“Ah, spending the day with your family. Nice. Howisyour mother?”
I stiffened. “Off limits,” I warned.
Carolyn raised her arms. “Okay. Sorry, baby. I almost forgot things were different. It feels normal to have you in my kitchen.”
I didn’t speak to that. I simply cleaned the dirty pots and started on the cornbread. Normally, I wouldn’t make dishes ahead of time. Since I knew Carolyn, and this was last minute, I’d prepared the potato salad, homemade cranberry sauce, cornbread dressing, and pound cake at Bliss’ house last night.
“Are you seeing someone?” Carolyn asked.
“Why?”
“Just curious.”
“Is that why I’m here?”
“Maybe. I told you… I miss you. I miss us.”
“If that’s why you called me, you’re wasting your time. And mine.”
“I do love your cooking.”
“You could’ve hired anyone to make your dinner.”
“And you could’ve turned me down.” Carolyn walked around the island and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Don’t be like this.” She kissed me. “I know you came here because you missed me too.”
Despite our past and everything I knew to be true about Carolyn, this side of her, the side that could dish itandtake it, made me smile. Still, I had no desire to travel back down that road with her. I removed her arms and took a step back. “Carolyn, you know this is not what I came here for.” I tried to keep my voice calm, even through my own inner turmoil.
“Whydidyou come here?” She folded her arms over her chest as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “I know you don’t need the money.”
That part was true. I didn’t need her moneyorher. But Ididneed to see for myself that she was okay.One last time. “Are you good?”
Her smile faltered. “What do you mean?”
“Are you happy?” I clarified.
She hunched a shoulder and brushed a thumb over my collar. “Why do you care?”
“How could I not? Especially after everything we’ve been through.”
My phone dinged several times in a row, and I figured the family thread had exploded with commentary about something I didn’t care about at the moment. I’d been in town for less than forty-eight hours and that text thread had been jumping since I’d arrived. Last night, Paityn had surprised everyone with a pregnancy announcement during Game Night at my parent’s house. Since then, my sisters had gone crazy texting about baby showers and Dallas’ crazy ass waddling before she was out of her first trimester. Then, the conversation had evolved into which sibling would have a baby next.
After about the thirtieth ding, Carolyn grabbed my phone. “Don’t you think you should get this?”
I dried my hands and took the offered phone. The first text was from the sweet sister.
Bliss:Can someone please tell Dad that we can’t play softball in this weather?
From there, everybody had something to say. I didn’t bother reading every text, but a few stuck out.
Blake:Can a person get some dick in peace?Chill out on the damn messages.
Asa:Be like Dex and don’t answer.
Paityn:Dexter is newly engaged.Leave him alone.
Bliss:Tell Charlye we said Hi!
Charlye Burke had made my brother the happiest I’d seen him. If Dex wanted to get some morning sex with his fiancée, I saluted him. But I didn’t dare enter the fray because Dallas was like a heat-seeking missile on a target. She’d probably badgered Bliss all morning with questions about my whereabouts.
