A Cold Dark Promise (Cold Justice #8.5)(20)

She pulled up outside her mother’s home and applied the parking brake. Rex gave another woof. She got out and opened the trunk, grabbed the pile of things her mother had offered to give to the wedding planner on Thursday to bring out to the vineyard on Friday. Mallory could have easily taken them herself, but that would be too easy. Rex took a moment to sniff a lamppost and relieve himself. Mallory was careful on the uneven paving stones. She rang the bell to announce her arrival and then headed straight inside. Even after everything that had happened over the years her mom rarely locked the front door.

Her mother’s horrified gasp hit her immediately. “You’re not supposed to be carrying anything!”

Mal dumped the packages on the side table in the enormous foyer. “They aren’t heavy.” She kissed her mother on the cheek and Rex obediently sat, waiting to be noticed. Her mother looked down and gave him a hesitant pat on the top of his golden head.

Mallory studied the senator. Her mom had lost weight since she’d resigned from office last December. The despair that had always pinched her features had lifted some. She looked happier than Mal could ever remember seeing her.

“I picked up all the favors for the groomsmen, maid of honor and bridesmaids,” Mallory told her, searching for a neutral topic of conversation.

Her mother shook her head with disapproval. “When I was twenty-seven weeks pregnant I wasn’t working full-time and planning a wedding. I was on bed rest.”

Mallory touched her mother’s arm. “You were having twins, Mom. I’m fine. Honestly.” She repeated firmly. “Don’t fuss.”

Footsteps approached, and Mal looked up to see Art Hanrahan, former head of BAU-4, approaching them warily. Art and her mother were dating and although things were a little strained because of what had happened last year, Mallory liked the guy.

“Can I carry those things into the dining room for you?” he asked.

“Sure.” She smiled her thanks. “I told the General”—the wedding planner—“that the color of the anemones wasn’t a big deal, and we’d use the ones that had streaks of pink on the edges. And I picked up the candy canes.” They’d been specially made with hers and Alex’s name shot through them. “She said to remember to put Grandma’s cake knife with these other things and she’ll pick up everything from here on Thursday night.”

Her mother frowned thoughtfully. “Where’s Alex?”

In a strange twist of events her mother had become very fond of Mallory’s fiancé. Maybe it was guilt.

“Busy at work.” No way was she telling them he was away. Her mother would insist on moving in with her, and Mal had spent the last six months trying to repair their relationship. Being pregnant had given her a different perspective on what her parents had gone through when her twin sister, Payton, had been abducted. Even though they’d disagreed on her mother’s tactics over the years, Mal wasn’t sure she’d have been half as graceful.

Her stomach rumbled, and she rested her hand against her taut belly. “I need to eat before junior starts to do an Alien on me. Would you like to go out to dinner?”

“We were just about to sit down to eat. Join us,” Margret insisted. “Cook always makes far too much.”

Cook was a French chef who made Mallory’s thighs expand an inch every time she walked in the door. What the hell, she’d go swimming tomorrow to make up for it.

“I’ll go and set another place,” Hanrahan offered cheerily. He held out his hand for Rex’s leash and then let him off. Her mother’s eyes widened, and she forced herself to look away from where the dog was sniffing the stairs.

“Come on, boy.” Hanrahan called him, and Rex darted to follow.

A smile curled her lips as Mallory watched them go. “You two seem cozy.”

Her mother’s cheeks reddened, and her hands wrung each other. “Art asked me to marry him.”

Mal’s eyes widened.

Her mother raised her hand and stared at her naked finger. “I said no—for now. I didn’t want to steal the limelight on your big day.”

Mallory shook her head slowly from side to side and took her mother’s hands in hers. “That’s not how Alex and I roll. The more good news the better. Do you love him?” she asked softly.

Her mother gave a self-conscious laugh and looked away. “I do. After your father, I didn’t expect to ever fall in love again but…”

Tears filled Mallory’s eyes. Man, she couldn’t wait for the pregnancy hormones to be over. “I’ll leave you two to have a nice romantic dinner and you tell him yes—”

“No.” Her mother held on to her hands tighter. “I want to see you put your feet up, and I want to see you eat. I’ll tell Art that I changed my mind when we’re alone together…later.”

Mallory’s brows stretched high.

“What?” her mother queried. “You think old people don’t have sex?”

Mallory choked out a laugh. “One, you’re not old. Two, no one wants to think of their parents getting it on with someone. Seriously.”

Margret’s answering smile was soft. “I know. I love you, Mallory. I never said it enough after we lost Payton. It was like I lost everything good in my heart, and I became a bitter and hateful woman.” She looked away and swallowed hard. “I died that day. There are no words or deeds that can take away a parent’s guilt in that situation. Every day I berated myself for keeping you girls in a bedroom so far away from mine, for not having fifty guard dogs and an alarm system and bodyguards. When I wasn’t blaming myself, I was blaming your father.” Her lips firmed, but she kept going. “And you.”