Free Breaking Through (The Breaking Series Book 3) by Juliana Haygert

watching my car.
    Quickly, I closed my eyes and conjured happy images to my mind. Me, the apartment, a warm meal, a good book. And the internship a few blocks away. The perfect setting. The perfect life.
    It worked. My heart rate didn’t go back to normal, but it didn’t hurt anymore each time my heart pumped against my ribs, and the shaking of my hands was almost gone.
    Finally, I peeled away from the curb and merged with traffic, leaving Gui and my panic behind.
     
    ***
    Having to stop my car by the side of the road or a gas station was becoming routine. Once again, I had to do that before driving to the club to meet Hannah, my mother, and some of her friends.
    Lunch here always had the same rhythm. First, we all—around thirty women ranging from teens to high sixties—met at the balcony overseeing the tennis courts to have appetizers and drinks while engaging in small talk. About an hour later, we were ushered to the main dining room, to three long tables along the far back, where four floor-to-ceiling windows were always open, rain or shine, with a distant view of the main polo field. Here we were served several courses, slowly, then dessert and coffee. If there were a tournament underway, we would then make our way to the polo field. If there weren’t, we would walk out together. Some women stuck around to talk to other members or watch tennis matches, but most left.
    This time, my mother wanted a seat at the balcony again to chat with another member. Hannah excused herself, saying she had to get back to the ranch before Jimmy made a mess of everything. When I tried coming up with an excuse, my mother cut me such a hard look, I shut my mouth, afraid she would disinherit me. So, I stayed seated beside them around one of the tables, inserting one ah or oh here and there, just so they thought I was paying attention to whatever they were saying.
    Eloisa, one of my mother’s closest friends, looked past my mother and me, and smiled. “Oh, here comes my son.”
    Reese, the newest and youngest player of the Knight House, stepped onto the balcony. Instantly, the memory of him watching me at the engagement party invaded my mind, along with the memory that I had tried flirting with him and failed miserably. My cheeks flamed.
    “Hi, Mother,” he said, kissing her on the cheek.
    “Hi, dear. You remember Mrs. Taylor and her youngest daughter, Hilary, don’t you?”
    He turned to my mother and me with a courteous grin. “Of course. Hello, Mrs. Taylor, hello, Hilary, how are you?”
    “I’m doing quite all right, Reese,” my mother said with a wide smile. “Thank you. How are you?”
    “Can’t complain,” Reese answered. Then his eyes turned to me. “I heard you got a summer internship here in Santa Barbara. I hope that means you will come to the club more often.”
    I smiled, though internally I was cringing, wondering how the hell he already knew about my internship. Had my mother blabbed to the whole club? To the entire town and region perhaps? I didn’t doubt that.
    “Yes, that would be lovely,” Eloisa said.
    “We’ll see what my schedule will look like once I start.”
    “Don’t worry,” my mother said. “I’ll make sure she comes more often.”
    He flashed his smile at her. “I’ll count on that.”
    I stared as my mother winked at him, and he gave her a thumbs up. What the hell?
    Eloisa checked the time on her wristwatch. “Don’t you have practice soon, Reese?”
    “Yes, ma’am.” He bowed to my mother and me. “It was good to see you, ladies.”
    “You too, Reese,” my mother said.
    “Excuse me,” he said, retreating a few steps with his eyes on mine, before turning around and walking from the balcony in the field’s direction.
    “Isn’t he gorgeous, Hilary?” My mother patted my hand. “He’s wonderful, Eloisa. I can see you raised a fine boy.”
    “Oh, thank you, Joyce.” Eloisa shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. “I can say the same about your girls.”
    I tuned them