Forbidden Love

3

Lourde

Everything in the world was right. Mind-blowing sex with Barrett on his walnut desk while he gently squeezed my neck. Oh hell, I need more of that. A new job and now the only thing holding me back from true and utter liberation was minutes away.

Mom and Dad sat at opposite ends of the dinner table with me between them. They hadn’t said much to each other all evening, and this was becoming the new normal.

I twirled the last strand of pasta on my fork and swallowed it down while checking my phone. My two besties, Pepper and Grace, were still in the Hamptons with their boyfriends. I'd been slack, not getting back to their mountains of texts and calls. The last time we spoke, I was crying my eyes out on the ride back from the Hamptons when Barrett didn't want anything to do with me, and now, well, we had so much to talk about.

I put my iPhone down, resolute on calling them back tonight. I’d finished my plate of tagliatelle vongole, and it was now or never.

Telling them about my new job could wait. I had more important things on my mind. I took a deep breath to try to figure out how to approach them with the news.

Screw it, no time like the present.

“So, Mom, Dad, I’m moving out.”

There it is.

The clang of Mom’s cutlery pulled everyone's attention.

“What? Why?” She gasped, taking her hand to her head and patting her forehead in distress over my announcement.

“Because I’m twenty-three, Mom, and I need my space.”

“Where are you thinking, luv?” Dad asked, taking the napkin to his mouth.

“I don’t know. I was hoping I could stay in one of your apartments, maybe in Tribeca or Soho?”

“Of course, dear, you can stay in any of them,” Dad said.

“But Alfred, shouldn’t we discuss this?” Mom glared at her husband.

“I don’t see why. Lourde is a responsible adult who can choose her own path in life.”

The way he rounded out choose had me wondering if he felt stifled and trapped like me. But everything was all right between my parents, wasn’t it? They seemed to argue more lately, and I wondered if it was to do with the stress of Dad stepping down soon and grooming my brother to take over the media empire–which it seemed he wasn’t really interested in–or was it something else?

Dad stood, his fingers splayed across the marble table as he rested on it. “I think you should do it, although this house will definitely miss your presence. You do you, Lourde.”

“Thanks, Daddy.” Instantly I got up, my movement sending the chair dragging back on the marble tiles. I walked over and stepped in to hug him, squeezing him tight.

Mom huffed out a sigh. “If that’s what you truly want, Lourde, then I think the Tribeca apartment would be perfect. It has more security than any of the others.”

Not believing that this day could get any better, I moved away from Dad and toward Mom. “Mom, thank you,” I said, giving her an awkward, half-standing, half-sitting hug.

“You want a job and now you’re moving out!” She shook her head. “What’s next?”

Unsure if her question was rhetorical or not, I stayed silent.

“You’re right, this place will be so empty without you in it, Lourde.” I saw the glare she threw at her husband, but I didn’t care. Right now, I had to plan moving out, and no lover’s quarrel could temper my excitement.

“I’ve got to tell the girls!” I said, grabbing my phone and running toward my room.

I flopped down on my bed and kicked my legs back and forth, unable to contain my excitement.

Quickly, I video dialed Pepper and Grace.

“What’s up, girlfriend” Pepper smiled, her lips cherry red and unruly black curls surrounding her face.

“Pepper!” I shrieked. “I’m moving out.”

“You’re what?” Grace said, joining the call.

“I am moving out. I told Mom and Dad tonight at dinner, and they gave me their blessing.”

“Finally!” Pepper clapped her hands together. “Where to?”

“Their apartment in Tribeca. Apparently, it has extra security, and it’s in a really cool part of town. I’m just so excited. Will you come back and help me move in?” I pleaded.

“Absolutely, I could do a few days apart from Jake,” Pepper said.

“Why, what’s happening with Jake?” I asked.

“He’s on his period. Seriously, the guy is so moody lately, he keeps calling me spoiled. Can you believe that? You know it’s not my fault I come from money.”

“Tell me about it.” I groaned. “Hunter was the same.”

Behind Pepper, I could make out my ex, Hunter, talking with Jake and Dane. It was hard to believe that only a few weeks earlier, I was in the Hamptons with my now ex, Hunter, thinking he was going to propose but instead, finding him fucking some bimbo in the sand dunes.

With nowhere to go, my brother called his best friend, Barrett Black, knowing he was in the Hamptons for work. Barrett picked me up, took me in, and that’s when my brother’s best friend turned into way more than I expected, even though I always wanted it to. He opened my eyes to possibilities beyond the chains of my rich and glamorous existence.

“These guys just throw that in our face. Sometimes Dane makes comments. I just have to brush off,” Grace said.

“Anyway, screw him. It’s not about Jake and me. It is about you.”

“How have you been since the Barrett breakup? You were so distraught on the drive back, but it’s like you’ve forgotten about him!” Grace said.

“It's probably because of Finigan Connolly,” Pepper added.