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“I know,” he said. He’d heard it half the time though they didn’t want him to.
“But we always went to bed with it resolved. We didn’t start the day carrying grudges though you might think we did. I accepted him for the way he was and he accepted me the same. I’m more forgiving than your father was. He knew it and I knew it. That is how we balanced out. But that didn’t mean he could walk all over me.”
“I don’t walk over Zara,” he said. “I don’t think I ever did.”
“You didn’t that I saw. This is more of a conversation. Words I should have said to you years ago and didn’t. I’m not sure you would have listened anyway.”
“I doubt it,” he said, smirking. “No nineteen-year-old wants their mother giving them advice on their relationships.”
“You probably don’t want it now either, but I still gave it to you. I’m here for you, Ren. Whether things work out with Zara or not this time, that is up to the two of you. But I want you back in my life. I want Max in my life. If Zara helps that happen, I’m by your side. I don’t want her to hurt that from happening though.”
“It won’t,” he said. “I promise you that.”
He wouldn’t let that guilt be on his shoulders again. Regardless of what happened with Zara, he wasn’t going to use other people as his crutch to hurt someone else.
20
Secret Guy
“Thank you for making the rolls,” Lily said when Zara brought in a few trays to put in the warming oven. “I love cooking and baking, but yeast and I don’t agree.”
“For some reason I seem to have the magic touch there,” Zara said.
She’d gotten up early and made her dough, letting it rise, kneading it one more time before it went into the pans and then rushing over here to let it rise some more before they were baked.
“Mom taught her how to make them,” Zane said. “Thanksgiving isn’t complete without them. Let me tell you, it might have been the one thing I missed the most in the Army.”
“Then I’m glad I’ve been able to give them to you,” she said. “I never realized that before.”
“Zane is only now starting to open up about his feelings more,” Poppy said, winking and walking into the back room. “Reese and I have got the wine.”
Poppy was wiggling her butt and holding up two bottles while Reese had two more in his hand. That was Poppy’s signature move when she had wine and the girls were all together.
Only this time there seemed to be an equal amount of men by the time the day was done.
Zara would be the single one with Tom Klein who was old enough to be her father. But it still evened the room out other than Willow, who she wasn’t counting.
Rose and Thomas were here already and in the living room. She’d heard them say Tom was on the way too.
“Wine makes it time to party,” Zara said, knowing she needed a glass or two today. “Let me help you get the snacks out, Lily, then we can all go and relax. The turkey smells good and you shouldn’t need to do anything else yet for a bit.”
“Nope,” Lily said. “I prepared everything I could. I love my double ovens so I’m going to pull some snacks out of there now and get them on a plate. The rest are in the fridge.”
She turned to help her brother get them out while Poppy opened the wine and started to pour some glasses. Tom walked in with a box in his hand full of desserts that he said he’d bring.
Once all the food was in the living room, everyone sat to watch some football and they’d be eating dinner closer to three.
Zara loved having this big of a group. Holidays had never been that large when she was growing up. Or maybe it was more like not this entertaining.
“Where is Ren today?” Rose asked.
“With his mother and Max. They were having a quiet Thanksgiving. It’s the first one he’s been home for since college.”
“That’s sad,” Poppy said. “His mother must love it though.”
“Not everyone has wonderful holiday memories,” Reese said. “Trust me, I know.”
Reese McGill was from a family worth billions. They had businesses all over the world and things she had no idea about.
