AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Once in a while.” Did he need anything else? He went through a mental list of what he’d already set outside. “If you can carry the drinks, I’ll take this.”
She’d spent enough time in the house to know her way around, so she knew the quickest way to the back patio from here was through the kitchen’s side door. “Anything particular cause it, or does it just happen?”
“Stress, exhaustion.” Guilt. He wisely kept the last one to himself.
Taylor stopped walking, forcing him to as well. Her eyebrow arched, and he saw the spark in her eyes. “Maybe I should come by less often. Let you get more rest at night. Your editor would probably approve.”
“Did I mention it’s also caused by lack of sex?” He kissed the side of her neck. “We don’t want to compound the problem, do we?” He whispered the question against her skin. “Don’t worry, it’ll pass soon.” Yep, just as soon as he came clean with her.
***
Think about the positives, not your stupid sister. She’d told herself the same thing over and over since Eliza had left the house. Up until now
she hadn’t done a very good job of following her own commands. She’d give it another try, because there were a lot of positives around her. She was sitting outside on a gorgeous late spring evening. She’d had a delicious steak dinner with people she enjoyed spending time with. Reese looked over-the-moon happy, and it didn’t appear as if Eliza’s surprise visit had bothered her. Taylor wasn’t sure if that was normal or not, but she’d concentrate more on the matter later. Last but not least in the “reasons to be happy” category was Curt.
She watched him steal the ball away from Reese and dribble it across the yard, her niece doing her best to catch him. The man had thought to buy juice boxes for Reese. How many other men without children of their own would think to do that? None. Or at least none she knew. If the guy was trying to win her over, he was doing a fine job of it.
“Reese and I should go soon,” Mom said. She sat next to her, still nursing the last of her red wine. Unlike Reese, seeing Eliza today had bothered Mom. After Eliza left, Mom had gone upstairs. She hadn’t stayed up there long, but when she came back she’d been unusually quiet as she and Reese baked. “Don’t worry about rushing home.”
“Are you sure?” She felt bad. Between her extra long days at work and spending time with Curt, it seemed Mom had been taking care of bedtime duty a lot lately. “I don’t mind coming home with you guys.”
Mom tipped her chin in Curt’s direction. “I think he’d mind.”
“Mom—”
“Hey, I’m not so old I don’t recognize the signs. He’s seriously interested in you. And my advice is to not let him get away.” She winked at her. “If I’m not up when you come home, I’ll see you in the morning.”
Reese offered up a few grumbles when Priscilla announced it was time to leave. After Taylor reminded her of what she had to look forward to tomorrow, she conceded, and let Curt walk her and Priscilla to the car.
Taylor watched as Curt opened the car door for Mom. “Don’t worry, I’ll walk Taylor home,” he assured Mom as she got behind the wheel.
She almost laughed at his comment, but managed to simply smile instead. She was more than capable of taking care of herself, and he knew it. “Reese, we’ll have another lacrosse lesson soon.”
Reese waved to them from the back seat as Mom turned onto the street and then disappeared down their long driveway.
“Do you want to go in or stay outside?” Curt asked, taking her hand and leading her back up the stone walkway.
“It’s too nice to be inside.” She wished every night could be like this. It was the perfect temperature, and the humidity remained low. Even the mosquitos had stayed away so far.
They made a quick stop in the kitchen for more drinks. Unlike earlier, crickets provided the only noise around them. Taylor found the change soothing, especially considering the earlier events of the day. She’d blocked them out over dinner and dessert, and would prefer to keep them blocked out. Unfortunately, they were sneaking their way back into her thoughts.
“You’re rather quiet.” Curt’s arm settled over her shoulders, and the warmth from his skin seeped into hers. “Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?”
“Yes. Maybe.” She wasn’t usually an indecisive individual. She rubbed the spot just above her eyebrow, more to give herself something to do than because it bothered her. “I’m not sure what to think, you know? Eliza hasn’t stepped foot in the house since before her arrest, and then all of a sudden she shows up like she’s been a regular visitor all along.”
The hand resting on her shoulder moved, and he started massaging the back of her neck instead. “Did she give an explanation for her visit?”
“Some half-assed answer about wanting to wish Mom a happy Mother’s Day.” She rolled her eyes, even though Curt wasn’t looking at her. “It’s lie, of course. Mother’s Day isn’t today. Even if it were, she could’ve called. Mom’s had the same phone numbers forever.”
“Why do you think she showed up?”
She hated admitting the truth, telling Curt her sister wouldn’t think twice about stealing from her own family. But she hated lying to him even more. If this relationship between them continued to develop, he needed to know what kind of people lingered on her family tree.
“Honestly, I think Eliza hoped no one would be home so she could break in and steal whatever she thought she could sell.”
The hand massaging her neck stopped moving, and she waited for him to tell her he didn’t need people with relatives such as those in his life. If he did she’d understand, too. Hate it, but understand, because she didn’t want people like her sister in her life either. But as the old saying went, you can’t pick your family.
“She’d do that to her mother? Her daughter?” Disgust and disbelief resonated in Curt’s voice.
