Page 160 of Legally Mine

"She's on her way home. But just to be safe, you should probably leave after the speech, Red. No doubt she'll tip off the paps that you're here."

I blanched. "Okay."

He looked across the room and waved to someone who was apparently beckoning at him. Cory was standing next to a group of other men in tuxedos, some of whom I recognized from the last, disastrous benefit.

"Time to kiss some donors' asses," Brandon muttered. "I'll be back when I can."

I watched him leave, and the ball of dread in my stomach grew. When I looked back to the table, I found Susan watching sympathetically while Ray stared with obvious disapproval.

"You don't look like you're very happy about tonight," Susan said lightly. "You must be upset about that feature in the paper today."

I sighed. "I'm here for Brandon, not myself. Not the Globe either."

"This isn't Brandon," Ray said abruptly. "Susan's right. He's never been one for this kind of attention, and now all of a sudden he wants to run for office?" The older man shook his head. He turned to me. "You did this?"

Confused, I shook my head. "He loves Boston," I said weakly. "Maybe he just wants to help make his city better."

It was hard to argue with what Ray was saying. I hadn't actually known Brandon that long, but in all that time, he had always seemed a supremely private person, never one for crowds or a lot of extra attention. This new venture was the complete polar opposite of everything I knew about him.

Ray just harrumphed. "There are a lot of ways to do that without being a damn politician, like Miranda always wanted him to be," he said. "He's too smart for this."

Susan didn't say anything, but concern was written all over her kind face. Eventually, she gave a small shrug. Before I could reply, my name was called out by not one, but two people.

"Skylar!"

Jane, Eric, and I all twisted in our seats to check for the competing voices.

"What in fresh hell?" Jane mumbled as she caught sight of Jared weaving his way through the crowd.

I frowned. "Jesus, this really is like Groundhog Day. Jared's family is Republican. Why would he be at a DNC event?" I rubbed a hand over my forehead. "When it rains, it pours, doesn't it?"

"Don't worry, chick," Jane said as she pushed back from her seat, yanking at Eric's suit jacket to stand him up with her. "We got this."

They quickly left to block Jared several tables away, but my attention was reclaimed again when the owner of the other voice touched my shoulder. I looked up to find my mother smiling down at me, dressed to the nines in an elegant blue gown.

"Darling!" she cried, leaning in to air-kiss my cheeks. "Look at us. Practically twins, aren't we?"

I just stared, utterly confused. "Janette, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, we were invited last minute. We wouldn't have missed dear Brandon's big night, since we are practically family!"

She turned to the remaining two people at the table. "You must be the Petersens! Brandon has told me so much about you. I'm Janette Jadot, Skylar's mother."

Susan and Ray both accepted Janette's light handshake, both of them too stunned by her sudden presence as their eyes flickered between us. I couldn't move; this certainly wasn't the first meeting of the families I wanted to have with Brandon's foster parents. Not to mention, when had she had this supposed discussion with Brandon about them?

"Janette lives in France," was all I could say. "She's here visiting."

Janette turned to me. "I'm so glad you decided to come tonight," she said. "I wondered if we might sneak away for a quick chat."

I looked around the room, which was now full to capacity. Almost everyone had taken their seats, and the band had started playing some swing music.

"I don't really think right now is the best time," I said. "Maybe we can get coffee tomorrow."

"I'd really like to talk now," Janette prodded, even as she beamed at someone across the room and gave a cheerful wave. "It's rather urgent."

I frowned openly. "Janette," I said, calling her attention back to me.

She looked down brightly, and her smile quickly faded.