To her credit, Hattie maintained her sociable smile as she escorted the elder Mrs. McGraw into the room, ignoring the question and the tone with which it was posed.
“Thank you for coming, Mother,” Caleb said. “Have a seat.”
She held her ground near the doorway as if waiting for her son to come to her. “Aren’t you going to come hug your mother?”
“Please,” he said, gesturing toward a wing-back chair opposite the settee. “Sit down.”
A bit of the hoity went out of her toity at the brush-off. Snow held her grin in check. Barely.
“I’d hoped we could have this visit alone,” Vivien said, glancing from Snow to Hattie, who stayed in the room, but kept a safe distance near the exit. “Surely you’ve had time to come to grips with the situation and what must be done.”
“Yes, I have.” Caleb waited until Vivien settled in the chair before sitting. “I want you to know this will be the last time we see each other.”
Cutting her eyes his way, she said, “Surely that line is intended for your wife.”
Snow looked to Hattie for a reaction and caught a wink. Caleb must have confessed the truth during his earlier visit.
As if she hadn’t spoken, Caleb continued. “You’ve done everything possible to destroy my marriage, including lie about Snow leaving with another man.”
“But I saw—”
“I spoke to Father yesterday,” Caleb interrupted. “He happened to be in his study the night that Snow left.” He hadn’t told her that part. Snow was clearly the worst sneaker-outer ever. “He watched her get into her car and leave. Alone.”
Vivien didn’t have an answer for that one. She was searching for one, if the suffocating fish impersonation was any indication, but no defense came.
Leaning back and dropping his arm around Snow’s shoulders, Caleb said, “Snow is my wife, and she’s going to remain so until death do us part. Soon, we’ll renew our vows here in Ardent Springs, with our new friends in attendance. You are not invited.”
Her mother-in-law’s blue eyes reflected confusion that quickly turned to rage. Shifting her gaze to Snow, she said, “This is your doing.”
“None of this had to happen,” Caleb said. “You made me choose, and I have. Now you get to live with it.” Rising to his feet, Caleb said, “Don’t expect a Christmas card.”
“But . . .” Vivien stayed in her chair, her usual haughty glare replaced with panic and desperation. “Your father won’t allow this.”
“My father has no say in what I do with my life.”
Caleb’s face remained calm. Implacable. But Snow knew this was killing him. No matter what Vivien had done, she was still his mother. Snow supported Caleb in his decision, but she didn’t envy him having to make it.
“He’ll cut you off,” Vivien said. “You’ll never get another penny. How do you like that, missy?” Vivien pointed a finger at Snow. “You won’t get your hands on our money.”
“Enough,” Caleb said. “I haven’t taken a penny from Dad since I left college, and I don’t need his money now.”
“He’ll . . . You . . . You won’t get the company.”
“Caleb will have a company,” Hattie said, drawing everyone’s attention her way. “Don’t you worry about that.”
Was Hattie going to give Caleb the newspaper? When did that happen? Snow wanted Vivien to leave so she could find out exactly what these two schemers had agreed on.
“Who are you?” his mother asked.
“I’m the woman who owns this house and half of this town. I’ve been dealing with your kind longer than you’ve been alive, my dear, so don’t turn that condescending look on me.” Waving one arm toward the front hall, Hattie added, “Now get your bony ass out of my house.”
The dying fish act returned as Vivien looked to Caleb for support. He held his ground, arms crossed and face stern.
Caleb, Snow, and Hattie followed Vivien out as she attempted to leave with the last bits of her dignity, ignoring them all until she reached the front door and said, “I don’t know who you are, but you are not my son. She’s changed you, and if you’re willing to be her fool, then you deserve each other.”
Vivien stormed out without waiting for a response, leaving nothing but a cloud of perfume in her wake.
Caleb took Snow’s hand and said, “She’s changed me all right. For the better.”
“Well,” Hattie said, “I thought you might be exaggerating, but that woman is exactly how you described her.”
Caleb wished his mother would have proved him wrong. Hoped that when faced with the real possibility of losing her son, she might admit her lies, apologize, and show some remorse. But no. Not Vivien McGraw. That wasn’t her style.