Chapter 23
77
EZ 55 vouchers
Claiming we must have gotten the time wrong, we arrive early to our lunch with Howard and Evelyn and sit with them in the garden before Jayne arrives.
As much as I despise spending time with Evelyn, this gives us the chance to learn more about her, and that’s easy to do, because she speaks only about herself. Not once does she ask anything about us. Not once does she tell us about her own daughter, who we are about to meet.
Everything out of her mouth furthers her own agenda, and it takes every ounce of my humanity not to yell at her to shut up and leave our father alone. He’s too good for her.
Our light lunch is spread out around the table, and I’m on my second cup of coffee. Once Declan and I showed up, Evelyn saw no need to wait for her daughter, and she brought out the food even though we were early.
Her lack of simple consideration astounds me.
The distant rumble of a motor at the front of the house tells me we have company, and I know it’s Jayne. We are too far away from the road for it to be anyone else, and a glance at my watch tells me it’s time. She is punctual as always.
My heart rate quickens as I glance to Declan and nod toward the house. He tenses for a moment, but he doesn’t look back. As the patio door opens faintly, I know it will be mere seconds before she is here before us.
“Hello, Howard, Mom. Thank you so much-” Her words end abruptly as she makes her way around the table and lifts her eyes toward us as we both stand to welcome her.
My heart stops. Then it breaks at the look of bewilderment crossing her face.
Her slender fingers reach out in front of her to grasp the chair to steady herself, and she pales. She’s become disoriented.
Quickly, she regains her composure and pulls out the chair to sit across from us. I’m impressed at the rate of her recovery. Howard and Evelyn didn’t have time to notice her momentary lapse, and it puts me on edge that she can mask her emotions so quickly.
“Jayne, my dear, it’s so good to see you again,” Howard almost sings at her. I can tell my father likes her.
Her face lights up as she smiles at him. It seems she enjoys his company, too. “It’s good to see you, too, Howard. How have you been?”
“A few days older and just as racy as the last time we spoke.” He winks at her, causing Declan to let out a surprised huff.
“Even more so, Howard,” Jayne smiles and winks back. The exchange is innocent.
I hadn’t realized how close they have become. How much he enjoys her company and she his. They’ve only known each other for a short time, but they have developed a wonderful connection, and it makes me happy
to know he has that.
9:42 Mon, Sep 22
Chapter 23
55 vouchers
Looking at her mother though, it’s obvious Evelyn doesn’t share my view. Caught up in her hatred and self- serving tendencies, she is unaware I’ve noticed her. Her plastered smile has turned into a scowl, and it is directed at her own daughter. Then she composes herself and looks around to each of us. Before she notices me, I quickly look away and back to the hypnotizing smile on Jayne’s face.
“Howard, honey, aren’t you going to introduce Jayne to your boys?” Evelyn tries to inject herself back into the conversation.
“It’s okay, Mom. We already know each other. I work with them. Well, for them. I thought I mentioned it to you,” she responds, shrugging her shoulders, and now two of us are looking at her dumbfounded. Up until a minute ago, she didn’t know we were Howard’s sons. There was no way she could have told her mother.
“I’m sure I would have remembered that. You’re always so forgetful,” Evelyn says with a laugh, as if to show she is just teasing, but I’m sure she’s not.
Jayne glances over to us and opens her mouth to speak. It takes a moment, but I realize her words are meant for her mother; her stern look is meant for us. “Oh, didn’t I? It’s been a–roller coaster these past couple of weeks. I apologize.” Her voice is eerily calm.
We will answer to Jayne later. I’m sure of it.
She’s hurt, and I can tell by the look in her eyes she wants this lunch to be over so she can run away and hide, but she doesn’t mention our deceit. She doesn’t remind Evelyn that Howard could have just as easily told her about her new job.
She takes full responsibility. She takes our responsibility.
“Oh well, no matter.” Evelyn covers her contempt with an insincere smile. “You both must be saints to put up with my dear Jayne here, flighty as she is.” Her laugh makes me want to jam my utensils into my ears, but here I remain, grinning like a dutiful son.
“Your daughter is an asset to our company, Evelyn.” Declan tenses beside me as he speaks up for Jayne, but his voice doesn’t reflect his disdain. “We are grateful Howard sent her to us.” He looks across the table at Jayne, but she isn’t looking back at either of us.
“That’s wonderful news,” Evelyn says through gritted teeth and a smile that goes nowhere near her eyes. “Speaking of news. Howard? Why don’t we share our little bit of news?”
All at once, my stomach drops. Of course this isn’t just a friendly lunch, and I can tell by looking at Declan and Jayne, they feel exactly the same way.
