His amber eyes connected with her, spreading heat through her like lit torches against her skin, and any thought she had of refuting his statement drifted away. On a sigh, she whispered, “I will eagerly await your arrival.”
Realizing she meant those words with every fiber of her being, she waited for the logical responsible part of her personality to warn her off. And when it didn’t show up, she took that as a good omen.
Opening the door, the universe promptly showed her she’d spoken too soon. “What in the world is going on here?”
Janae’s eyes followed the sound of the familiar voice until she found none other than Evelyn Tate, her mother, ruining Janae’s good time since forever.
Chapter 21
“Mama, I’ve asked you to let me know you’re coming over before just dropping by.”
Janae’s mother pushed past her, entering the house and heading for the open living room.
“Why? So you could hide your company?”
Janae took a deep breath, trying to keep a civil tongue in her head. Adam was still present, and she didn’t want to have an ugly fight with her mother in front of him. More important, she didn’t want to lose the tiny bit of euphoria she and Adam had created during their time together.
“Mama, you remember Adam Henderson?”
“Hey, Mrs. Tate.” Adam walked over to her to extend his hand, only to be met with Evelyn’s death glare.
“And just what are you doing here in my son-in-law’s house? Is he even here?”
The petite, slender woman with golden skin stood in the center of Janae’s living room, looking as regal and elegant as she always did. Her hair was pulled back in a neat, slick high bun. She was dressed in a smart collared shirt paired with a pencil skirt and a thin chain of pearls around her slim neck.
If beautiful on the outside and ugly on the inside was a person, that person would be Evelyn Tate. Even though she spoke in a soft and genteel voice, her words were sharper than any scalpel Janae had encountered.
“Actually, this isn’t Marq’s house anymore. It never was, since we both contributed to the down payment and purchase of the home.”
“Don’t sass me, young lady. You know doggone well it ain’t proper to have a man in your house in the middle of the day where all these nosy folks in town can see.”
Janae shook her head and took a deep breath. She turned to Adam, sharing a weak smile with him. “Let me walk you out.” When they reached the door, she saw his concern sculpted into the lines of his face. Knowing he cared enough to worry about her warmed her insides, taking away the awkwardness her mother had brought into her home.
“Maybe I should hang around.”
Something bright burned in her chest at his offer. Not that she couldn’t handle her mother; they’d been having the same fight for as long as Janae could remember. Knowing he would offer to stay with her when her mother was obviously on the warpath, it just showed her how deep his sweetness ran.
“I’ll be fine. You don’t need to stay.”
“But I want to.”
She shook her head. Her mother would only perform more if Adam were present, and her nerves couldn’t take that.
“Adam, I’m a big girl. I know how to take care of myself.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but at the last minute, whatever it was, he swallowed it and gave her a nod.
“See you tonight?”
A chill ran through her. She hated that just a few moments ago, Adam would’ve phrased that question as a statement. He would’ve known she had every intention of keeping their plans. Regrettably, afew minutes in her mother’s presence and the obvious tension filling the room, and all that had changed.
“Yes, you most definitely will.” She squeezed his hand to reassure him, and he gifted her with a delicate kiss to her hand before he took his leave down the porch.
She closed the door, placing her forehead against the cool wood and trying to allow some of the heat she felt building from the anger she’d tried so hard to swallow while Adam was still here.
“Janae, how are you ever going to get your husband back if you’re conducting yourself like this?”
Janae walked back to the living room, taking a seat in the armchair across from where her mother sat on the couch. She needed the physical distance to try to keep hold of her emotions that threatened to spill out of control in her mother’s presence.
