Chapter 41. What Your Mother Passed Down

Tessa’s POV

The man waiting in the lobby of my dorm on Sunday morning doesn’t look like a villain.

He looks like someone’s very successful uncle. Gray cashmere coat, folded newspaper under one arm, a paper cup of coffee from the good place on Elm Street. He’s sitting in the ugly orange armchair by the mailboxes like he’s been there for an hour and doesn’t mind at all.

The girl at the front desk is staring at him with her mouth slightly open. I don’t blame her. Nobody in a cashmere coat has ever sat in that chair.

I know who he is before he stands up.

I’ve seen his face on the Pendant website. In the background of the Cadston Howl photo from the Halbrook game. In the shape of Wyatt’s jaw and the color of Cole’s eyes.

“Miss Evans.” Zane Beckett rises and smiles. “I hope you’ll forgive the ambush. My son didn’t pass on my dinner invitation, so I thought I’d deliver it myself.”

It’s 10:15. I’m in leggings and Darcy’s oversized sweatshirt,