Declan is wound so tight he looks like he might possibly strike a woman for the first time in his life, and Jayne -our Jayne–she looks worried.
“Yes, of course, my dear.” Howard reaches a hand over to hold Evelyn’s as he turns his attention to us. “Evelyn and I have been spending more time together since she’s moved in, and we’ve decided we want to make it official. I’ve asked her to marry me, and she said yes.”
For a moment, the only smiles around the table belong to Howard. Well, and Evelyn, who looks like she just won the grand prize at a state fair.
“Wow. Dad. This is unexpected.” I break the silence. Somebody needs to say something, or I’m going to lose
9:42 Mon, Sep
Chapter 23
my shit.
55 vouchers
“Yes, Mom. Congratulations?” I sense it was more of a question coming from Jayne, but she recovers well. “I’m happy for you both.” Her sentiment doesn’t match the look on her face though, and it is clear to me that Jayne couldn’t have known about this bombshell beforehand.
“Congratulations, Dad. Have you set a date?” Declan is already halfway into damage control.
“It may sound soon, but we’re getting married in three weeks,” Evelyn answers for him, and I can barely stand to look at her.
I glance across the table at Jayne, who looks like she is figuring out something in her head. “That’s one week before my twenty–fifth birthday.”
“Why, yes, it is, dear.” Her mother sneers back at her, and they share a glance that makes me think there is something else going on.
“I wanted to ask you boys. Would you be my best men? Can I do that these days? We’ve come a long way in everything else. Am I allowed to ask you both?” Howard looks genuinely perplexed.
“Of course, Dad. You can do whatever you want, and we would love to,” I say, and Declan nods in agreement. Despite our feelings for Evelyn, we will always stand by our father.
“And of course you will be my maid of honor, dear.” It wasn’t a heartfelt question but a demand, and my anger flares at her audacity to order our Jayne around.
I can instantly tell Jayne is hiding something. Something weighs heavily on her conscience, and I need to find out what it is.
“Yes, Mother.” She resigns herself, then looks up with a fake smile on her lips. I know it’s fake because I’ve seen her genuine smile, and this isn’t it. “I mean, of course. I would love to.”
“And you still have a few weeks to lose some of your weight.”
I glare at Evelyn so hard I imagine her head popping off from the sheer force. What kind of mother says that to their own child?
Looking back at our Jayne, I expect her to stand up for herself like she always does, and I am more than ready to back her up when she leans forward and takes a sip of her coffee. Setting it back on the table, she keeps her gaze on her cup as she answers solemnly, “Yes, Mother.”
I’m struck stupid by this person in front of me. This isn’t our Jayne,
I glance over at Declan, and he’s gravely frozen in place as he watches her reaction. Judging by his demeanor, I’m not sure if he’s taken a breath in the last two minutes.
Something is wrong. Something is worse than wrong, and we need to know what it is.
“So, tell me.” Evelyn breaks my concentration. “What does Jayne do in your company?”
“Jayne is our personal assistant, She’s working with our administrative team,” Declan answers easily.
9:42 Mon, Sep 22
…
A
77
Chapter 23
55 vouchers
“Isn’t that wonderful? How do you like your work?” Howard looks to Jayne. He means well, but when it comes to seeing Evelyn for who she really is, he is at a loss.
“It’s been great so far, except for my two bosses.” She starts in again with another wink to Howard, which earns her another grimace from Evelyn. “They can be very demanding. They’re riding my ass hard.”
Declan chokes on his coffee, Howard laughs, Evelyn frowns, and I sit back and enjoy the brief appearance of our feisty little Jayne.
Someone is going to pay for her comment later. I’m just not sure who it is yet.
The look on Evelyn’s face tells me she is dying to say something to Jayne, and I’m curious, so I decide on a little deception of my own.
An old trick Declan and I used to pull when we were younger was the fly on the wall.
People will show you their true colors when they think they are alone.
I reach into my pocket for my phone, turn off the sound, then dial Declan’s number. Before he answers, I set my phone facedown on the table near my plate.
Declan checks his phone before answering. When the screen shows my name, his eyes travel up to me, then focus on my phone sitting on the table.
“Excuse me. I’ve got to take this. It’s work. Lucas, will you join me? We’ll be about twenty minutes.” I know he’s already hit the mute button as we walk away.
Moving up to the house at a steady pace, we find a spot in the study and put the phone on speaker. We can hear Jayne and Howard catching up easily through the phone.
Not two minutes later, Evelyn asks Howard to grab her something from her room, and then there’s silence. Declan and I look to each other in anticipation, and half a minute drags on until we hear a frustrated sigh cut through the receiver, and Declan and I listen to their whole conversation.
田
AD
