Barely Breathing (The Breathing #2)(113)

She stopped before entering the bathroom, absorbing my frantic pleas.

"It kills me to see you like you were last night. I don't want to do that to you. Please, don't be mad anymore, please?" My throat ached from holding back the tears. I swallowed hard and waited as she turned around.

Her eyes softened as she took in my tortured face. "Tell him you don't ever want to talk to him again, okay?"

"Okay," I sobbed, a tear rolling down my cheek as the pressure in my chest released. She walked in the bathroom and closed the door. I shut my eyes and took a deep breath, dreading what I was forced to do next.





29. Fatherly Advice



There was no movement in the house when I left to meet Vivian Sunday morning. My mother had pretty much been avoiding me, so I let her.

The guard at the gate checked me off the list, and I continued to drive further down the road that split the golf course in half. I followed the signs to the club house and parked in the lot outside a dark stone building with a wall of windows.

Vivian was in the lobby talking to a group of women dressed for brunch. I was relieved I'd asked Evan what to wear when I spoke with him yesterday afternoon, because I would never have thought to wear a dress to brunch.

"Emily," Vivian smiled brightly, reaching out with her arms to embrace me and kiss me on the cheek. "You look lovely as always."

"Thank you," I replied, draping my jacket over my arm.

She addressed the women who lingered before her, "Ladies, this is Emily Thomas, Evan's girlfriend."

"Of course," one said with a smile. They each carefully looked me over, forming their own opinions of the girl from the headlines.

"Shall we?" Vivian prompted me. "It was so nice to see you all again." We walked past the ladies and into the dining room.

"Perfect timing," she whispered, "I was having difficulty continuing to be polite to that group of shallow human beings." I widened my eyes at her remark and she smirked. It was the first time I recognized Evan in her face. I smiled and followed her to a table by the large windows that overlooked the rolling green course. 

"The woman I want to introduce you to is running a bit late," Vivian began after ordering a mimosa for herself and an orange juice for me. "So I thought this would give us time to talk about the other night."

My heart skipped a beat, fearing she was going to tell me that Evan wasn't going to Stanford.

"Stuart is very strong-willed. Evan shares the same spirit. So when they have opposing opinions, they will never reach a resolution. That's usually when Jared or I intervene, since we tend to be more open-minded and willing to compromise.

"Unfortunately, I'm not certain how to find a common ground over this matter. Stanford is a marvelous school, and I am so proud of Evan for being accepted. However, Stuart has wanted one of his sons to attend Yale since they were born. Jared didn't quite have the grades to be accepted, despite Stuart's efforts. But Evan does.

"Evan is convinced that he didn't get accepted to Yale on his own merit, and Stuart won't admit if he had any influence over the decision. But I do know that I've never seen Stuart so upset, and I'm trying to understand why."

"It's me." I said it so quietly that Vivian had to ask me to repeat myself. "Mr. Mathews doesn't approve of me, and Evan choosing Stanford is him choosing me over his father." I looked out the window, trying to calm the spasm in my chest.

"Why would you ever think that?" Vivian questioned in complete bemusement.

"I overheard him telling Evan that I wasn't his future, the night of the New Year's Eve party," I admitted softly, the words still stinging.

Vivian was quiet. Her face was smooth but her sharp blue eyes moved in contemplation.

"This is not about you," she said firmly. "This is between my husband and my son, and I'm so sorry that you were made to feel you had anything to do with it. Emily, I adore you, and I couldn't think of anything that would make me happier than for you to be my son's future.

"The only reason I was telling you this was to apologize for the tension the other night. I wish you didn't have to witness my husband's silent defiance." She cupped my hands that were clasped so tightly, my knuckles were white. "Please do not worry about this matter. I am quite certain it will work itself out."

"I want to promise you that I will never do anything to hurt Evan, and I will not come between him and his family. I love him, but I would walk away before I'd ever let anything jeopardize his happiness," I vowed passionately.

Vivian smiled adoringly. "I know, dear. That's why I wouldn't want him with anyone else." My heart swelled with her words, and I blinked away the sentiment with a smile. She laughed lightly at our emotional state, dabbing the corners of her eyes with a tissue.