When she doesn’t respond, I leave her in front of the TV and head into the kitchen, tossing my keys and phone onto the breakfast bar. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea. Ash is already dealing with pushback from her brothers, and if things go south with Laney tonight, it’ll crush her.
I’m debating whether to call Ash and suggest we go out for dinner instead when Laney appears in the doorway.
“I can start dinner while you shower, if you want,” she says quietly.
Hope sparks in my chest. Maybe this won’t be as bad as I thought.
“Uh… yeah. Thanks, sweetheart. Everything’s in the fridge. I’ll be down to help when I’m done.”
She crosses the kitchen, opens the fridge, and pulls out a pack of chicken breasts.
“Take your time. I’ve got this.”
I smile, watching her for a beat before turning and heading into the hallway, taking the stairs two at a time.
A few minutes later, I’m standing under the shower, letting the hot water pour over me. I stay longer than I probably should, my mind spinning with thoughts of Laney. I know she never wanted to move to River Falls. Starting over at a new school in her senior year can’t be easy. Add in how much she misses her mom, and it’s a lot for her to carry. I’d hoped that by now she would’ve settled in, but from the way she sounded earlier, it’s clear she’s still struggling, and I hate that for her.
It’s a good twenty minutes before I make it back downstairs. The smell of Mexican spices drifts through the house as I step into the kitchen.
“That smells amazing, sweetheart,” I say, walking over to where Laney stands at the stove. She glances at me over her shoulder, and I smile. “Need me to do anything?”
“Yeah, can you grab the salsa and guac from the fridge?”
“On it.”
“Oh, and there’s a salad in there too,” she adds.
I nod, pulling everything out and setting it on the breakfast bar. There’s an open bottle of wine tucked in the door, and for a second, I consider offering her a glass. But then I remember how things went last time she had a drink around Ash, and I think better of it.
“Soda?” I offer, holding up a can.
“Please,” she says, still focused on what she’s doing.
I slide it across the counter and grab a beer for myself before shutting the fridge. A glance at the clock tells me it’s nearly six-forty. Ash should be here soon. Hopefully, she won’t be too late. Dinner’s almost ready.
“When can we go see Mom?” Laney asks suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“What?” I ask, caught off guard.
She turns from the stove, her expression stormy.
“Mom,” she repeats, her voice sharp. “Remember her?”
“Laney,” I say, a warning in my tone.
She spins back to the stove, stiffening her shoulders.
“I want to visit her,” she says, her voice tight.
“Okay,” I reply carefully. “But it’ll have to wait a couple of weeks. I’ve got that work conference coming up, remember?”
“Oh, right,” she snaps. “A weekend away with your girlfriend.”
I exhale slowly. “Ash isn’t even going to the conference.”
“Sure she’s not,” she mutters under her breath.
I let her comment slide, not wanting to start an argument right before Ash gets here, but I’m definitely going to have words with her later. I’m running out of patience with her attitude. I get that she’s upset, but that doesn’t mean she can keep speaking to me like this.
