Crazy Ever After by Kelly Jamieson Page A

strengthened her determination to step in for him.
    Mom had told her they’d eat dinner at six. She’d find out more from Travis then about what was happening at the office. An eager anticipation simmered inside her, and she knew it wasn’t just because she wanted to talk business with him.
    But Travis wasn’t there. He’d gone out for dinner, Mom told her. Disappointed, then annoyed because she was disappointed, Samara picked at her food. Who was he having dinner with? Why hadn’t he taken her mother with him? Maybe it was another woman. He probably had lots of friends...including old girlfriends in Portland he hadn’t seen for ages. Maybe it was clients. That bugged her just about as much as thinking about him with another woman.
    Or maybe he was just abiding by their agreement to stay away from each other. Damn him.
    “What are you going to wear Friday?” Mom asked over dinner. It was just the two of them. Samara would have skipped it except her mother had set the table, and she just couldn’t find it in her to be that rude.
    The age-old female question. Samara didn’t want to admit she’d been thinking about that too. “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I didn’t pack a lot. I was kind of in shock.” The idea that she’d needed to pack something for a funeral had almost paralyzed her.
    “Do you need to borrow something? Or go shopping?”
    Samara was not going to wear her mother’s clothes to the funeral. “I’m sure I have something that will do.” She tried to sound offhand.
    “After dinner we could have a look,” Mom tentatively offered. Samara opened her mouth to refuse the offer then caught the look on her mother’s face. Nervous diffidence, as if she were fearful of being rejected. Again, Samara couldn’t bring herself to hurt her mother’s feelings.
    She nodded, her throat rigid, and lifted her fork to her mouth. She had no idea what she was eating; she chewed and swallowed without tasting a thing.
    They went to her room after dinner, and Samara opened the closet door. She’d unpacked the few things she’d brought with her and hung them up. “Um...the room looks nice,” she said, reaching for the hangers. “I like how you redecorated it.”
    “Thanks.” Mom smiled. “I didn’t want to change it too much, but it looked a little...juvenile.” She pursed her lips. “I’m glad you like it. I kept hoping—”
    “This is what I have.” Samara interrupted her mother, not wanting to hear what she’d been about to say. She was afraid her mother was going to try to have that talk she’d said they would have, and she was so not ready for that yet. It was bad enough that they were being all girly friendly and looking at clothes.
    She held up a black wrap dress with cap sleeves in her left hand, and a black suit in the other. The suit was a business suit, with a simple pencil skirt and tailored jacket.
    “Um...you might be warm in the suit,” Mom said. “It’s supposed to be eighty-five degrees.”
    Samara nodded. “If you think the dress is okay, that’s what I’ll wear.” The truth was the wrap dress was one of her favorites. The cut was flattering, and the V neck was a good style for her. “Um...do you think it’s too low cut?”
    Her mom eyed the neckline. “It’s hard to tell on the hanger. Do you have a camisole you could put under it?”
    “No.”
    “Try it on.”
    Reluctantly, Samara pulled her T-shirt over her head and unzipped the cotton skirt she was wearing to stand self-consciously in her underwear in front of her mother. She was wearing lime green lace boy short panties and a matching push-up bra. What did her mother think of that?
    She pushed her arms through the sleeves and did the dress up, tying it at her waist, then looked down at herself. The push-up bra definitely enhanced her cleavage. “I have a black bra,” she muttered.
    “Then you’re fine,” Mom said, studying her. “The green shows a bit, but black will work.” She smiled, and the fact