that. I’ll be on my best behavior.”
She didn’t back off, poking me in the chest with a finger. “You better be, ’cause I’m gonna have my eye on you. One more thing—if and when Reed comes home, you’re gonna stay as far away from him as you can. Understand? I don’t want my boy dragged into your trashy lifestyle.”
“Really? My trashy lifestyle?” I was beyond pissed. “Honey, you sound like you’re one step out of the trailer park. You might wanna look in the mirror before you start going on about being trashy.” I leaned forward, forcing her to step back. “And just so you know, my relationship with Reed is absolutely none of your business.”
I unlocked the door, but before I could open it, Tina slapped her palm flat on its wooden surface.
“Bullshit. Tatum, you do not want to fuck with me, little girl. When it comes to my husband or my kid, I will do whatever I need to to protect them. I’m not afraid to get dirty. I will come out on top.”
I was just done. “Whatever.” I opened the door and leaned toward her, making sure nobody else could hear what I whispered. “Hey, Tina, your crazy is showing. You might want to tuck that back in.” Out the door I went without looking back, into a sea of reporters and local politicians who suddenly looked far more appealing than my stepmother.
“Tatum, there you are. I wondered where you’d dashed off to.” Stanford put his hand on my arm.
I stepped away, out of easy reach. “I’m fine. Just needed to powder my nose.” It occurred to me that I was far better equipped to handle the press and the bizarre dynamics of my new little family simply because I’d settled things with Reed the night before. Even though I didn’t expect Tina and I would ever be buddies, just knowing Reed and I were going to be together soon made me feel stronger and more capable.
“I’m going to find Dad,” I said, turning and walking away, not even trying to avoid the crush of photographers with my dad.
Since Tina had thrown down her gauntlet, so to speak, I felt free to ignore her for the rest of the day, and I was surprised to discover that I actually enjoyed the event. Dad gave me a shooting lesson, and I even smiled for the cameras as he instructed me on how to hold the handgun and reload it after I’d emptied the clip. I saw Tina at the other end of the row of targets, smiling and preening for the camera, and I realized—as much as I didn’t like her—she was probably good for Dad’s campaign.
All in all, the day was a big success, and after I’d managed to finally hit the bull’s-eye on the target and eaten way more barbecue than I should have, I walked back toward Stanford’s car with a smile on my face.
“Did you notice toward the end of the day that I had fewer cameras in my face?” I asked as he opened the car door for me.
“I did, but I was expecting it. My research shows that if you comply with a few photograph requests, you’re far more likely to be left alone afterwards. It’s like the photographers can’t help chasing someone who doesn’t want their picture taken. If you can learn to work with the press just a little, you’ll discover you actually have far more privacy.”
“That’s really true? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Would you have believed me?” Stanford walked around and got in the driver’s seat.
“Probably not,” I admitted. I was lost in my thoughts as we headed home, and what really hit me was how making up with Reed—at least by phone—had improved my outlook in general. Even Stanford didn’t seem quite so repellent. I was surprised at how quickly we arrived home, and I put my hand on the car door.
“Tatum, wait,” Stanford said, putting his hand on my knee again. “Are you going to invite me in?”
“Um, I hadn’t planned on it.” I remembered my phone, and my heart leapt at the thought of heading inside to find out Reed’s travel arrangements. “I’m sure I’ll have some work emails to
She didn’t back off, poking me in the chest with a finger. “You better be, ’cause I’m gonna have my eye on you. One more thing—if and when Reed comes home, you’re gonna stay as far away from him as you can. Understand? I don’t want my boy dragged into your trashy lifestyle.”
“Really? My trashy lifestyle?” I was beyond pissed. “Honey, you sound like you’re one step out of the trailer park. You might wanna look in the mirror before you start going on about being trashy.” I leaned forward, forcing her to step back. “And just so you know, my relationship with Reed is absolutely none of your business.”
I unlocked the door, but before I could open it, Tina slapped her palm flat on its wooden surface.
“Bullshit. Tatum, you do not want to fuck with me, little girl. When it comes to my husband or my kid, I will do whatever I need to to protect them. I’m not afraid to get dirty. I will come out on top.”
I was just done. “Whatever.” I opened the door and leaned toward her, making sure nobody else could hear what I whispered. “Hey, Tina, your crazy is showing. You might want to tuck that back in.” Out the door I went without looking back, into a sea of reporters and local politicians who suddenly looked far more appealing than my stepmother.
“Tatum, there you are. I wondered where you’d dashed off to.” Stanford put his hand on my arm.
I stepped away, out of easy reach. “I’m fine. Just needed to powder my nose.” It occurred to me that I was far better equipped to handle the press and the bizarre dynamics of my new little family simply because I’d settled things with Reed the night before. Even though I didn’t expect Tina and I would ever be buddies, just knowing Reed and I were going to be together soon made me feel stronger and more capable.
“I’m going to find Dad,” I said, turning and walking away, not even trying to avoid the crush of photographers with my dad.
Since Tina had thrown down her gauntlet, so to speak, I felt free to ignore her for the rest of the day, and I was surprised to discover that I actually enjoyed the event. Dad gave me a shooting lesson, and I even smiled for the cameras as he instructed me on how to hold the handgun and reload it after I’d emptied the clip. I saw Tina at the other end of the row of targets, smiling and preening for the camera, and I realized—as much as I didn’t like her—she was probably good for Dad’s campaign.
All in all, the day was a big success, and after I’d managed to finally hit the bull’s-eye on the target and eaten way more barbecue than I should have, I walked back toward Stanford’s car with a smile on my face.
“Did you notice toward the end of the day that I had fewer cameras in my face?” I asked as he opened the car door for me.
“I did, but I was expecting it. My research shows that if you comply with a few photograph requests, you’re far more likely to be left alone afterwards. It’s like the photographers can’t help chasing someone who doesn’t want their picture taken. If you can learn to work with the press just a little, you’ll discover you actually have far more privacy.”
“That’s really true? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Would you have believed me?” Stanford walked around and got in the driver’s seat.
“Probably not,” I admitted. I was lost in my thoughts as we headed home, and what really hit me was how making up with Reed—at least by phone—had improved my outlook in general. Even Stanford didn’t seem quite so repellent. I was surprised at how quickly we arrived home, and I put my hand on the car door.
“Tatum, wait,” Stanford said, putting his hand on my knee again. “Are you going to invite me in?”
“Um, I hadn’t planned on it.” I remembered my phone, and my heart leapt at the thought of heading inside to find out Reed’s travel arrangements. “I’m sure I’ll have some work emails to
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