Page 80 of Legal

“Chase, hasn’t our time together been wonderful these past couple weeks? I don’t want to ruin that. You know the problems start when we’re out around other people. What’s wrong with just keeping it the two of us?”

He sighed and pulled me into his arms, kissing the top of my head. “It’s been amazing, beautiful. I’m not arguing that. But how will we ever get better at going out unless we practice more?” I looked up to his warm smile, filling me with fuzzy feelings. “Let’s try, Jillian.”

“Okay.”

I bounced in my seat, drumming my fingertips on my knee, ready to be sick. What was I thinking? How could I have let him talk me into this? He’d lured me in with promises of grandeur. Made me think we were doing so well we were invincible to handle anything. I’d been delusionally optimistic. Or optimistically delusional. Whichever way you played it, the song remained the same.

This was a mistake.

“Relax, Jillian.” Chase placed his hand on my leg, flattening my nervous tic. “I’m going to be prying you off the roof soon.”

Never mind the fact that we were on our way to an engagement party of approximately fifty people. Never mind the fact that my mom and Frank were going to be there and this was their first time meeting him. Never mind the fact that Stephen would be giving us the eagle eye every thirty seconds. That was all child’s play compared to where we were stopping first.

My mouth reminded me of that powder teachers threw down on the floor to soak up puke. I was scared spitless.

Chase pulled into the short driveway, and I wished I had some of that powder handy right then. He would not be too happy at the mess I was about to leave on his floor mat.

“Ready?” he asked.

“No.”

He laughed. “It’ll be fine. Honest. They’re great people and won’t do anything to make you uncomfortable.”

“Too late.”

Chase got out of the car and came around to my side, trying to help me up. Like I didn’t know how to get out of a car. I’d been doing it longer than him. I just didn’t want to.

“Jillian, please. It’s not a big deal. Trust me.”

“Fine.” I stood and smoothed down my sleeveless cocktail dress. I’d ventured into the fancy side of my closet today. I forced myself to ease up. For a mature woman, I was sure acting like a bratty toddler. “Sorry, Chase. I’m just really, really nervous.”

“Good thing you hide it well.” I narrowed my eyes at him, and he laughed again. “Come on.” He wrapped an arm around my waist and walked beside me as I clicked my way to the front door. Why had I worn such high heels? Did I look too street-walkerish? “You look beautiful,” he said as if reading my mind, brushing his lips over mine.

His mother was forty-three.Forty-three. Why couldn’t she have had him later in life, say at forty? I would have been much better with sixty-six. Or even in the fifties range, like Chase’s father. I could have worked with that. But only five years older than me? Talk about a panic attack. I was well on my way to having one.

The door opened, and I found myself staring at two very attractive people. Of course, what else would I expect? My stomach started twisting into painful knots at the thought of going inside. I put on a happy smile, though. Go, me.

“Mom, Dad, this is Jillian. Jillian, my parents, Colleen and Ray.”

“Nice to meet you.”

After the social niceties were over, Chase went to help his dad move some furniture into the basement to prepare for their new delivery, which was the whole reason he’d asked to stop there in the first place. He’d already planned to help that weekend, and they lived near the hall where the party was being held. So we left a little early. Boom. Perfect.

Yes, perfect. I was sitting there with his mother on the living room couch, just the two of us, and I was at a complete loss. This woman could have been my best friend, but instead, she’d given birth to a guy I wanted naked all the time. That wasn’t a good conversation starter.

“So, Jillian. Chase tells me you’re headed to your brother’s engagement party. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Chase had her eyes; that was obvious, although she had flecks of blue instead of gold. At any rate, they were kind. It didn’t look like she wanted to grab a pitchfork and chase me through the woods thinking I was her son’s predator. “We love the woman he’s marrying, so we’re all very happy about it.”

She talked about family and a little about business, never asking anything too personal and completely avoiding questions about Chase and me as a couple. I wondered if that was premeditated. Chase had probably briefed her on the safe topics. Whatever the reason, I was relieved and thankful. Especially since my age was never brought to light, and it wasn’t like we were sitting there in the dark wearing sunglasses. She knew very well that I was much older than her son, but she never treated me that way.

My stress level dropped to the negative digits. I no longer cared how long it was taking Chase. We still had plenty of time before the party started, and he was right. It was fine.

She must have noticed me eying a pretty photo album sitting on the coffee table because she said, “Would you like to take a look?”

“Oh, I don’t want to pry.” I was looking at the yellow and pink gardenias on the cover, not suggesting that she show me private photos. But then, if they were private, she probably wouldn’t have it sitting out to begin with.

“Not at all,” she said, handing me the album. “You can see how adorable Chase was when he was little.” I smiled. There was no doubt he was a beautiful child.

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