Page 55 of Waiting for Acceptance (Nashville Nights #5)

LAUREN

I’m going to throw up.

“This is where you grew up?” Fitz stares at the massive house we’re parked in front of, then looks over at me in surprise.

“Yep.” I pop the p, trying not to pass out due to my anxiety.

“I don’t understand…”

I open my door, stepping out onto the gravel drive, as he does the same.

“You will.” We walk up to the front door and I ring the bell.

I can feel his eyes on me, but force myself not to give in and look at him.

My mother swings the door open, looking me up and down before a smile finally forms on her face.

“Lauren,” she practically sings in delight.

“Mother.” I smile and her gaze moves to Fitz.

“And you are?” Ugh.

“Mom, this is Fitz. Fitz, this is my mother.” My mom holds her hand out and Fitz shakes it.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Long.”

My mom smiles brightly at him. “You can call me Anna, Mrs. Long makes me sound ancient.”

Fitz smiles and nods in agreement. “Of course.”

“So, are we having dinner on the front porch, or can we come inside?” I ask as the smell of whatever dinner has been prepared finds its way outside.

“Of course we’re not, don’t be ridiculous.

” Mother turns around, leading the way to the dining room, expecting us to follow her.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to brace myself for the night ahead.

Fitz closes the door behind us and I hang my purse on one of the hooks in the entryway, taking his hand as we walk to the dining room.

“John, Lauren and her boyfriend are here.” I roll my eyes at her tone, feeling Fitz squeeze my hand. My dad enters the room a moment later, walking straight over to us.

“John Long.” He holds his hand out and Fitz shakes it firmly.

“Vincent Fitzgerald. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Oh, Vincent. What a lovely name. Why did you introduce him as Fitz?” My mother looks at me questioningly and my teeth grind together.

“Because that’s what he goes by.” My father nods and turns his attention back to Fitz.

“ So, what is it you do, Fitz?”

Here we go.

I hear that same tone from him as I heard from my mother earlier and I start to question why on earth I ever agreed to this.

“I own a skateboard shop.” I almost choke at his response, looking up to see him wink at me.

“You do?” The absolute horror in my mother’s voice brings me joy.

“Oh yeah. I’ve owned it for about five years now.” My father looks at me, desperate for the punchline.

“It’s a joke, guys. Calm down.” I assure them, seeing them both physically relax.

Fitz clears his throat, shoving his hands into his front pockets casually. “Sorry about that, I couldn’t resist. I’m actually in real estate, same as Lauren.”

“Oh, well. That’s fine.” My father’s tone drops and I scoff.

My father gives me a scolding glare and I feel myself emotionally shrink while wishing I had the ability to physically shrink. I look at Fitz apologetically and he turns back to my father.

“Actually, my father owns The Fitzgerald Firm in New York, maybe you’ve heard of it?”

“Oh, yes! It’s one of, if not the most, prestigious firms in New York,” my mother chirps.

“And growing by leaps and bounds if the articles I’ve seen are correct,” my dad chimes in.

“That they are,” Fitz confirms. My parents' faces light up so much we could practically screw them into the chandelier. “And I’m supposed to take over as CEO next month.”

“Oh, how wonderful.” My mother links her arm through Fitz’s and walks him further into the dining room. “You know, we always encouraged Lauren to do more with herself.”

“It’s true. We could have gotten her to any Ivy League or top school of her choice.

She would probably be running my law firm by now had she applied herself.

Much like you’ll be taking over for your father.

Such an honorable career choice—taking over the family business.

” My father cuts his eyes to me before taking a sip of his drink.

“I mean, she had every resource imaginable at her fingertips. She could have done something truly amazing had she just taken what we tried to give her, don’t you agree, Vincent?

” She bumps Fitz with her elbow, and I am so close to coming unraveled.

Every stitch in the armor I’ve made over the years to deal with my parents, slowly falling apart as they make digs about my life to the one person I’ve ever felt comfortable sharing it with.

“I’m sorry.” Fitz laughs humorlessly. “Is this some kind of joke?” My mother’s face twists and my father tilts his head in confusion. I look up at him, wondering where he’s going with this.

