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“Thanks for saying so,” Willow said. “And I’m sorry to hear about your husband. I hope he’s improving.”
“I appreciate that. I just came from visiting him. He did look better today.”
Willow waited for her next cue from Asher’s mother because they weren’t there to discuss Payne Colton. Genevieve had a faraway look in her eyes for a few seconds, and then she shook her head.
“Where’s your daughter? I thought you would bring her with you. Luna, is it?”
She nodded. “She was still down for her nap at the center, so I decided to leave he
r with my staff. She’s not a fan of transitions.”
“Don’t I know what that’s like. Asher was just like that when he was a baby. He was my first, too, though I was a veteran stepmom by then.”
“You’re not talking about Asher, are you? Laid-back, easy-to-get-along-with Asher?”
Genevieve watched her over the top of her coffee cup.
“Things can change, Willow. People can change.”
“I guess I believe that.”
Whether Asher’s mother had been speaking of something specific or just life in general, she wasn’t sure.
“It was good that you received your DNA results before your first Mother’s Day. Did you get to enjoy it yesterday with your daughter?”
Willow smiled at the memory of splashing with Luna in the baby pool. “I didn’t get breakfast in bed, and our brunch consisted of strained peas and peaches, but it was the best day of my life so far. How was your holiday?”
“Lovely, like yours. Except the food at our brunch was better. A mother’s time with her children is always precious.”
She nodded, though her own mom’s face appeared in her thoughts then, causing a lump to form in her throat.
“Your mother was such a lovely woman,” Genevieve said. “Kind. Hardworking. I’m sorry that I didn’t do more to help her.”
Willow startled, shaking the table and causing coffee to swill over the rim of her cup.
“You know who I am?”
“When Asher brought you up at dinner the other night, I remembered your name. You’re Kelly Johnson’s daughter. There aren’t a whole lot of Willows around.”
“Asher spoke about me at your family meal?”
Genevieve flashed a knowing smile.
“Well, technically, my stepdaughter, Ainsley, mentioned you to get him to share about the switch nonsense, but my son was trying awfully hard not to talk about you, which is almost the same thing.”
Willow wasn’t sure how those things were alike, but she nodded anyway. “About my mom—it was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter anymore.” She was trying not to let it, anyway, without much success.
“Of course, it still does. I should have fought harder for her that night. It was a misunderstanding. A harmless game of dress-up. Kelly never would have taken any of it. I knew that.”
“Then why didn’t you do more?”
Willow sat back in her seat and crossed her arms. Since Asher’s mom appeared to be determined to share her side of the story, the least she could do was listen.
“I was still finding my place on the Triple R and playing stepmom to four children. And I was a coward. I didn’t know yet that Payne listens to the loudest voice in the room, not necessarily the most reasonable one.” She shrugged. “I wish I’d known that then.”
“No, that lets you off too easily.” Willow shook her head hard. “You did nothing, even after that.”
“Well, technically, no. Not for a lack of effort, though. I tried to help her right after she left, and when I found out about you, I tried harder. But she wanted nothing from me.”
