Chapter 31

Evie

The hurt on Adam's face nearly changes my mind. But I'm in hyper-mode. If I don't leave now, I'll be out of a job for sure. This way, at least I have a glimmer of hope at saving my career and livelihood.

Passing through the living room, Adam still frozen at the patio door, I hear the doorbell ring. Pulling the robe's lapels tighter, I hurry to the door, swinging it open.

There stands a colorfully dressed woman in her early sixties, her jet black, chin-length hair, teased and sprayed into submission. She has several rings on her brightly-polished manicured hands. At the sight of me, her gaze flicks to my ring finger, then widens into something akin to disbelief. Like pools of ink, her eyes turn dark and watery. To her credit, she recovers quickly, a glimmer of a smile touching her red lips.

"Ah, finally," the woman says, "You must be the infamous Ronna. I can't tell you how happy I am to meet you."

I stand back in confusion as the woman steps past me and walks inside the house. A whiff of Jean Naté touches my nose, a scent I haven't breathed in since my grandma was around. And then it dawns on me.

Who knows about Ronna? Except for . . .

There is no other explanation.

I feel Adam's presence behind me.

This woman has to be Adam's?—

"Mom."