Mismatch - By Nana Malone Page 0,26
I actually leave in a couple of days.” He proffered the check.
“Thank you, but you know you could have just had Mom bring it. And you're always too generous.”
This time, she saw a tiny frown before he could mask it. “Jesse, when was the last time you actually spoke to your mother?”
She had to think about that one. With her mother, she preferred to text. It was easier that way. When they spoke, there was almost always some kind of squabble revolving around Jessica's love life, appearance, lack of good prospects, et cetera. “A couple of weeks ago, I guess. Why?”
He rolled his eyes. “Then I guess she didn't tell you. Your mother and I are separated. She left two months ago.”
Ice settled into Jessica's bones. “She what?”
Karl shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I'm sorry, Jesse, I thought she told you.”
“Karl, this is ridiculous. You can’t be serious.” But with the flatness of his lips, his slightly pinched brows, she knew he wasn’t kidding.
“I wish I was.”
“I’ll get to the bottom of this. I swear. You know how she is.”
“I don’t think there's much you can do about it.”
She smiled. “A wise man once said it would be wise not to cross me when I have a plan in motion.”
After saying a hasty goodbye to Karl, she grabbed her jacket and car keys, even as she called her mother.
Chapter 8
Jessica didn’t bother knocking when she got to her mother's house. As she opened the door to the Tudor-style home, the smell of lemon cleaner greeted her.
The maid was so startled she barely had time to compose herself. “M-m-miss Stanton. I—let me get your mother.”
Jessica barreled past. “Don’t worry about it, Angie. I’ll find her.”
She finally found her mother in the study in close confidence with a man Jessica didn’t recognize. Her mother stood so close to the man with the dark, salt and pepper hair that they looked like they might start making out at any moment. Gross.
“You know, Mom, I got the most interesting visit today.”
Her mother sprang up out of her seat, sending her not quite blonde, not quite gray locks flying around her shoulders. “J-Jessica! Darling, you should have called. I’m right in the middle of something.”
“Right, sorry to interrupt, but apparently you have something to tell me.”
“Jessica, maybe we could talk later. As you see, I have a guest.”
Jessica plastered a fake smile onto her lips and sidestepped her mother. “Ah, yes, your guest.” Striding toward the older man, she assessed him as he stood to greet her. Nearly six feet tall, trim body. Old man worked out. He was also impeccably dressed, in a designer sweater vest and slacks.
“Hello, I'm Jessica, the daughter. You’ll have to forgive my intrusion. You see, I assumed she was still married to my stepfather and that this was my home, but apparently that's not true, so I unwittingly interrupted your little rendezvous.”
He didn’t respond to her jibe and instead stuck out his hand. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Jessica. Your mother has said so much about you.”
Jessica eyed his offered hand but didn’t take it. “That’s interesting. I’ve heard absolutely nothing about you. You can imagine my surprise.”
He didn’t miss a step. “I can imagine it must all be a shock to you, your mother and I. But don’t be angry with her. I wanted some more private time before we went public with our relationship.”
Jessica stuttered over the word. “Re-relationship. Right.”
Her mother chimed in. “Sweetheart, this is Michael Fenton, my new—friend.” Her mother beamed. “He’s an art financier.”
Jessica glared at her mother. “Mr. Fenton, could you please give Mom and me a minute?”
For a moment, Jessica wondered if he'd continue to stand there gawking at both of them, but he eventually made himself scarce.
“You know, Jessica, that was really very rude.”
“You mean like you not telling me about Karl? How could you not tell me that you’d left him?”
A blush spread from her mother’s neck to her cheeks. “When I met Michael, things moved so quickly. And well, I got caught up in the fun and escapism. But Karl, while he was always there for me, he’s just not that exciting.”
Jessica had always thought of her mother as a pretty bird. Always looking for the bright and shiny. Michael was just the shiny new toy. That’s how her mother found most of her husbands, by seeing something more exciting, then shedding the previous husband. “Mom, he loves you.”
“And he’s lovely.