Page 56 of The Best of Friends

“Are you projecting?”

“A little, which is my right.” Jayne leaned forward. “It’s not you. It’s Nigel.”

“I’m not sure knowing that will make it hurt less.”

“Maybe not, but eventually the information will help.”

“Maybe. I think I’m going to have to dump Jonathan. He’s not worth the effort.”

“You could consider finding a guy you want to be with because of how he makes you feel rather than how it will piss off your mother,” Jayne said.

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“Are you sorry you came home?”

“Not yet.”

Jayne considered her words carefully. “Is it possible revenge isn’t as much fun as you’d hoped?”

“I’m not even going to consider that. Elizabeth and I have just begun our game. I still plan to win.”

“Great.”

There were casualties in any battle. Jayne just hoped she could stay out of the cross fire.

* * *

Rebecca did her best to work through her bout of self-pity with a Pilates class and a double-shot energy drink. When that didn’t work, she curled up with a bottle of wine and all three Bourne movies. Matt Damon went a long way to making her feel better about herself, and she woke the following morning feeling ready to take on the world. She showered, put on makeup, and dressed, but before she could leave, someone rang her doorbell.

Immediately her heart jumped in her chest. She desperately wanted her visitor to be Nigel, coming to beg her forgiveness. He would tell her that he’d made a huge mistake marrying Ariel, that he was sorry and would spend the rest of his life making it up to her. If only, she thought as she crossed to the door and pulled it open.

It wasn’t Nigel, or Jayne, or even David. Instead, her mother stood in the hallway, looking as well groomed as ever, her mouth slightly pinched, as if she had a painful rash somewhere that chafed.

“Rebecca,” Elizabeth said, pushing past her and walking into the condo. She stopped in the middle of the living room. “This is nice. A little more public than I would like, but the view works.” She set her Louis Vuitton bag on the table by the sofa and crossed to the sliding-glass doors. “You’re renting?”

Rebecca closed the door. “Yes. I don’t know how long I’ll be in Los Angeles.”

“Long enough to be an annoyance to me, I’m sure.”

The harsh words created a slight twinge of pain, but Rebecca ignored it. “I look for my happiness where I can find it. What brings you here, Mother?”

Elizabeth turned to face her. “I thought you would have come to see me by now.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re my daughter, and you’re back in town. It was the least you could have done after ruining my brunch. But you were never one to apologize.”

Rebecca squared her shoulders. “I didn’t realize an apology was required for visiting my family. My mistake. I assumed you would be happy to see me after all this time. It’s been what? Ten years? I guess a ‘Welcome home’ is too much to ask for.”

“Oh, please.” Elizabeth crossed to the sofa and sat. “Is that really what you want? You left without saying a word, without an explanation. Why would you care what we think after all this time?”

“I don’t,” Rebecca told her. “But to clarify your memory, I didn’t leave without an explanation. We had a fight. You were horrible. I ran away.”

Elizabeth sighed. “You were eighteen. One runs away when one is five or six. And the fight was because you had taken a very expensive necklace from the store. A willful bid for attention. You were always flashy, Rebecca. So low class.”

“Something I get from you?”

Elizabeth stiffened, then visibly relaxed. “I see time away hasn’t changed you at all.”