“Mother,” I answered with the simple word that didn’t describe her at all.

“Amelia, darling. Juliet just called me and told me she’d seen you driving through town. Is it true? Have you come to your senses and come back to dear Wesley?”

“I’m in town. I’m just here to collect my things,” I told her matter-of-factly.

“Don’t be rash. Your sister is terribly sorry for what happened,” she said with a slight slur to her voice. Some things never changed; it was three in the afternoon and she was well on her way to being wasted.

“Rash?” I breathed. “I’m far from being rash, Mother,” I snipped at her.

“Dinner tonight with Daddy and me at the house. 7pm. Don’t be late.” With that, she hung up and the line went dead. I’d like to have said I wasn’t planning on going but I had a few things I wanted to say to them before I left again, and dinner was as good a time as any.

I drove down the road and booked into a hotel, and then made a few phone calls to start closing down my joint bank accounts. Before I knew it, I was walking up the front steps of my parents’ elaborate home. Our long time butler answered the door as I lifted my hand to knock. Lord knew you didn’t ever enter your childhood home without a formal introduction.

“Amelia, darling. Oh, you couldn’t find the time to make yourself look somewhat respectable?” Mother curled her nose up when she took in my jeans, sweater and pointed-toe boots.

“Nice to see you too, Mother,” I said sarcastically. The look on her face was absolutely priceless. I hadn’t spoken out of line since the day I had told my parents I didn’t want to marry a man I didn’t love.

“Well, I never. You not only look a fright, but I see you’ve lost all your well taught manners too.” She tipped back the near empty martini glass in her hand and turned to walk toward the dining room.

I rolled my eyes and groaned. Tonight was going to be a long-assed night but I sure as hell wasn’t going to find my manners. My dear parents were about to meet the real Amelia. The one who had almost drowned and lost herself under their rules and etiquette.

“Amelia, darling.” My father walked into the room fully dressed in suit and tie. Mother turned her nose up and held her empty glass out to be taken and refilled by the help.

“Daddy.” I nodded and sat at my usual seat at the table noticing with relief there were only three place settings, meaning no Nikki.

“I’m glad to see you’ve come to your senses.” Daddy nodded with approval and picked up his scotch.

“I’m not staying,” I told them defiantly. Daddy’s head whipped up and he pinned me with a glare that would make grown men quiver in there designer shoes.

“I’m certain I misheard you, Amelia,” he snapped. Like hell he did. I wasn’t going to be the prim and proper little girl anymore.

“No, you didn’t. I’m not staying. I’m just in town to collect my belongings and cash in my inheritance,” I said with pride. I had been trained to do as I was told for as long as I could remember, but that want inside of me was finally coming to the surface and I was being nobody’s doormat anymore. When my grandfather had passed, he’d left me some money. I knew it was there; I’d just never had the need to touch it before now. He was a hard man to understand, my grandfather, but we’d had a bond like I hadn’t had with Daddy. Had he been here now, he would have stood by my decision. I knew that much. Daddy was a signature to the money. I still wasn’t sure how that had happened or why, but I was going to find out and put a stop to it.

“Surely, you can see past one small discretion and secure your marriage. Wesley is a fine young man of good standing.”

“Wesley is a sleazy scumbag who can jack off with sandpaper,” I said chirpily. My sass was now at the forefront, and I planned on getting my point across.

“Amelia! I shall not tolerate any of this disrespectful behavior from you,” he demanded. Mother simply sat drinking her martini. Typical, don’t speak unless spoken to. I could finally see her for who she really was. A shallow shell of a person.

“Disrespectful? You want to know what’s disrespectful? Screwing your sister’s fiancé six ways from Sunday on her Egyptian sheets! That’s damn disrespectful.” I laughed harshly.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Amelia.” He really wasn’t grasping my point here, so I decided to be blunt and straight to the point.

“I never wanted to marry that asshat. I was only agreeable because it was expected, and now I don’t give a flying fuck what is expected of me. I’m happy now, Daddy, and if you aren’t okay with that, then that’s on you.” Both my parents gasped loudly at my sudden use of the English language and all the colorful words I’d spurted.

Daddy smiled cruelly and hit me with his nasty words. “That country hick did this to you. But rest assured, by now he won’t be waiting for you.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” It suddenly registered that he shouldn’t know about any country anybody, and he was clearly referring to Destry.

“Oh, that’s right, darling. Wesley paid your cowboy a little visit this morning. He went out there to talk some sense into you, but fortunately you weren’t there so he’s filled this character in on your current engagement and responsibilities.”

My stomach dropped and my head became light and fuzzy. Wesley had been out to the ranch after I left? I hadn’t told Destry about my past, but I’d sworn to myself he would know all of it when I went back.