I shrugged. “If we have ingredients, I don’t see why not. I don’t think your dad had any plans yet.”
I heard a murmur of voices from the lobby.
Tristan was singing his pizza song with a wild little shimmy in his chair, holding two carrot sticks like they were glow sticks and he was at a rave or something.
I laughed at his antics and picked up my coffee. My gaze swept over the dining room doorway just as a woman walked in.
The coffee sloshed over the edge of the mug I had barely time to put down before it fell.
“Oakley,” my mother said, her eyes filling with tears.
“No.” I got to my feet immediately, the chair clattering behind me as I backed away. “You can’t be here.”
“Oakley—”
“His name is Oak,” Harper said sternly as she got out of her seat and reached a hand to her brother. She pulled him toward me, her shoulders squared as she stared down the woman I had never wanted to see again. Tristan’s mouth hung open, but he plastered himself to my side as soon as they got to me, and Harper stayed in front of me.
She was tall for eleven, which wasn’t surprising with both of her parents being tall, and she already came up past my chin.
I put my hands on her shoulders, her behavior having given me time to process.
“It’s okay, Harper. You can stand down.”
Speaking of standing down, Steve pushed his way into the room and walked up to us, then sat his butt in front of all of us.
“Oak, I—” Erin Young got cut off by the kitchen door opening and Dana stepping out.
She didn’t say anything, just glanced at us and their dog, then back at Erin with a raised eyebrow.
“Can we talk?” Erin said finally, her tone just shy of pleading, and for once her eyes looked sincere.
Tristan tugged at my sleeve. “Oak? Is that your mom?” It wasn’t a surprise he’d put two and two together, he was a smart kid.
I cleared my throat and squeezed him to my side. “Yeah, bud. This is Erin.”
“Okay.” I could tell he was thinking hard about something.
Dana looked at me with a clear question in her eyes. At my nod, she said, “Kids, why don’t you take your snacks and come eat with me in the kitchen?”
Harper turned to me, clearly worried as hell.
“It’s fine, Harper,” I promised.
Sadly, she was old enough to be able to see through my BS, so she narrowed her eyes.
“I have Steve.” And Charlie, because I could see him hovering just out of view behind my mother.
Harper nodded and took Tris’ hand. Dana held the door open for them and helped Tris with his drink. Then the door closed behind them and I was alone with my mother. The dining room had never felt so small.
She eyed Steve, having never been a fan of dogs. He eyed her right back.
“Steve, come here. Stand down.” I went back to my seat and he came to sit next to me, then put his giant head on my lap. “Good boy.”
Clearly scrambling for something to say, she asked, “Is this your dog?”
I shook my head. “No. But those are my kids.” I nodded toward the kitchen.
I saw Charlie put a hand over his mouth in the doorway where he was hiding.
