Page 122 of Over the Limit

The breeze moves it gently and if I close my eyes, I can remember back to when I was a kid, and we’d have our heart-to-hearts on it regardless of the location.

Many nights we’d swing as the sun set or the crickets chirped, and I’d tell her about everything that was bugging me. This was our spot.

Apparently, it still is.

And that makes me smile even more because Lachlan was right. This is what I needed.

“It’s good to be here.”

“I know the house can be chaotic. I just hope you were able to get some time to relax and unwind.”

“I did. I have been. It worked out perfectly—me flying out Friday night and going back today.” The forty-eight hours home have been a godsend and, while the time might have been better spent double-checking all the details for the gala next week, that is what my staff is for. That is why I trust them. And this time is what I needed for me. To have a short reprieve so that I can put my best foot forward with the massive undertaking that’s coming to fruition in the next couple of days. “It was . . . nice. And it doesn’t feel chaotic when I’m here. It just feels like home.”

She slides an arm around me and pulls me closer as I rest my head on her shoulder.

“Good. I’m glad. No matter where you are in the world, wherever we are there will always be a home for you to come back to.” She presses a kiss to the top of my head as I breathe in her perfume. “And I’m so impressed with you. The gala sounds like it’s going to be spectacular.”

“I can hope.”

“I’m sure there will be a few snafus that happen, but isn’t that how life is?”

“Hopefully they’re nothing major.”

“And if they are, I’m sure you’ll handle them just fine.” She rests her cheek against the top of my head. “Just think. It’ll be over in a week and you’ll find another incredible project to work on.”

“That’s true.” And what is that next project? Where will the gala and its success—because it will be successful—steer me? But with the moments dwindling before I need to leave, I can’t avoid the proverbial elephant in the room. “You haven’t asked about Rossi,” I say.

“I don’t have to. You’ll tell me if you want to tell me and if you don’t, it’s clear you’re already over the moon about someone else, so we’ll leave it at that.”

I stiffen beside her and then laugh. “What makes you say that?” The weekend has been too short for me to get into the Lachlan aspect with her, so I haven’t said anything.

“Blair Grace Carmichael. If you think I don’t know what it looks like when my daughter is smitten, then you’d be sadly mistaken.”

“Smitten?” I laugh the word out.

“Yes. Smitten. Sneaking off to have hushed phone calls. Goofy smiles when you receive a text. That lightheartedness about you. I mean, it’s written all over you.”

My sigh is my answer. “Maybe.”

“Well, you’ll tell me about it in time if you want to.” She pats my leg. “The hardest and best part about letting your babies grow up is knowing that they’ll share when they want to. And if they do, you as a mother best be listening.”

“Olive juice, Mom.”

“Olive juice, sweetheart.”

We sit for a while longer, just enjoying each other’s company. “Where’d Dad go, anyway? It’s way too quiet for a Carmichael house.”

She chuckles. “He took everyone out for ice cream so you and I could have some alone time. That’s something you didn’t always get, so I wanted to make sure you knew how important it was to us that you got that when you come back home.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me.”

“No, there is.” I grab her hand and squeeze. “You and Dad raised me to believe in myself. To have strength in my convictions and trust my gut. But . . . I got lost there for a little bit. So lost that I didn’t realize I’d handed that power over to Rossi. That I’d taken a back seat and forgotten all those things you’d instilled in me. Things with Rossi weren’t bad, but they weren’t good either. And I’d put up with that. Accepted that . . . until I befriended someone who showed me more about love with his words and his actions. I hadn’t seen it until then.”

“Skylar’s been saying it all along.”

“I know she has, but sometimes the people you know the longest become the white noise. It’s only someone new who can make the static sound like music.”