mothers-in-law.”
“Where is my mother, Catherine? Why isn’t she here?”
Catherine smiled again. “You’re not cutting me any slack with these questions, are you? I’m not really comfortable discussing this, either, but I know Sara loves you in her own way. She’s a complex woman, very involved in her career, and I know you’ve often felt eclipsed by that. There’s been some…difficulty between the two of you since you married Jake. She was dead-set against it, and the two of you didn’t speak for nearly a year, but I believe there has been some progress made as of late.”
“Why was she against it? For the same reason you were?”
Catherine frowned. “Not exactly. Sara felt you should marry someone of your own social status. Your mother is a wealthy woman, Nikki. She expected you to marry a senator or a lawyer, not a man who owns a construction company. Sara is very ambitious and couldn’t understand why you weren’t more like her. I think she was afraid you were ruining your life.”
Nikki sat back, absorbing this new information.
“You and Jake are a lot alike – headstrong, impulsive. I think we were both afraid you were rushing into something you couldn’t handle. Sara tried to force you into leaving Jake by cutting off your inheritance. I must say, even I was impressed when you stood up to her. You told her the money didn’t matter to you. You gave up a lot of material things, just to be with Jake.”
Catherine stood and busied herself by straightening the things on Nikki’s nightstand. “There I go again. I’m afraid I’ve said too much. I really shouldn’t discuss your relationship with your mother.”
“No. I’m just glad someone’s telling me something.” Nikki pushed herself up in the bed by her elbows and smiled. “So, now maybe you can tell me why Elaine hates me?”
Catherine’s blue gaze snapped back to her. “Elaine? What did she say to you?”
“She called me a manipulative bitch and thinks I’m faking this to hold onto Jake.”
Catherine sighed. “That girl is so full of anger. Anyone who knows you should be able to see you aren’t acting. I think Elaine has always been jealous of you. There was a boy that you dated before Jake – I cannot think of his name – but she accused you of stealing him from her. Then, of course, there’s Jake. I think at one time Elaine was a little in love with him, but he treated her like a sister, even before Zeke and I married. You knew how she felt and there was a lot of bad blood between you. Another trait you and Jake share— ” Catherine cast a sideways glance at Nikki. “—is jealousy. Each of you is extremely possessive of the other. You would forbid him to see her, she would retaliate by making sure she ran into him and then the battle would be on.”
“She told me not to bother trying to keep him from her.”
“Yes, I bet she did. But please, don’t let her get to you. Jake cares for Elaine. He has been friends with her and Eliot since they were children, but it is you that he loves.”
Nikki frowned as she tried to remember her conversation with Elaine. “Was the boyfriend we shared named Derek? She told me she wasn’t going to let me destroy Jake like I did Derek.”
Catherine frowned. “Yes, that was his name, but you are not responsible for what happened to that boy. Elaine had no right to say that.” She plucked at a piece of lint on the white blanket and gave Nikki a crooked smile. “If it’s any consolation, Elaine hates me, too. She blames me for her mother and father not being together, even though they were divorced for nearly a year before Zeke and I started dating. Elaine is a lonely, bitter young woman. I’ve tried to reach out to her, but she wants no part of it. Eliot and I have a warm relationship and I always hoped Elaine would come
“Where is my mother, Catherine? Why isn’t she here?”
Catherine smiled again. “You’re not cutting me any slack with these questions, are you? I’m not really comfortable discussing this, either, but I know Sara loves you in her own way. She’s a complex woman, very involved in her career, and I know you’ve often felt eclipsed by that. There’s been some…difficulty between the two of you since you married Jake. She was dead-set against it, and the two of you didn’t speak for nearly a year, but I believe there has been some progress made as of late.”
“Why was she against it? For the same reason you were?”
Catherine frowned. “Not exactly. Sara felt you should marry someone of your own social status. Your mother is a wealthy woman, Nikki. She expected you to marry a senator or a lawyer, not a man who owns a construction company. Sara is very ambitious and couldn’t understand why you weren’t more like her. I think she was afraid you were ruining your life.”
Nikki sat back, absorbing this new information.
“You and Jake are a lot alike – headstrong, impulsive. I think we were both afraid you were rushing into something you couldn’t handle. Sara tried to force you into leaving Jake by cutting off your inheritance. I must say, even I was impressed when you stood up to her. You told her the money didn’t matter to you. You gave up a lot of material things, just to be with Jake.”
Catherine stood and busied herself by straightening the things on Nikki’s nightstand. “There I go again. I’m afraid I’ve said too much. I really shouldn’t discuss your relationship with your mother.”
“No. I’m just glad someone’s telling me something.” Nikki pushed herself up in the bed by her elbows and smiled. “So, now maybe you can tell me why Elaine hates me?”
Catherine’s blue gaze snapped back to her. “Elaine? What did she say to you?”
“She called me a manipulative bitch and thinks I’m faking this to hold onto Jake.”
Catherine sighed. “That girl is so full of anger. Anyone who knows you should be able to see you aren’t acting. I think Elaine has always been jealous of you. There was a boy that you dated before Jake – I cannot think of his name – but she accused you of stealing him from her. Then, of course, there’s Jake. I think at one time Elaine was a little in love with him, but he treated her like a sister, even before Zeke and I married. You knew how she felt and there was a lot of bad blood between you. Another trait you and Jake share— ” Catherine cast a sideways glance at Nikki. “—is jealousy. Each of you is extremely possessive of the other. You would forbid him to see her, she would retaliate by making sure she ran into him and then the battle would be on.”
“She told me not to bother trying to keep him from her.”
“Yes, I bet she did. But please, don’t let her get to you. Jake cares for Elaine. He has been friends with her and Eliot since they were children, but it is you that he loves.”
Nikki frowned as she tried to remember her conversation with Elaine. “Was the boyfriend we shared named Derek? She told me she wasn’t going to let me destroy Jake like I did Derek.”
Catherine frowned. “Yes, that was his name, but you are not responsible for what happened to that boy. Elaine had no right to say that.” She plucked at a piece of lint on the white blanket and gave Nikki a crooked smile. “If it’s any consolation, Elaine hates me, too. She blames me for her mother and father not being together, even though they were divorced for nearly a year before Zeke and I started dating. Elaine is a lonely, bitter young woman. I’ve tried to reach out to her, but she wants no part of it. Eliot and I have a warm relationship and I always hoped Elaine would come
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