Page 13 of Scandalous Contract

I lowered my menu, stomach dropping. “What about them?”

“I meant to call and tell you earlier,” India started, biting her lip. “But you know how busy school gets, exams, lectures, and I just, um...”

“Spit it out, Indi.”

“I’m actually staying with some friends for spring break,” she blurted out.

I blinked. Once. Twice. Three times.

“You’re what?” I asked, hoping I sounded calm, fearing I didn’t.

India winced. “Mom, don’t look at me like that. Please.”

“How am I looking at you?”

“Like I just told you I’m dropping out to become a full-time influencer.”

“That would be worse,” I muttered. “Barely.”

India sighed, placing her hands on the table like she was about to present a case to a jury.

“I’m staying here with my friends,” she explained. “We’re having a girls’ week. You know, movie nights, beach trips, exploring the city. We planned it all out.”

We? Not we as in India and I. We, as in her friends. My stomach tightened, and I hated the feeling. It was petty, selfish even, but I had planned on a little mother and daughter time this week.

I had booked the Airbnb. I had cleared my schedule. I had looked forward to spending time with my daughter. And now, she had her own plans. I should have expected this. This was what happened when your child grew up.

They started making decisions without you. You were no longer their world. Their world had expanded, leaving you on the outside looking in. I took a sip of my sweet tea, swallowing my disappointment.

“Girls’ week? Sounds fun,” I murmured around my straw, keeping my voice light, even if my heart was breaking. “I just wish you would have told me before I booked the Airbnb.”

India winced again. “I know. I suck. But I’ll still hang out with you while you’re here!”

“That’s not the same thing, Indi.”

She pouted. “Mom, please let me hang out with them. If I don’t, I’ll be the only one not going.”

I sighed, rubbing my temple. “And your friends who will be going include Aubrey Cattaneo, I’m assuming?”

“Yeah, and some of the girls from our floor.”

“And Aubrey’s brother is okay with this?”

“Why wouldn’t he be? I mean, her parents did send him to bring her home for spring break. But she convincedhimto convincethemto let her spend her spring break here with us. He told them she’d only be young once or something like that. Whatever he told them worked. She got permission to stay.”

“And where will you all be staying?”

“Our friend, Suzy, her family has a house here in Hattiesburg. They live in Texas, but they have an Airbnb house here. They said we could use it for the week as long as we don’t invite any boys over and clean up after ourselves. They have cameras outside the house, so they’ll know if we break any of their rules. You met Suzy when you came to pick me up for Christmas break, remember?”

I did remember. I met her parents also. They seemed kind. But the neighbors of serial killers always described the killers as kind and unsuspecting. Hindsight was always 20/20.

“India, I think you should,” I started, only to have my daughter interrupt me.

“Mommmmm,” she groaned. “It’s only for a week. And you’ll be in town too. So, if anything goes wrong, I’ll be able to call you.”

That was true.

“Plus,” India continued her pitch. “Last semester, you were worried that I wouldn’t be able to make friends. Now, I have. You should be happy. Oh, and I’ll be home for the summer. So, one week isn’t going to hurt, right?”