My eyes narrowed at the sight of Anna, standing there like she didn’t have a care in the world.
My relationship with Anna wasn’t like the one I had with Robert. Anna was colder, less interested in me outside of what I could do for her. I tried to be grateful, because she’d brought me under her roof and had granted me a future that most would envy, but it was like living with a rattlesnake.
Sure, we’d coexisted in the same house, but it was always with the awareness that if I did something wrong or if I let her down, she’d bite me. Luckily for me, the water was a place where I excelled, so I never saw that side of her, but I’d seen it with Adam. Had seen it when Adam had changed his mind about going to college—that Thanksgiving and Christmas had felt as though the snow was falling indoors. Frigid? Understatement.
But because she never visited me without Robert at her side, I stared at her in confusion. “What are you doing here?”
I hadn’t even told Robert where I was staying, so how she knew, I had no idea.
“I just wanted to visit! We’ve barely had the chance to see you since we landed.” It didn’t surprise me that she pushed her way inside, and I didn’t bother stopping her.
I wanted peace and quiet—the only way to get that was to let her do what she wanted.
To be fair, I figured that was how most things worked with her. She was such a pain in the ass that people just let her get away with murder to shut her the hell up.
Right there was probably the best description of her political career.
She peered around my room with a wrinkled nose. “Why aren’t you staying somewhere nicer? You can afford it now.”
“It suits my purpose,” was all I said, not willing to discuss my reasoning. The place was nicer than a capsule hotel, a lot nicer than a three-star basic place, and decent enough to have room service.
But because it wasn’t a suite of rooms with views of Tokyo, and didn’t come complete with a butler or a wine cellar, it wasn’t good enough for her.
God, I’d forgotten how much of a snob she was.
And right then, right there, I missed Peter and Janice. Fuck, I missed them so badly. I missed their simplicity and their kindness—direct contrasts to the woman standing in front of me.
“I just ordered coffee,” I told her as I moved over to the bed to grab the jacket I’d pulled off in preparation for a shower. I wore a thin camisole and short shorts, but in her power suit—tailored jacket, pants, and shirt that did marvelous things for her figure—I felt like a slob.
“Good. We could go out for breakfast—”
“I have plans,” I lied without an ounce of guilt. “Some friends from the team. I was actually heading out after the coffee.”
Her nose crinkled, and she took a seat in one of the two armchairs in front of the bed. “That’s such a shame.”
Was it?
“How did you know where I was staying, Anna?” I asked warily.
“Robert has you on ‘Find Friends.’” She wafted a hand. “I looked up this street and saw this was the only hotel.”
I blinked at her blasé description of her stalking me. “How did you get my room number?”
“I told them I was your mother.”
Revulsion settled inside me at that, but I tamped it down—Anna was not my mother.
Thank God.
Though I had my answer, I couldn’t say it pleased me, but when another knock sounded at my door, I twisted around and went to answer it.
Tipping the guy after he set up the little trolley just inside the door, I closed it, then poured us both some coffee which I doctored how she liked it. She took the cup and saucer, had a sip, and smiled at me. “You remembered.”
I shrugged, drank some of my own, then I flung myself onto the armchair opposite her. Eying her over the rim, I questioned, “What’s wrong, Anna? Why are you here?” And after going to some lengths to find me.
She shrugged. “I wanted to catch up. It’s been such a long time since we chatted. There’s so much you don’t know!”
“Like what?” I inquired warily.
“Cain’s finally settled into a new job.”
She always brushed over the fact that he’d hurt me and that he’d served time for that crime. And that Maria had been a party to that