She wasn’t buying the excuse.
“So you’re in Atlanta,” she said evenly.
“Yes. I’m doing a music residency at Emory.”
“That’s what Aidan told me.” More disapproval leaked into Elyse’s voice. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t,” Taylor countered.
“I see.”
Taylor could picture her mother with her brows furrowed, lips pursed, elegant fingers wrapped around a glass of Merlot as she sat in the luxurious parlor of the Georgetown brownstone she shared with her second husband. Elyse Vaughn was a U.S. senator and one of the most powerful women in Washington. She could read people like a book, no one better than her daughter.
“I thought you were taking the summer off to spend more time with Aidan,” Elyse reminded Taylor.
“I am. The residency only lasts for three weeks.”
“Three weeks is more than enough time to find trouble if you’re looking for it.”
Taylor said nothing, her face heating with shame at the memory of her erotic interlude with Manning.
“Aidan was worried about you,” Elyse continued. “He said he’s been trying to reach you all day. He was having dinner, but he stepped away to call me to see if I’d heard from you. Where have you been?”
“I was out,” Taylor mumbled.
Her mother sighed. The sound was heavy with disappointment, frustration and a hint of sadness. “What are you doing there, darling? What are you looking for?”
Taylor pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t want to discuss this right now, Mom.”
“Of course you don’t. You never have.”
Taylor closed her eyes as the old feelings of guilt and sorrow came rushing back, spilling over her like black waves of oil washing up on a shore after a major explosion.
I’m sorry, Micah! It was my fault! All my fault!
“I don’t want him to hurt you again,” Elyse said gently. “You’ve come so far, accomplished so much. Why jeopardize all that?”
“I’m not jeopardizing anything,” Taylor insisted, her voice cracking.
The silence on the other end of the line was deafening.
Taylor waited, digging her fingernails into her palms until the pain made her flinch.
“Do you know what I remember?” her mother said quietly. “I remember how lost you were when you came to live with me after Micah died. You wouldn’t eat. You wouldn’t sleep. You wouldn’t talk. You locked yourself away in your room and played the violin from morning to night. It was like a never-ending funeral. We were both an emotional wreck, but you...you scared me, Taylor. That’s why I sent for your father. Not because I needed him or wanted him around. I sent for him because I was worried about you, and I was afraid you might try to hurt yourself. Your father had always been able to get through to you. But not that time. You wouldn’t talk to him either. Only your violin knew your secrets. And Manning Wolf knew. You wrote him letters, poured out your heart to him.” A trace of bitterness entered Elyse’s voice. “I knew you were grieving for Micah, but at times I thought you missed Manning even more than your poor brother.”
“That’s not true!” Taylor cried vehemently, shaking her head. “You know that’s not true. Micah was my baby. I took care of him when you weren’t there.”
“I wasn’t there because your father won custody—”
“Because you didn’t even put up a fight!”
“Is that what you think?” Elyse challenged hotly. “You think I just rolled over and let your father beat me? When have you ever known me to back down from a fight? After all these years and as close as we’ve always been, do you honestly believe I didn’t want custody of you? Your father was a ruthless monster, Taylor. He took you and your brothers away from me, and I will never forgive him for that. But we’re not talking about that right now. We’re talking about you and your foolish refusal to leave Manning Wolf in the past.”
Taylor frowned. “I’m
“So you’re in Atlanta,” she said evenly.
“Yes. I’m doing a music residency at Emory.”
“That’s what Aidan told me.” More disapproval leaked into Elyse’s voice. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t,” Taylor countered.
“I see.”
Taylor could picture her mother with her brows furrowed, lips pursed, elegant fingers wrapped around a glass of Merlot as she sat in the luxurious parlor of the Georgetown brownstone she shared with her second husband. Elyse Vaughn was a U.S. senator and one of the most powerful women in Washington. She could read people like a book, no one better than her daughter.
“I thought you were taking the summer off to spend more time with Aidan,” Elyse reminded Taylor.
“I am. The residency only lasts for three weeks.”
“Three weeks is more than enough time to find trouble if you’re looking for it.”
Taylor said nothing, her face heating with shame at the memory of her erotic interlude with Manning.
“Aidan was worried about you,” Elyse continued. “He said he’s been trying to reach you all day. He was having dinner, but he stepped away to call me to see if I’d heard from you. Where have you been?”
“I was out,” Taylor mumbled.
Her mother sighed. The sound was heavy with disappointment, frustration and a hint of sadness. “What are you doing there, darling? What are you looking for?”
Taylor pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t want to discuss this right now, Mom.”
“Of course you don’t. You never have.”
Taylor closed her eyes as the old feelings of guilt and sorrow came rushing back, spilling over her like black waves of oil washing up on a shore after a major explosion.
I’m sorry, Micah! It was my fault! All my fault!
“I don’t want him to hurt you again,” Elyse said gently. “You’ve come so far, accomplished so much. Why jeopardize all that?”
“I’m not jeopardizing anything,” Taylor insisted, her voice cracking.
The silence on the other end of the line was deafening.
Taylor waited, digging her fingernails into her palms until the pain made her flinch.
“Do you know what I remember?” her mother said quietly. “I remember how lost you were when you came to live with me after Micah died. You wouldn’t eat. You wouldn’t sleep. You wouldn’t talk. You locked yourself away in your room and played the violin from morning to night. It was like a never-ending funeral. We were both an emotional wreck, but you...you scared me, Taylor. That’s why I sent for your father. Not because I needed him or wanted him around. I sent for him because I was worried about you, and I was afraid you might try to hurt yourself. Your father had always been able to get through to you. But not that time. You wouldn’t talk to him either. Only your violin knew your secrets. And Manning Wolf knew. You wrote him letters, poured out your heart to him.” A trace of bitterness entered Elyse’s voice. “I knew you were grieving for Micah, but at times I thought you missed Manning even more than your poor brother.”
“That’s not true!” Taylor cried vehemently, shaking her head. “You know that’s not true. Micah was my baby. I took care of him when you weren’t there.”
“I wasn’t there because your father won custody—”
“Because you didn’t even put up a fight!”
“Is that what you think?” Elyse challenged hotly. “You think I just rolled over and let your father beat me? When have you ever known me to back down from a fight? After all these years and as close as we’ve always been, do you honestly believe I didn’t want custody of you? Your father was a ruthless monster, Taylor. He took you and your brothers away from me, and I will never forgive him for that. But we’re not talking about that right now. We’re talking about you and your foolish refusal to leave Manning Wolf in the past.”
Taylor frowned. “I’m
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