I turned off the water and sighed as I hung my head. Squeezin' my eyes shut, I spit the words out—words I knew would hurt my mom. She loved Sassy like a daughter, I didn't want this shit to change that, to changetheirrelationship.
"She's in love with Rhett." The words were quiet, but I knew she heard me the moment her hands stilled, plate precariously perched over the dryin' rack.
She gently set the plate down before turnin' me to her. "What?"
I shrugged a shoulder. "It's fine, Mom. I'm fine. It took me a long time to see it, but when I did, I couldn'tunseeit. Knew we couldn't get married. Wasn't fair to any of us."
She looked like I just told her aliens existed. Elvis was alive. Potato salad was actually made with radishes. "Are they… are theytogether?"
I shook my head. "Can't answer that for ya. Not sure myself. We've all been… givin' each other some space."
"And you've filled that space with her. Mariah's daughter."
My brow and my shoulder seemed to shrug together that time 'cause she wasn't wrong. "Yeah, I 'spose I have."
"Well, that makes more sense. Can't lie, I was a little worried you were bouncin' around here all happy-go-lucky during what some would assume should be a heck of a hard time for you."
I set the last dish in the rack and dried my hands, workin' up to the thing that'd been sittin' heavy in my chest.
"You think it's too soon?"
Mom tilted her head. "Too soon for what?"
"I don't know." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Findin' someone else."
She didn't even pause. "Love doesn't look at the calendar."
My shoulders dropped.
"Good." I huffed out a breath. "'Cause I really like her, Ma. And I'm no good at bein' sad."
Mom smiled up at me. "Nothin' wrong with that, sweetie." She placed her small hand on my cheek. "You've always been my light."
I smiled. The words were different, but the sentiment was the same.
I like you just how you are.
CHAPTERTWENTY
The errandI had to run for Rhett took a helluva lot longer than I planned. When he'd sent me off to the vet with asamplefrom the herd, I saw an opportunity. Unfortunately, that meant chasing a small ball of fur around my new digs.
Brody's house was still a work in progress, but it was coming along. We'd gotten lights installed on the main level—in the living room, the kitchen, the office. All four bedrooms were on the second floor, and since I only really slept up here, no lights was no big deal.
I'd just gotten back to Brody's house when my phone buzzed in my back pocket.
TINK
BP?
I set Cat down on my bed, which was really just a mattress on the floor of the primary bedroom. "Behave," I said with alook. Cat looked sufficiently scolded and sat, licking a paw.
Brody and I had both thought the cat would disappear at some point, but that hadn't been the case, and I was… glad.
Realized I'd likely had some prejudice in the cat department, seeing as how this was the first I'd ever actually been in a room with.
Little shit had grown on me.
A lotta things were growin' on me.
