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A grin lit up Hanna’s face, and the room around her. “Good. I didn’t even have to deliver Vivian’s threats.”
“God, I can only imagine. No need. I’ll go peacefully.” He held up both hands to surrender. “This means I’m going to have to work a little late tonight, though, and get started on that now.”
“I’ll get out of your hair. Thank you, Gregory. For– I know your time is valuable.”
“Any time I spend with you is more valuable.” He started to rise so he could cross the room. Take her hands. Show her how earnest he was. But he caught movement behind her, and saw his mother lurking in the hallway.
Hanna noticed his look and glanced behind her. Immediately, her posture closed, from open to a careful defense. “I’ll see you later, Gregory.”
Damn it, Mom. What the hell are you doing down here? You never come to my office.Not when she could force him onto her turf. “Definitely. Mom. Why don’t you come in.”
Darlene stepped into the room. She didn’t spare a glance for Hanna as she slipped down the corridor. Once she’d disappeared, Darlene turned to him. “Getting cozy?”
“If you say one word about her that isn’t kind, flattering, or apologetic, you can march right back out of this office.” He eased back into his seat.
“I don’t intend to. I actually came to apologize to you about my behavior.” The words rolled smoothly off her tongue.
Gregory was instantly suspicious. “The one you should apologize to just left.”
“No, you deserve an apology, too.” Darlene claimed the seat next to the desk without invitation. “I grew up with a difficult mother, Greg. She was bitter, and angry, and she hated herself. I’m pretty sure she hated me, too. The constant reminder of the man and the life she lost.”
He sighed. “I don’t know that she lost it. I’m not sure she was in the wrong. Grandpa was a lot of things, but one of those was an asshole.”
“It was. He tried, later in life, to make amends for what happened before. He wasn’t very good at it. Neither was I. I was too much like her, and at the same time, I hated what she’d done. Now I’m following in both of their footsteps.” She spread her hands. “I messed up my life when I was young, and almost messed up yours as much as my mother tried to screw mine up.”
“But you didn’t. You gave me up.”
“It would be ironic if the best thing I did for a child was leave them,” she said, voice harsh and full of a self-loathing that surprised him. “Maybe it was. I pushed you away, like my mother pushed me away, hell, like myfatherpushed me away for a while. Now I’m acting badly and screwing up the only chance I have to do better than my father did at repairing a relationship with my child. My poor health lately shouldn’t be an excuse.”
Gregory tried not to roll his eyes.Your poor health. You mean, your Needs-Attention-Itis. You’re healthy as a horse, and every doctor who’s seen you says so.
Instead, he leaned back. “I’m going to be honest. It’s not going well. At this rate, how you treat Hanna is going to be the last straw.”
“I spent a lifetime watching my mother chase rich men. One rich man in particular. Everything she did came back to that. I hated it.” She glanced towards the doorway, then back. “I see echoes of that in her. Trying so hard to get close to you, and your grandmother. It sets me on edge.”
“Has it occurred to you that you’re projecting, Mom? That you’re so used to looking for it that you see it everywhere?” He raised his eyebrow at her. “Have you even considered that she’s nice, and sweet, and maybe, just maybe, she’s genuine?”
“No,” Darlene admitted. “No. It hasn’t. I don’t even know if it could have. I’m a big enough person to admit that’s a flaw in me. One I need to fix.”
Did she just admit she’s wrong? Is the world ending?“Yes. It is. You don’t have long to do it before I’ve had enough.”
Darlene took a deep breath and let it out again. “Just be careful, Greg. That’s all I ask. Don’t question as much as I do, butdoquestion. Maybe she’s just a nice woman, and I’ll figure that out. But maybe she’s not, and I don’t want her to ruin your life. She’s already distracting you.”
“What?”
“You have one of the most important impressions to make on Saturday. That party, the board discussion that will happen at it… Should you be letting her pull you away?”
He reached up to pinch his nose. “You’re doing it again. Right now.”
“I’m just– This is your grandfather’s business. It’s important to you, and to everyone. You get one chance to make this impression. You need to do everything right, and not rock the boat.” Still, she lifted her hands, then slowly lowered them. “But you’re right. You know what you’re doing.”
“Now and then. I’ve been planning this party with Martin for more than a month. Half a day to decompress and have a nice time before this miserable get-together will only do me good. Thank you for caring, but you need to butt out.”
Her lips puckered inward. He knew she wanted to comment, sucked on her sour observation like a strong lemon candy, but she didn’t say a word of it. “I do. This is your company. Hanna may be right in encouraging you to take a few hours out.”
“Thank you.” He blew out a heavy breath between flattened lips. “Speaking of that, I need to get to work so I can afford to take tomorrow afternoon off. If you don’t mind…”
For perhaps the first time, his mother got the hint. She stood up. “Thank you for listening to me. I’m sorry if I get this wrong more often than not.”
