headache. I took some aspirin.”

Mom nods slowly, her eyes searching mine before she repeats, “Who was awful to you?”

She and Shelli both look at me, and I feel like I’m being ganged up on. I need some advice on this, though, so instead of shutting down, I say, “I went to dinner with my boyfriend and his mom the other night, and she wasn’t nice to me.”

Shelli’s eyes narrow as my mom says, “Why not? You’re a doll.”

I shrug. “I don’t know. She said that he needed to stay in his lane, that I was too rich for him, that my family would never accept him, and that I didn’t feel for him what he felt for me.”

“What a bitch!” Shelli says, but Mom presses her hand on Shelli’s to calm her down.

Mom may seem calm, but I know she isn’t. “What brought all this on?”

“I have no clue,” I admit. “She was firing questions at me left and right, and I answered very respectfully. But it seemed as if everything I said wasn’t good enough. That I wasn’t good enough. I overheard her saying he needed to stay in his lane, and I got irate. He is perfect for me. Really, he is, and I told her that. I told her she didn’t get to question us or question how I feel because we know how we feel about each other. He got so upset, hollered at her, and we left midway through dinner.”

“Wow,” Shelli says. “I don’t understand.”

“I don’t either. But in her defense, his fiancée who cheated on him was well-off, and apparently her family didn’t fully accept him because of his background.”

“His background?” my mom asks, and I press my lips together. I’m unsure if I should share this or not. Didn’t Boon want me to talk him up? This is the perfect opportunity.

“He grew up poor, but he isn’t anymore. He’s very successful now,” I insist, but my mom shrugs.

“I don’t care if he lives in a box as long as he treats you well and loves you completely.”

My heart skips a beat. I knew my mom wouldn’t let me down in this department. “He does, and I love him.”

My mom’s face breaks into a huge grin as Shelli beams at me. Mom wraps her arms around me, hugging me tightly. “That’s wonderful, sweetie.”

“It is,” I agree. “But I don’t know what to do about his mom.” I reach for my phone, pulling up the text and then reading it out loud. “Posey, I wanted to apologize for my behavior the other night. It was uncalled-for and very rude on my part. I judged you before I even allowed myself to get to know you. I hope you understand that, first and foremost, my job is to protect my son, and after Julia, I’m worried he will get hurt again. I’m not saying I think you will hurt him, but I worry that he wants so much to be in love that he isn’t thinking clearly. I hope for the best, though, so we will see. I hope you will give me another chance to get to know you.”