Page 138 of An Inevitable Marriage

But other than that, the resemblance was uncanny.

“Mrs. Sutton.” Meeting her where she stood, I held out my hand. She even had the same green eyes as her daughter. “My name is—”

“I know who you are,” she sneered, ignoring my outstretched hand. “Why are you here?”

All at once, I felt helpless and small. This woman did not like me, and after the article she’d read, I couldn’t find it within me to blame her. Still, I squared my shoulders and clasped my hands in front of me.

“I’m here because of your daughter. Everlee—”

“Don’t you dare say her name,” Mrs. Sutton snapped.

Somewhere behind all that fury, I didn’t miss how her eyes softened at the mention of Snow.

“Paying for sex. Paying for a wife. That’s the problem with you spoiled little rich kids. You think the entire world is for sale. My Evie had good values; now all she has is a bad reputation, thanks to you. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

She wasn’t wrong. The whole unsavory article was because of me. What she didn’t know was that in about two hours, that same newspaper would issue a personal apology to my wife or that the reporter who’d penned the article no longer had a job.

I wasn’t about to enlighten her either. I wasn’t there for me. I was there for Snow.

“You’re right,” I told her. “Everlee deserves better. Better from me, and with all due respect, Mrs. Sutton, better from you.”

Her eyes widened in fury, but just as she opened her mouth, I gently cut her off.

“You’ve raised an incredible daughter. She’s beautiful, smart, and far too good for someone like me. She has those values you believe she lost. She has them in spades. And her heart?” I shook my head. “I’ve never met anyone with a heart as big as hers.”

Tears welled up in Mrs. Sutton’s eyes, the sight of it clogging my throat with emotion. I swallowed once, twice, three times before I could finally speak again.

“She’s selfless. So selfless. Always putting the people she loves first without expecting anything in return. Even people she doesn’t know. People who don’t deserve it.”

Snow’s mom cried openly. I wanted to comfort her but hadn’t said everything I’d wanted to say yet.

“When we met, I gave her every reason to turn around and walk away. But she stayed. And not only that, she saved me. Not my company or inheritance.Me. Your daughter showed me how absolutely wonderful and terrifying it is to love.

“I love Everlee, Mrs. Sutton. With my entire being, and it bloody terrifies me. But not loving her, not having her in my life.” I shook my head again. “That scares me even more. I know we didn’t come together under normal circumstances or even circumstances you approve of. And for that, I apologize. What I won’t apologize for are the feelings that came from it. Real feelings.”

I took a step closer and softened my voice. “Everlee loves you, and she wanted to help carry a burden that was too heavy for one person to carry. It was never to defy you. That’s the daughter you raised, Mrs. Sutton. I know you have no reason to believe anything I say or put any value on my words, but know this: Everlee’s reputation is just as important to me as it is to you. And I will do everything I can to keep it from getting tarnished. Just as I will do everything I can to make her happy. But there are things I can’t give her, no matter how desperately I wish I could. Things like a mother’s love and forgiveness.”

My throat and mouth felt dry. Slicking my tongue over my lips, I reached inside my pocket and pulled out an envelope. I held it out to Mrs. Sutton and almost fist-bumped the air when she reached forward with shaky fingers to take it from me.

“I hope you’ll accept. Everlee misses you and your husband terribly.” With that, I took a wide step around her and walked into the corridor.

I’d made it halfway down the hall when Mrs. Sutton called out my name.

I spun around to face her and my heart squeezed at the sight of more tears streaming down her face.

“How is she?” She could barely speak.

Not about to hurry her, I waited patiently until she could.

“How’s my Evie? Is she happy?”

“I’d like to believe she is, Mrs. Sutton.” Closing the distance between us, I set my hands on her shoulders. I considered it a small win when she didn’t shrug me off. “Would you like to get a coffee somewhere? We can talk more about Everlee.”

For a moment, it looked as if she would refuse my offer, but then she wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands and tilted her head to meet my gaze.

“I’d like that.”

Chapter thirty-nine