Right Imperfections |✔ [Book 1 of Runaway Bride Series]

17. Menace Came Tumbling After

McKenna

I don't think I've ever been late to work. And today I was eight minutes too late only because my fiancé had overstayed his welcome last night - again! - and had a pressing early morning booty call.

I'm not against a little dawn workout but not at the expense of my job or the poor client waiting in my office for my audience.

"Bye!" I called to him as I scrambled out of his car. Friday had come much too early again and tomorrow would be Saturday, the torture day when Sheila got her hands on me.

"Wait!" Evan barked and his hand banded around my wrist as he tugged me back a little too harshly.

"We are having lunch with my family tomorrow. Mom has been asking for you. The barking lady has gone fùcking mad." He growled and my eyebrows scrunched up as I looked at him.

"Why would you say that? You know that Val hasn't seen me since the night of our rehearsal dinner."

"She doesn't need to keep seeing you again."

"Evan, stop. You don't have to always make her feel bad. She's your mother." I reprimanded and placed my free hand on his thigh.

His downcast eyes rose and I saw subtle traces of anger in them as I'd overstepped my boundaries. I bit my tongue and looked away from him.

I should know better than to rehash this argument with him. Evan didn't have a good relationship with his mother and no one but his hot headed abusive father was to be blamed for that. I remember studying a chapter in AP English during my high school which was based on the treatment of the lady of the house. Children were very impressionable and whatever they saw in their lives is how they governed their own.

Evan had seen his father's violent side too many times but being as brilliant as he was he was never on the receiving end of it, it was always his poor mother.

Tales were rampant of her alleged love child that she had abandoned on her husband's threats and some even said that Roy had had the boy killed to punish his wife.

But they could hardly be true. Valeria Warwick was the kindest woman I had the fortune of knowing. She had been a mother to me more than my own mother could ever be. When I had my first accident in the park she made me chicken soup and porridge. When Evan kissed me during lunch break in 5th grade I went to her, crying. When I had my first period she taught me how to deal with it. The dress at prom, the shoes at homecoming, the pep rally in freshmen year, the graduation in senior year, she'd been through all with me. And with Evan - only he'd never seen his mother as someone who he could share his love with. He always had other people.

Maybe part of the reason that I stuck with Evan was that he was Val's son and some part of him was her giving. I was just looking for that part.

"You know better than to talk to me about her." He growled and I twisted my hand in his grip as it tightened again.

"Evan, honey, I'm sorry. It just... look I'm late for work and so are you, let's talk over dinner tonight, okay?"

Immediately his hold on me loosened and he looked slightly guilty. His eyes darted to my wrist which was flaming red by now. He rubbed his thumb over the impression and nodded his reply.

"I'll pick you up today."

"Yes." I replied and leaned over the console to peck his cheek. He smiled a little and gunned his car out of the gates when I was off and standing at the entrance to the lobby.

When I saw his car disappear I headed into the building. A lot of things had been piling up lately, the cases had multiplied, the client roster had grown, Rosen case was hanging on a sword tip, Evan was starting to talk about marriage again, Emily hadn't called me once and I was freaking the fig out with all the crapola on my plate.