“What do you mean?” Mother asks.

“You daughter is one of the most down-to-earth, capable, kind, and hardest working people I’ve ever met in my life.

She could out-sell some of the best agents in New York, myself included, if she so wished because she pours her heart into her work.

Hell, she could probably run the damn company if that’s what she wanted to do.

I’m proud of her for taking a chance on herself.

Have you ever thought, for one moment, she’s doing exactly what she wants to do, and doing it well ?

Have you taken even a single second to admire the fact that your daughter is completely self-sufficient?

That she didn’t need an Ivy League school, or your connections and resources, to build an admirable life for herself?

Shame on you, shame on both of you, for ever making her feel like she isn’t good enough, simply because she didn’t choose to live her life the way you wanted her to.

” I’d kiss him right here and now if I could see to get to him.

“How dare you come in here and insult us this way? Who are you to tell us we shouldn’t want more for our daughter? Maybe you’ll understand when you have children one day. When you’re a parent you do whatever it takes to make sure they are doing their best in life?—”

“No. That’s where you’re wrong.” Fitz cuts him off. “I would do whatever it takes to make sure my kids knew they were loved, that I was proud of them, and that no matter what they did—skateboard shop owner or CEO of a company—that I was fucking proud of them.”

“Funny to hear you say that when you are who you are—wealthy, well connected, inheriting an entire company. Self-sufficiency and capability will only get her so far in life. A well- established career in something, knowing people who could help her if she ever got in a pinch, these are things that will take her farthest in life. Don’t you dare come in here telling us we’ve done anything less than our best for our daughter, when you’re being handed exactly the life we tried to give her. ”

“Enough!” I yell, pulling everyone’s attention to me. “How dare you speak to Fitz that way?”

“Did you hear the way he spoke to us?” The disbelief on my father’s face is priceless.

“Yes. I heard it. I also heard, for the first time in my life today, that someone was proud of me. I will not let you sit here and speak to him like you know who he is when you have no idea who he is—and you don’t deserve the chance to get to know him the way I do.

We’re leaving.” I grab Fitz’s hand and pull him behind me, hoping I can make it to the car before I completely fall apart.

I’m in such a hurry to get out of the house that I forget my bag.

“Shit, I forgot my purse.” I turn around to get it, but Fitz’s hands land on my arms and he stops me, holding up my bag in his right hand.

I finally bring my eyes to his and I completely lose it.

“I am so sorry, Fitz.” He pulls me closer, his hand cradling the back of my head as I bury my face into his chest.

“Shh. Don’t you dare apologize for them.

” His grip tightens on me and I let myself fall apart in his arms. I’ve never cried like this in front of anyone, not even my best friends have seen me in pain the way Fitz is right now.

“Look at me.” I pull away, blinking past the tears waiting to fall from my eyes, and he gently pushes some hair out of my face. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know how.” I sigh, running my hands over my cheeks.

“I don’t talk about this part of my life.

I only see my parents every so often for Friday night dinners, though I’m starting to wonder why I’ve even been doing that.

I know they don’t approve of how I live, but I guess I always thought if they saw how successful, or happy I was that…

I don’t know. Maybe they’d realize their way wasn’t the only way. ” I meet his gaze again.

“I just hate that you felt like you couldn’t tell me. Of all people, you should have known I would understand.”

“I know. I know, I’m sorry.” I hide my face in my hands, but he pulls them away just as fast.

“Baby, stop apologizing.” He ducks his head to catch my eye.

“I guess I just got scared. I didn’t want you to think differently of me. I’ve separated myself so much from this life that it doesn’t even feel like part of me anymore.”

“I know exactly who you are, Lauren Long. Nothing your parents say or do could convince me that I don’t.” He leans down and kisses me, taking every bit of my anxiety and sadness away with the simple touch of his lips on mine.

Today was the last straw for me. I’m never coming back here. If they want their daughter back, they’re going to have to prove themselves to me , not the other way around. Not anymore.

“Take me home, Fitz. Make me forget about today. Please.”