Maybe if he told himself that enough, it would eventually sink in sufficiently to squash the feelings for her that had taken root in his heart. Maybe… but he didn’t think so.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“We need to talk about your mother,” Duncan said.
Angela blinked in surprise. Not much had been said about the woman since they’d arrived at the estate. From the little she’d been able to glean, Julian had a relationship with her, but Annie did not.
It was an odd situation, and she’d wanted more details but didn’t feel like it was her place to ask.
She was still struggling to think of anyone but Jim and Sandra as her parents. Even Duncan, who had been beyond nice, didn’t automatically come to mind when someone referred to her dad.
If she was being honest, Angela was glad to have just one new parent to deal with at a time. But it seemed that it was time for her to meet her other one.
Julian was currently sprawled in an armchair, nursing a glass filled with an alcoholic beverage. No one else seemed to drink, and definitely no one else got drunk the way Julian did.
He was a handsome man with tousled dark blonde hair. It was hard to see a likeness to him in her or Annie. Where they had a much more average appearance, Julian had high cheekbones accentuated by striking gray eyes and a dimple in his chin.
Benji had made frequent references to Julian and his many girlfriends, and Angela could see why he’d be popular with the ladies. She still hadn’t really gotten to know him. But so far, he’d been kind in his interactions with her and Kiara.
“It’s about time,” Julian said. “It doesn’t feel right to keep Mom in the dark about Angela coming home.”
“I understand why you feel that way,” Duncan said. “But I felt it prudent to give Angelica a bit of time to adjust to this change in her life before bringing your mother into the mix.”
Duncan’s expression was tight, and Angela got the feeling that he didn’t like having to deal with his ex-wife any more than absolutely necessary.
“Do you feel prepared to meet her, Angelica?” Duncan asked. “I would like to respect your feelings in that regard.”
It was curiosity more than anything that had Angela nodding. “I think I’d like to meet her.”
“She wasn’t nice to Annie,” Benji blurted out.
Angela looked at him with a frown. “What do you mean?”
“Benjamin,” Duncan cautioned.
“She deserves to know the type of person she is.”
“It’s none of your business, Benny. She’s notyourmother,” Julian said, sitting forward in his chair. “So keep out.”
Angela had noticed that Benji was very protective of Annie. More so than Julian.
Annie was absent from this conversation, and Angela wondered if that was because what Benji had said was true.
“What does he mean?” Angela asked, directing her question to Julian.
She didn’t think the teen would say something like that without a reason. And if Julian didn’t want Benji discussing it, then he could answer her question.
Julian stared down at his drink. “She had a hard time seeing Annie, knowing that you were gone. Annie was a reminder of what she’d lost.”
Angela felt an ache sprout in her heart. “She rejected her?”
“Something like that.” Julian sighed as he lifted his glass to take a drink. “But she’s trying to make amends now.”
“Too little, too late,” Benji murmured with a scowl.
Angela looked at Duncan, curious to see if he’d add anything.
“When we divorced, the agreement for shared custody only applied to Julian. I was given sole custody of Annalisa.”
