"How's this?" she asked, holding up a champagne-hued silk blouse.
The combination was gorgeous and classy.
"I love it! You rock! Thank you.
But I'm sure you have to go now, right? I don't want to hold you up."
My mom frowned at me.
"I'm not in a hurry."
"What about Stanton? This has got to be weighing on his mind.
And it's a Saturday - he always reserves his weekends for you.
He needs to have the time with you."
And God, did I feel awful for his stress.
Stanton had spent a great deal of his time and money on issues pertaining to me and Nathan over the four years he'd been married to my mother.
It was too much to ask of anyone, but he'd come through for us.
For the rest of my life, I would owe him for loving my mother so much.
"This is weighing on your mind, too," she argued.
"I want to be here for you, Eva.
I want to support you."
My throat tightened, understanding that she was trying to make amends for what had happened to me because she was unable to forgive herself.
"It's okay," I said hoarsely.
"I'll be okay.
And honestly, I'd feel terrible keeping you away from Stanton after all he's done for us.
You're his reward, his little piece of heaven at the end of an endless workweek."
Her lips curved in an enchanting smile.
"What a lovely thing to say."
Yes, I'd thought so, too, the times Gideon had said similar things to me.
It seemed impossible that only a week before, we'd been at the beach house, madly in love and taking firm, sure steps forward in our relationship.
But now that relationship was broken, and now I knew why.
I was angry and hurt that Gideon had kept something as monumental as Nathan being in New York hidden from me.
I was furious that he hadn't talked to me about what he was thinking and feeling.
But I understood, too.
He was a man who'd avoided talking about anything personal for years and years, and we hadn't been together long enough for that lifetime habit to change.