Page 7 of Zane

“I had stuff.” He almost—almost—shoved his hands into the pockets of his worn jeans and ducked his head. No wonder she was such a bloody good lawyer. She could stare holes into a suspect and have them blabbering in no time. Squaring his chin, he reminded himself that he was a grown ass man.

“Darling.” Patiently, she leaned forward and touched her fingers to his arm. That was all it took. That and the steady way she was staring at him. Christ! The woman must have studied witchcraft. That was the only explanation for her power over him. “You look thin.”

Blowing out a resigned breath, he placed a hand over hers briefly, before letting go. The Stanhopes were not people for public displays of affection. “I’ll be there.”

“Good.” She nodded briskly. “And you’ll bring the file your father gave you? I’m hoping you have some ideas about the project?”

He closed his eyes briefly, resignation turning to resentment. He hated being managed.

“Mother—”

“No pressure at all.” Touching his cheek lightly, she rose. “Seven sharp for supper and wear something clean.” Her eyes flickered over the white tees and crushed denims. “Please.”

“If you’re thinking of sending one of the maids over to do my laundry, you can just forget it,” he warned.

“I would never dream of it.” Touching his arm lightly, she turned and walked towards the gleaming Mercedes Benz parked at the side.

Dropping back into the chair, he watched the taillights of her vehicle disappear. And realized that his mood was now shot to hell.

*****

Kara would rather have been anywhere else, but the Sunday dinner at her mother’s place was standard. After services, it was expected that she would come straight here to supper. She had never once protested or done otherwise.

So here she was again, being the obedient daughter and wishing fervently that she could rebel. She was twenty-eight years old—earning her own money, living on her own—and still could not find a way to stand up to the woman seated across from her.

Katherine Saunders was a force to be reckoned with. A handsome woman in her early sixties, she had passed on her excellent genes to her only child. After the death of her husband ten years ago, she had juggled her career as a criminal lawyer and that of a mother, and considered that she had done her utmost best.

Kara wondered if she realized that she had failed as a mother. She supposed not. Being an only child, she had to endure the frequent criticisms and pressures to be the best at everything she did. The only time she had gone against her mother’s wishes was when she signed up with the DA’s office. A decision that was still a source of contention between them.

“I spoke to William recently.” They were dining on the terrace of the elegant townhouse—one that her mother had bought some years ago when she decided to sell the home Kara had lived in since she was a child. Cutting into her veal, she aimed her cool stare at her daughter, before delicately tasting the meat. With a nod of approval, she continued. “What are the plans for the wedding?”

“You mean he didn’t tell you?” The sarcasm was well aimed and noticed.

“I don’t appreciate your tone.” Kara was surprised she didn’t add ‘young lady’ to the cool statement. “It seems to me that you’ve been stringing this out long enough. I’ve told you time and again that you cannot hope to do better than William. He’s a very nice young man, with an excellent career. He’s been patient with you, which is more than you deserve.”

“Why, Mother, I’m beginning to think that you’re more on his side than on mine.” This time the sarcasm was heavy in her tone. Kara wished she had the nerve to just up and leave, but she knew she was going to stay.

Firming her lips, Katherine picked up her wineglass and took an appreciative sip. “Your father spoiled you.”

That surprising statement was so far from the truth that for a moment, all Kara could do was stare. “I’m sorry, what?”

“He was too easy on you.”

Kara blinked at her mother and burst out laughing.

“There’s no need for such raucous behavior at the dinner table,” she was told stiffly.

Making an effort to rein in the mirth, Kara pressed a hand to her stomach. “I think we’re remembering things differently. Dad was very hard on me, harder than you ever were.” Picking up her own glass, she took a sip. “I wasn’t allowed to do anything. I never had sleepovers, for fear of being corrupted by my friends, which by the way were chosen for me. I wasn’t allowed to have boyfriends, because I was too young to know what to do with them. I was lonely, Mother. I spent my time inside my room, reading and studying because I was supposed to be better than all of my peers.” She shook her head. “So no, I wasn’t ‘spoiled’ as you put it. I was sheltered and because of that, I’m painfully awkward when it comes to socializing.”

“We did the best we could for you,” Katherine told her coolly. “You had an excellent childhood and never lacked for anything. While most girls your age were working during the summer holidays, you were on holidays in exotic places.”

“Because of Dad’s deployments,” Kara pointed out. “I would have preferred a normal childhood, but that never happened.”

“Be careful, Kara, you’re starting to sound ungrateful.”

“Am I?” She mused—a smile playing around her lips. “We wouldn’t want that, would we?” She finished the wine and pushed away the plate, her appetite, not very good to begin with, disappearing altogether. “I told William that we need to think things through. I have to think things through and decide if I want a life with him. He wants me to stop working as soon as he puts a ring on my finger.” Kara saw the start of surprise on her mother’s face.

“I suppose it’s natural for him to want the complete attention of his wife.”