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She stilled. What was she doing here, pretending to be an interior designer, when a family was obviously in pain, and she could do something about it? “Mum.”
“I don’t know what to think. Your father and I obviously inherited a lot of things when we took this on, not least of which was the dated decor. But it’s never felt right.”
“Mum, I need to tell you something.”
Her mother held the broom in front of her, like she was trying to block whatever Lexi was about to say. “What is it?”
“I saw Jackson Reilly yesterday.”
“I know.”
She did? “How?”
“I’ve had three messages from ladies in the church who thought I might like to know that my daughter was seen on a date with him in the diner.”
“It wasn’t a date.”
“No? You don’t call having coffee and eating peach pie with a man a date?”
Gosh, the gossips were good with their details. “I bumped into him down the street. There was nothing planned about it—”
“It doesn’t matter. As far as everyone else is concerned, that’s what it looked like.”
Lexi pushed out a smile at the absurdity of it all. “It’s a good thing to see those who live in small towns never engage in idle speculation, isn’t it?”
Her mother studied her a moment, then her shoulders dropped. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why this bothers me. Jackson Reilly is a nice enough man. He’s just got a lot going on.”
“He sure does,” she murmured, her heart twisting a little as she recalled that lost look in his eyes.
“What is it? Lexi?”
Would it be breaking a confidence to share what she knew? People here seemed to thrive on gossip, and she had no wish to add more. But then Mum had always been someone she could trust. She sucked in a deep breath. “The doctor thinks his mother might have early-onset dementia.”
“Oh no.”
Lexi nodded. “As he was telling me, I felt an urge to offer to help.”
Her mother’s lips parted.
“But I didn’t,” Lexi rushed on to say. “And now Ireallyfeel like I should say something.”Before it’s too late.
Her stomach clenched. Where had that thought come from?
“But what would you do?” her mother asked.
Her brows rose. “I’m a nurse. I can care for her. And it’s not like you need me here.”
Her mother’s brow wrinkled as she moved to sit down on one of the floral lounge chairs. “You mean you’d move in at the ranch?”
“If they want me. Which they may not, and that’s okay. But I have had some training in this area. More than Ellie or Jackson have, I suspect. If it is what the doctor suspects, then I’d be happy to do what I can, which would mean it’d probably be easier if I live there.”
“But he’s not married.”
“And neither is Ellie,” she said evenly.
“That’s not what I mean.”
“If you mean I should be worried about what the town gossips might say, then I’m sorry, but I don’t care. The well-being of Mrs. Reilly has to be more important than the small minds and big mouths of others.”
