Evan's Rose [18+]

Chapter 12

"What?" He asked.

"Are you sure you're okay about that? I don't want you sulking when I get back home." He shot me an offended look but found it amusing enough to manage a smile.

"You won't be alone. Harry will drop you off. I'm not going to stop you if you really want to spend time with them." The driver wasn't the issue, but I was glad he trusted me enough.

****

I donned a cream dress that cascaded down to my knees and applied some subtle makeup. Harry drove me to my in-laws' place while Evan was still tied up at work.

I was greeted at the door by Laura Carter, Evan's stepmother and my stepmother in-law. Anyone could tell jake was a splitting image of his mother, yet she exuded all things feminine and elegant. She wore a navy hued blouse and tight-fitting pants showing off her well-maintained figure.

"Where's your husband, honey? I thought he'd want to share joy on his brother's big day." She scanned the door behind me. Evan had never gotten along well with his stepmother and by extension I had maintained my distance. She had come into his life when he was a little boy and stuck to her evil stepmom trope.

"He got held up at work." I was glad that I didn't have to completely lie. I wondered if he was still in his office.

"Yeah, Mom, I really wanted him here today," Jake said, whining like a five-year-old. His eyes were bright and brown like his mom. A tousle of dark blond hair fell against his forehead making him look so charming and younger than his twenty-four years of age. Like Evan, Jake too worked out but was much leaner and shorter.

"Aw, it's okay, baby. Evan doesn't care for the family. We were all surprised when he came home with a wife none of us knew about." Her words didn't sit well with me, and I was suddenly hit with an urge to defend my husband from cruel accusations.

"Evan has never considered Jake as anything less than a real brother. He loves him no matter what." I had witnessed Evan's caring side for his brother. His brother was his best buddy.

"Aren't you the perfect wife, defending your husband? Anyway, let's get inside. The Wilkins will be arriving soon. It's not every day that you get to meet your daughter in-law's family. I am so happy that my son did the right thing by asking Mr. Wilkins for Diana's hand before he proposed. It just goes on to show well-raised my baby is." Laura's taunts stung, but they were true, no matter how much they hurt.

"Mom, give it a rest, will you?"

I didn't want to spoil the special night for Jake, so I didn't fight it.

The Wilkins arrived, not much later. Diana looked stunning in her emerald-green dress. We exchanged hugs and pleasantries. Mrs. Wilkins and Laura Carter had been good friends ever since their kids began dating. Over time, my father-in-law and Mr. Wilkins ventured into business together. Their families were bonding, and it was all that Diana had ever wished for. Not everyone was fortunate enough to have both their parents and in-laws get along and that was something I always regretted on missing out.

I congratulated Diana and she beamed with joy while showing off her stunning solitaire.

"Rose, you look lovely," Henry Carter came up to me holding a drink in his hand. Evan's dad was a handsome man, and I could tell Evan had inherited those genes from his father. A trait he often disliked about his appearance.

I smiled and thanked him.

"Our family would be complete if we had Evan here tonight." He sighed with longing.

"I haven't had a real conversation with him in years. I wish he didn't hate me." He looked away with a sad expression that made me feel sorry for him, but even more for Evan. I understood how hard it was to be alienated from your parents and I hoped they could bridge the gap between them.