“She’s going to be so disappointed in me and I don’t blame her. I did a terrible thing.”
“Look, we’re both a bit shell-shocked but after yesterday, when we talked about what happened, I know it’s on me too. We both have to find our feet around each other again. Even though she’s hurt and will probably give you a bit of a hard time, Mom feels the same way.”
“I don’t blame her. What we did was terrible and I’ll do everything I can to make it up to her, I promise.”
He grinned. “Now, I’d better get on with this job or the client will fire me. Last thing I want to do is get off on the wrong foot.”
*
It was hard not to lean in and give her a reassuring hug. She was rattled but he couldn’t avoid telling her his mom was on the way over to see her. It wouldn’t have been fair. She’d sweep in and take over, something she did with all the best intentions but still. After being away for so long, Mari might find it a bit confrontational, especially when his mother gave Mari a piece of her mind and she would, he could guarantee it. If he wasn’t scared he’d chase her away, he’d be lining up to grill Mari again too. So many questions only she could answer.
The thing bugging him was just how long he could hold out before she told them the story behind Rake’s death and why the secrecy around the scattering of his ashes. Last night, he’d lain awake wondering what they did to deserve being shut out of Rake and Mari’s lives for so long. A simple phone call or a letter would have been better than nothing. Not ideal, but still, they deserved something and he had every intention of finding out. But first he wanted to get to know his son.
Just how much had she changed? Leaving and forging a life away from everyone she knew couldn’t have been easy for her but it seemed as though she’d come out of it on the winning side. But it was how she managed to marry his brother and the way they lived their lives that interested Ethan now, especially since Noah was involved. They’d all been great friends growing up. Somewhere along the line that changed and he still couldn’t believe he’d been such an idiot and dumped her.
Ethan had hoped he and Mari’d go to college together, get married, and eventually settle down. He’d have his business and she could pursue whatever career she chose and if it was the wedding business she’d set her heart on, fine. He knew how much hope she’d put into that dream. They’d lay on the grass under the stars at night talking about how Mari would design the wedding day, set out the menu and what flowers she’d use for the brides and the wedding party. She had a whole folder of wedding information tucked away for future reference. He wouldn’t have minded if she’d decided to have babies straight away either. So long as they were together, he would have been happy. That was before he’d felt trapped and dumped her. So many times he wished he could’ve gone back and changed that, giving them both a better outcome. So what on earth made him flip out and tell her he was no longer interested? What was it that made him ruin his future and live the last ten years with regret?
“What do you want me to do first, boss?” His foreman, Ben, broke Ethan’s train of thought.
Chapter Six
Mari cleaned the apartment, tidied up her office and then headed toward the bar attached to the restaurant to clean what the staff hadn’t finished before they went home last night. She’d just mopped the floor in the kitchen and tipped the dirty water down the drain in the mudroom when she heard a voice she recognized.
“I’ll find her.”
Mari’s heart pounded and her mouth dried making it difficult to swallow. Seeing Pearl again was the biggest hurdle Mari had to face. Even the thought of meeting Mr. Benson again didn’t scare her like this did. The woman who saved her, taught her there was hope for everyone, and loved her unconditionally. The woman Mari had turned her back on when things got too hard to take. She felt sick thinking about it but she’d promised Rake she would come back and make things right again. He’d insisted his mother would forgive her when faced with having them back in their lives. Time to face the music. Mari put the bucket and mop away, smoothed her hands down her thighs, and stepped out the door into the foyer.
“Pretty sure I saw her in there, Mrs. Benson. I can get Ethan to help you find her, if you like.”
“You go on back to work. I’m sorry I interrupted you, Ben. I’ll find her myself, thank you.”
Mari closed her eyes, drew in a couple of deep breaths then flicked off the light switch. She went to meet the woman whose heart she’d broken years ago.
“Hello, Pearl.”
Pearl Benson stopped in her tracks and stared as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Mari thought Pearl was going to burst into tears but her lips thinned and she pulled herself up straight. This was exactly how Mari thought it would happen when they came face-to-face. Apprehension and then anger kicking in.
“How could you? After all we did for you, how could you treat us like this?”
Pain hovered under the anger and Mari couldn’t blame Pearl for lashing out. She’d have done the same thing in similar circumstances. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you but I couldn’t see any other
