How to Tame a Silver Fox novel · Chapter 28 of 32

Chapter 28: Dinner with the Family

"You didn't call me back," Arlen's mother said.

She stopped at the foot of the aisle with her handbag in both hands.

She looked her son up and down.

"I was going to, Mom."

"You were going to be fine and not mention it. I know my own child."

Her eyes moved past him, to the man on his knees in the grass.

I watched her take in my father, the navy coat, the grass stains, the hand held out to nothing.

Nothing in her face changed.

"Get up, Albert," she said. "You're ruining those trousers."

My father looked up at her, and a sound came out of him that was not a word.

"I haven't come for an apology," she said.

"You won't offer one, so we needn't pretend."

She shifted the handbag to her other arm.

"I'll hear from you when you've done something. Not before."

She turned her back on him.

It was the cruelest thing I had ever seen done politely.

Then she looked at me.

"You're the girl with the notebook," she said.

"Yes, ma'am."

"He told me about the notebook on the phone, weeks ago."

"He called it a nuisance, in the voice he uses when he's lying."

She put out a gloved hand.

"I've been wanting to meet you since."

I took it.

Her grip was dry and strong, and the glove smelled faintly of lavender.

Behind her the caterer's van was already loading trays from the long white tables, because two hundred people had left a lobster dinner untouched.

Junie's brother stood over the first tray with his cap in his hands.

"The caterer says someone ought to eat it," he said. "Otherwise it goes in a dumpster."

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