Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery Read Free Book Online Page B

back,” Nevada muttered, just loud enough for him to hear.
    Normally he would have gone inside and called her on it, but not today. Not when he was still having trouble wrapping his mind around what had happened the night before.
    He had a son, he thought, getting in his truck and starting the engine. A child. For eleven years and he’d never once known or imagined or guessed. All because Liz Sutton had kept the truth from him. Deliberately.
    The rage that had poured through him the nightbefore ignited again, burning hot and bright. He forced himself to focus on his driving, to pay attention to little things like stop signs and other traffic, as he steered the truck through town.
    Rather than go to his place, he went back to the house where he’d grown up. If anyone could talk him down, it was his mother. Denise Hendrix had raised six kids, surviving the loss of her husband, Ralph, nearly a decade ago. She was the heart of the family, the one everyone turned to when there was a problem. She was rational, thoughtful and would be able to give him a perspective other than his own. Because right now all he wanted was to take his son and bolt.
    Not a smart plan, he told himself as he drove through the familiar neighborhood, then turned into the driveway.
    He checked the clock on the dashboard of his truck. With all six kids out of the house, his mother had a lot more free time these days. Time she filled with classes and her friends. If he remembered correctly, his mother should be between the gym and whatever lunch date she might have lined up.
    He crossed to the front door, but it opened before he could knock.
    â€œI saw you drive up,” his mother said with a smile, looking fit in a T-shirt and flared cropped pants. Her feet were bare, her toes painted pink. Although she’d always worn her hair long, a few years ago, she’d cut it off and every time he saw her, it was shorter still. Now it barely came to the bottom of her ears.
    â€œHey, Mom,” he greeted, bending down and kissing her cheek. “You going to get your head shaved next?”
    â€œIf that’s what I want,” she declared, stepping back so he could enter. “I’m working out more and short hair is easier. Today was my yoga class. I seem to be missing the bendy gene. I swear, the positions some of the women get in defy me. I push, but I can’t help thinking that at some point, I’ll simply snap a bone. I’m at that age, you know. Shrinking and brittle.”
    â€œHardly.”
    Denise was in her early fifties and could easily pass for ten years younger. Despite the years she’d been alone, she’d never dated. Intellectually he knew it would be nice for her to find someone. But speaking as the oldest son and the one responsible for her, it wasn’t anything he wanted to deal with. Beating up some old guy for making moves on his mother wasn’t Ethan’s idea of a good time.
    â€œSweet of you to say so.” She studied him for a second, her dark eyes seeing more than most people’s. “What’s wrong?”
    â€œMaybe I came by just to see you.”
    â€œThis time of the morning, midweek? I don’t think so. Besides, I can tell. What is it?”
    She moved to the kitchen as she spoke and he followed automatically. Everything big was discussed in the kitchen. All revelations, celebrations, announcements.
    She poured them each a cup of coffee, then picked up hers and leaned against the counter.
    Her gaze was watchful, her expression neutral. Shewould wait as long as it took. As a teenager, he hated her patience. It had made him squirm and writhe until he eventually confessed to whatever it was he’d done wrong. Today he was grateful she didn’t try to distract him with small talk.
    â€œI have a son. His name is Tyler and he’s eleven.”
    His mother nearly dropped the mug of coffee. She quickly put it on the counter. Color drained from her face. She