Secret Son, Convenient Wife(35)

He nodded but his face closed up. And then he opened the door. Gemma stood where she was as he introduced himself and invited her parents inside. They saw her and hesitated before stepping into the foyer. Her heart staggered beneath her breast. Was it too much to hope that they might have rushed forward and taken her in their arms?

On second thought, perhaps they were simply overwhelmed, she told herself, not willing to let the doubt-devils get to her this early. She went to them and kissed them on their cheeks. “Mom. Dad. It’s lovely to see you both.” But she noticed her mother had stiffened at Gemma’s touch.

“Hello, Gemma,” Meryl Watkins said without a hint of warmth. She’d always spoken like that, Gemma reminded herself.

Her father’s expression faltered before he cleared his throat. Frank Watkins had always given in to her mother, even if Gemma sensed he didn’t always agree with her. “Yes, hello, Gemma.”#p#分页标题#e#

There was an awkward silence. It was like they were strangers. She waited for them to ask about Nathan, then was disappointed when they simply stood there.

“Let’s go to the drawing room,” Tate suggested.

“Yes, good idea.” Gemma tried hard to relax. “Would you like some coffee or tea?”

“No, thank you, Gemma.” Her mother walked through the arched doorway, looking critically around the room before sitting down on the sofa without being asked. “This is certainly very nice, don’t you think, Frank?”

Her father nodded as he placed himself beside her mother. “You’ve done well for yourself, Gemma.”

Gemma ignored the tightening of Tate’s mouth as she moved to sit opposite them. “I hear you’ve been on a Mediterranean cruise.”

Her father’s bushy eyebrows knitted together. “How did you know that?”

“When no one answered the phone at home, I phoned your work. I wanted to invite you to the wedding.” Hopefully they would see that as a peace offering.

Frank glanced at his wife. “See, I told you she would have sent an invitation.”

Gemma wasn’t sure she liked being called “she” in such a fashion. Couldn’t her own father call her by her first name?

And were they ever going to ask about Nathan?

“The papers said it was a lovely wedding,” her mother said. “Though Gemma,” her tone turned disapproving now, “I really don’t think you should have worn white.”

The criticism stung, but Gemma tried to move past the hurt, for Nathan’s sake. “That’s a bit old-fashioned, isn’t it, Mom?” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

“And I raised you to be an old-fashioned girl,” her mother said, then gave a heavy sigh. “Still, at least you’re married now.”

Disillusionment ripped through Gemma. She was beginning to see that nothing had changed. It had been hard growing up under constant disapproval. It was the reason she had moved out once she’d found herself a decent job. Her parents hadn’t tried to dissuade her, and she’d had the feeling they’d been relieved to get her out of the house. It had been the same when she’d told them she was pregnant. She was too much of a problem for them. They couldn’t cope, so they’d been happy to get her out of their lives.

Tate had been standing by the large windows, but now he moved in closer, his eyes narrowing. “So the only reason you came to see Gemma now is because she’s married?”

Her mother’s face showed that she clearly didn’t like Tate’s tone. “That and because we wanted to see our grandson.”

“Whom you haven’t asked about,” he pointed out.

“Give us time,” her father tried to joke.

Tate came to stand by the sofa, intimidating as he looked down at the older pair. “I’d imagine that would be one of the first things I’d ask about.”

“Of course you would,” Frank said, his tone placating. “He’s your son. We’re only his grandparents.”

Tate’s eyebrows shot up. “Only? That about says it all, doesn’t it?”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“And that’s the real shame of it,” Tate said, and a split second later he indicated the door with a brief dip of his head. “I’ll see you both out now.”

There was a stunned silence.

For a few seconds no one moved.

In spite of everything, Gemma was dismayed by what was happening. She’d didn’t want it to end like this. It had hurt so much the last time they’d walked away from her.#p#分页标题#e#

“Are you going to let him talk to us this way?” Meryl Watkins demanded of her daughter.