Page 59 of Here's to Yesterday

I shake my head. “No, not always. We seem to have these moments when it’sdifficult.”

Kassi steps forward and speaks low. “You sure it’s a good idea to go withhim?”

Do I?I don’t know if it’s the best decision I’ve ever made, but after the way he looked at me, there’s no way I’m backing out now. Besides, I know where the line is, and I’mnotcrossingit.

“It’ll be fine.Promise.”

She accepts my answer and steps back as Tucker joins us in the smallspace.

“Ready?” He offers anarm.

“As I’ll everbe.”

* * *

Tucker insistson opening my door for me at the valet station, earning him strange looks from my mother’s hiredhelp.

“Damn,” he whistles. “This place is kindainsane.”

“That’s putting itlightly.”

I peer up at the massive house I grew up in. It’s basically an eleven-bedroom mini-mansion complete with a half-circle driveway and fountain. Not to mention the sprawling, precisely manicured lawn and in-ground pool. You’d think that growing up in a house this gigantic would be luxurious and every person’s dream, but not mine. This house is cold and lonely and mean. It holds nothing but sad memories for me, which is why I try to avoid it as much aspossible.

“Good?” Tucker says in myear.

“Sure,” I tell himgrimly.

He reaches down and gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, and I suddenly feel better about the walk we’re taking up the stairs into my own personalhell.

The second I seeher, all hope of having a semi-decent evening vanishes. From the outside, no one would be able to tell how pissed off my mother is. No one else could see the shadows in her eyes or the disappointment in her rigid spine. To everyone else in the packed room, she’d appear happy and regal. But to me she looksthreatening.

I watch as she makes her way over to us, eyeing Tucker with intensity and hatred. Comical because she doesn’t know the man and frustrating because I know she’ll never try to. Guess it’s a good thing she can’t see any of histattoos.

“Maura,” she says stiffly, leaning in for her infamous cheek kiss. I cringe when I feel her mouth hover near my ear. “We’ll be discussing your hideous attire anddatelater.” Every word she speaks is dripping withdisgust.

I step back from her and use all the restraint I have not to glare at her, becauseno onewould dare glare atNorah.

“It’s so good to see you, dear.” And just like that, she’s back into “perfect mother” mode, playing it up for all to see. “Who’s your…friend?”

Tucker places a reassuring hand on my lower back, heating up my skin with his gentle touch. His action tells me he doesn’t trust her and sees through everything she’s saying. “Tucker Bentley, Ms. Doughers. It’s such a pleasure to finally meet you. Maura’s told me all about you,” he says without a hint of sarcasm or distaste in hisvoice.

My mother doesn’t know it, but Tucker just lied through his teeth. It’snota pleasure to meet my mother. He knows exactly how mean she canbe.

“Bentley? You’re related to Tanner, then?” shequestions.

“Yes, I’m his youngerbrother.”

My mother’s eyebrows raise just a fraction, and she purses her lips, giving me look full of repulsion. “You’re escorting your brother’s girlfriend to our event this evening, Mr. Bentley? How…kind ofyou.”

Translation: My daughter is whore and it’s all yourfault.

“Yes,ma’am.”

“And what is it you do for a living?” Typical Norah, only caring about someone’s socialstatus.

“Mother!” Iseethe.

She shoots me a look that has me folding into myself and stepping closer to Tucker. He pulls me into him, giving me the support I so desperatelyneed.

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