Read Online No Easy Choices (A New Adult Romance) by Trista Cade - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Trista Cade
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“No, I mean, don’t take it wrong! I’m really glad you’re staying! I just, like, don’t understand. They’ve never voted to keep a sister when it comes up for a vote, especially when it’s the president who calls the vote because of her behavior.”
“First of all, I didn’t do anything wrong except have a lovely dinner—twice—with a nice guy who happened to not tell me everything about himself. And second, there’s no way I’m staying,” I said, putting up a hand to hush her when Kennedy started to protest. “How can I possibly stay here when I know the others had to hold a debate and have quorum in attendance to even be my friend? I want nothing to do with friends like that.”
“Andie,” she said, not only saying my name correctly but also saying it with something that sounded a lot like respect, “you have to stay. That’s what’s wrong with the whole system here, these girls rush a sorority because their mommas told them from kindergarten it was the only way they’d ever grow up to marry a doctor, become president of the garden society, and have a home that gets featured in Southern Living . I know, because it’s what I was always taught growing up. I even had a baby dress that said ‘Future Theta Lady’ on it, just so all the other boys at Mom’s Day Out would know they had to strive for greatness to win me. That’s sick. And it has to change, but it never will unless we can get a whole new kind of girl in here.” She ducked her head a little bit to look me in the eye. “You are a whole new kind of girl. You don’t care where people are from or what their skin looks like, you care what kind of person they are. It doesn’t matter to you that Javier works at the library, and we’re talking about a guy who only works at the library because he likes to help people, because he sure doesn’t have to with the family he’s got. But most of all, you liked him before you knew about his money.”
“Fat lot of good it did me,” I muttered, blinking back tears of embarrassment. I had been so gullible, totally taken in by his “I own a Picasso but I’m just like everybody else” act. I had no idea someone whose family so shamelessly hurts people could put on such a squeaky-clean front. “And it doesn’t matter now, there’s no way I could go out with Javier after finding out about...that.”
“See, here’s where my screwed up upbringing is kicking in, because part of me—the part that my Momma taught me that says it’s okay if your husband cheats on you as long as no one finds out and he buys you off with a new Mercedes—is dying to just to tell you that you’ll work it out because he’s rich.” I looked at her, horror splashed across my face, before she laughed. “Oh quit, I was kidding! Well, not about what my Momma taught me, but about working it out with Javier.” She got serious again and placed a hand on my arm, patting me softly through the sleeve of my old sweatshirt. “So maybe it doesn’t work out with Javier, but you’re still the kind of girl who’s going to only form friendships and relationships with people who matter to you, and that’s something the rest of us could learn from.”
Kennedy pulled my in for a quick hug then got up and went over to her side of the room, pulled back the covers, and settled herself in before her voice called out quietly from the dark.
“So, if you’re not interested in Javier, would it be awkward if I gave him a call?”
“What are you talking about?” I whispered loudly.
“Well, you know, Momma never did stipulate how my husband had to be rich, she just said his family had to have money! I would love to see her face when I bring home a Mexican drug lord for Christmas dinner!”
“First of all, I didn’t do anything wrong except have a lovely dinner—twice—with a nice guy who happened to not tell me everything about himself. And second, there’s no way I’m staying,” I said, putting up a hand to hush her when Kennedy started to protest. “How can I possibly stay here when I know the others had to hold a debate and have quorum in attendance to even be my friend? I want nothing to do with friends like that.”
“Andie,” she said, not only saying my name correctly but also saying it with something that sounded a lot like respect, “you have to stay. That’s what’s wrong with the whole system here, these girls rush a sorority because their mommas told them from kindergarten it was the only way they’d ever grow up to marry a doctor, become president of the garden society, and have a home that gets featured in Southern Living . I know, because it’s what I was always taught growing up. I even had a baby dress that said ‘Future Theta Lady’ on it, just so all the other boys at Mom’s Day Out would know they had to strive for greatness to win me. That’s sick. And it has to change, but it never will unless we can get a whole new kind of girl in here.” She ducked her head a little bit to look me in the eye. “You are a whole new kind of girl. You don’t care where people are from or what their skin looks like, you care what kind of person they are. It doesn’t matter to you that Javier works at the library, and we’re talking about a guy who only works at the library because he likes to help people, because he sure doesn’t have to with the family he’s got. But most of all, you liked him before you knew about his money.”
“Fat lot of good it did me,” I muttered, blinking back tears of embarrassment. I had been so gullible, totally taken in by his “I own a Picasso but I’m just like everybody else” act. I had no idea someone whose family so shamelessly hurts people could put on such a squeaky-clean front. “And it doesn’t matter now, there’s no way I could go out with Javier after finding out about...that.”
“See, here’s where my screwed up upbringing is kicking in, because part of me—the part that my Momma taught me that says it’s okay if your husband cheats on you as long as no one finds out and he buys you off with a new Mercedes—is dying to just to tell you that you’ll work it out because he’s rich.” I looked at her, horror splashed across my face, before she laughed. “Oh quit, I was kidding! Well, not about what my Momma taught me, but about working it out with Javier.” She got serious again and placed a hand on my arm, patting me softly through the sleeve of my old sweatshirt. “So maybe it doesn’t work out with Javier, but you’re still the kind of girl who’s going to only form friendships and relationships with people who matter to you, and that’s something the rest of us could learn from.”
Kennedy pulled my in for a quick hug then got up and went over to her side of the room, pulled back the covers, and settled herself in before her voice called out quietly from the dark.
“So, if you’re not interested in Javier, would it be awkward if I gave him a call?”
“What are you talking about?” I whispered loudly.
“Well, you know, Momma never did stipulate how my husband had to be rich, she just said his family had to have money! I would love to see her face when I bring home a Mexican drug lord for Christmas dinner!”
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