Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Even Mother’s staff has noticed. Her sons haven’t been as attentive as we once were.
I haven’t been the best son in the world. None of us have been. It’s hard to see Mother these days. When Father was alive, Mother was commanding; she was a presence. In some ways, she was the real power behind the family.
But slowly, after his death, she’s been retreating into herself. Cutting ties, going out less, keeping her opinion to herself.
That’s not the woman I grew up with. Back in the day, Mother was even more terrifying than Father, though she had some warmth and love for us at least.
I push the door open, and head into her private rooms.
She’s sitting at the dining table. The television’s on, playing a tennis match. She’s half-watching, half-eating a big salad, but she sits up straight when I enter.
“Nolan,” she says warmly. My mother stands. Even in her old age, she’s a good-looking Irish woman. Full head of hair, good bones, tall and fit. I give her a tight hug as she directs me to a chair. “I didn’t know you were visiting.”
“I had a talk with Carson just now. I thought I might check in.”
Her smile is tight. “I hear things between the two of you have been strained.”
I glance away. “People are talking about it?”
“Hard for them not to, dear. The pair of you were best friends for years, but now it’s like you can’t be in the same room without getting into an argument.”
I lean back, rubbing my face. “He’s the boss now.”
“Yes, darling, I’m aware.”
I glance at her. “I got married.”
Her eyebrows raise. “You did?”
“She’s a friend of Ash’s. A girl named Keely.”
“I’ve met her before at that bar.” Mother tilts her head, considering me. Even shut away in her rooms, she hasn’t lost a bit of her sharpness, and it’s like she’s making a dozen plans all at once. Except then she deflates as if she understands that it’s all useless. “Very pretty girl. But I didn’t think she’d be your type.”
I nearly say, she’s not. “Keely can surprise you.”
“I hope so, considering she’s your wife now. I take it Carson doesn’t approve.”
“He threatened to excommunicate me.”
She laughs. “That man is more like his father every day.”
“I’m not going to leave her,” I say earnestly, wanting Mother to understand. “Even if Carson’s not happy about it. I don’t care that he’s the boss.”
“That’s the hard thing about business and family. Sometimes you can’t separate the two.”
“Keely has nothing to do with the business.” I feel myself getting heated again. My damn temper. “Anyway, I only came to say hello. And to tell you I’m married. I’m sorry you didn’t get to attend the ceremony.”
“Knowing you, it wasn’t much of one anyway.” She smiles tightly. “Are you happy?”
I pause like I hadn’t considered it, but nod slowly. “I am, yes.”
“Then that’s all I can ask. I’m happy for you. And don’t worry about Carson, he’ll come around.” Mother reaches out quickly, taking my hand. “Visit more often.”
“Come out into the big, bad world more often.”
Her smile is sad. “The world’s so different, and with your brother in charge—” She doesn’t finish that sentence, but I understand. Carson doesn’t defer to her the way Father did, and it’s difficult to watch her son steer the family without her input. She was so used to running things. Now she’s relegated to a secondary role.
“Come out more often anyway.” I hug her tightly. “And come meet Keely. You’ll like her.”
“I’m sure I will. Any woman you marry must be good enough to join this family. You always were picky.”
“Tell that to Carson.”
She holds onto my wrist before I can move away. “The family isn’t everything.” Her tone is pleading, desperate almost, like she wants me to understand more than anything in the world. I’ve never seen the expression on her face before, like it hurts to say the words, like there’s sixty years of regret piled into her eyes. “It’s a lot, almost too much, but it’s not everything. It doesn’t have to be.”
“I know that.” I pat her hand softly. It kills me, her looking like that. Without my father around, she’s floundering, trying to find her place in the world. I need to help her, but I don’t know how. “At least, I’m trying to figure it out.”
“Good.” She lets me go. “I’ll have to come have dinner with you and your new wife soon.”
“Whenever you want. Sometime in the next five months, ideally.”
Her eyebrows raise. “That’s a specific timeframe. Any particular reason?”
“Not one you’d like.” I sit back down with her. “Now, tell me about this tennis match. Where do you keep your whiskey?”
Mother shakes her head, but she seems happy I decided to stay.
Chapter 21
Keely
I manage to shower and change into some obscenely overpriced designer clothes before rushing out of that house. That place reminds me too much of Nolan, and I don’t want to be in there right now, not if I can avoid it.