The Preparation

Skylar

Telling Cole that my mother wanted to see him felt like dropping a live wire into still water.

I held onto that piece of information for two whole days before I finally let it out. Not because I wanted to test his patience or cause some dramatic reveal, but because I genuinely didn’t know how he’d take it.

I mean, my mother isn’t exactly the kind of woman who offers warm hugs and kind words to strangers. Especially not to someone she believes has taken ‘advantage’ of her daughter.

And Cole... well, he had married me under circumstances no mother would ever describe as “romantic.” I couldn’t even imagine the look she’d have on her face when she finally laid eyes on him.

So, when I finally told him, it was late in the evening. We were both in the living room. I was curled up on the armchair, reviewing a few documents on my tablet while he sat on the opposite couch, sipping coffee. It was a calm moment, almost too calm, which made me even more nervous.

I didn’t even look at him wh