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I lean back, rubbing my face. “He’s the boss now.”
“Yes, darling, I’m aware.”
I glance at her. “I got married.”
Her eyebrows raise. “You did?”
“She’s a friend of Ash’s. A girl named Keely.”
“I’ve met her before at that bar.” Mother tilts her head, considering me. Even shut away in her rooms, she hasn’t lost a bit of her sharpness, and it’s like she’s making a dozen plans all at once. Except then she deflates as if she understands that it’s all useless. “Very pretty girl. But I didn’t think she’d be your type.”
I nearly say,she’s not. “Keely can surprise you.”
“I hope so, considering she’s your wife now. I take it Carson doesn’t approve.”
“He threatened to excommunicate me.”
She laughs. “That man is more like his father every day.”
“I’m not going to leave her,” I say earnestly, wanting Mother to understand. “Even if Carson’s not happy about it. I don’t care that he’s the boss.”
“That’s the hard thing about business and family. Sometimes you can’t separate the two.”
“Keely has nothing to do with the business.” I feel myself getting heated again. My damn temper. “Anyway, I only came to say hello. And to tell you I’m married. I’m sorry you didn’t get to attend the ceremony.”
“Knowing you, it wasn’t much of one anyway.” She smiles tightly. “Are you happy?”
I pause like I hadn’t considered it, but nod slowly. “I am, yes.”
“Then that’s all I can ask. I’m happy for you. And don’t worry about Carson, he’ll come around.” Mother reaches out quickly, taking my hand. “Visit more often.”
“Come out into the big, bad world more often.”
Her smile is sad. “The world’s so different, and with your brother in charge—” She doesn’t finish that sentence, but I understand. Carson doesn’t defer to her the way Father did, and it’s difficult to watch her son steer the family without her input. She was so used to running things. Now she’s relegated to a secondary role.
“Come out more often anyway.” I hug her tightly. “And come meet Keely. You’ll like her.”
“I’m sure I will. Any woman you marry must be good enough to join this family. You always were picky.”
“Tell that to Carson.”
She holds onto my wrist before I can move away. “The family isn’t everything.” Her tone is pleading, desperate almost, like she wants me to understand more than anything in the world. I’ve never seen the expression on her face before, like it hurts to say the words, like there’s sixty years of regret piled into her eyes. “It’s a lot, almost too much, but it’s not everything. It doesn’t have to be.”
“I know that.” I pat her hand softly. It kills me, her looking like that. Without my father around, she’s floundering, trying to find her place in the world. I need to help her, but I don’t know how. “At least, I’m trying to figure it out.”
“Good.” She lets me go. “I’ll have to come have dinner with you and your new wife soon.”
“Whenever you want. Sometime in the next five months, ideally.”
Her eyebrows raise. “That’s a specific timeframe. Any particular reason?”
“Not one you’d like.” I sit back down with her. “Now, tell me about this tennis match. Where do you keep your whiskey?”
Mother shakes her head, but she seems happy I decided to stay.
Chapter21
Keely
