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“She’s? Got something you need?” Kimberly laughed into the phone.
“No, Kim. It’s not like that. I’ve got to go. Talk to you later.”
“I’m not going to drop this, you know.” Kimberly said before they ended their conversation, and somehow he didn’t doubt it.
Both Maggie and Lexi stood behind his door, the cigar in Lexi’s hand. “Here’s your cigar, Mr. Butler. I’m sorry. Thanks for not arresting me.”'
For a second, he was almost sorry for the little thief as he took the cigar from her shaking hand.
“No problem. Every thief gets one freebie from me. But only one.”
“Lexi is grounded for a month, and she’ll be happy to mow your lawn during that time,” Maggie said.
“I don’t have a lawn mower. I planned on hiring a service,” Jack said.
“Even better. This will save you money. And we have a lawn mower, except neither one of us knows how to use it.” Maggie’s lower lip trembled.
Heck, no, she was about to cry.
Please, not this.
“We’ll let you get back to…whatever you were doing,” Maggie said, and she and Lexi turned toward their home.
He shut the door and went to the desk where he placed the cigar in front of Robert’s photo. Right where it belonged.
Too bad both Maggie and Lexi appeared ashamed when only one of them should be. Then again, Maggie had defended her daughter blindly and now had to face facts. It had to hurt.
A few minutes later, Maggie was back at his door again.
“I feel terrible. I didn’t believe you. I hope you’ll forgive me, too. Sometimes I can be a little blind when it comes to Lexi.”
“You don’t need my forgiveness. I’m sorry if I came on too strong. The cigar…it means a lot to me.”
“I realize that,” Maggie said with teary eyes.
“Are you OK?”
A stupid question. No, she wasn’t OK. Her daughter had stolen from him, after he’d done her a favor. He could only imagine her mortification.
“I should have learned how to start that lawn mower.” She dissolved into tears on his doorstep.
Heart positioned squarely in his throat, he could think of nothing else to do but take her hand and pull her inside.
“I’m sorry.” Maggie wiped her tears away with her thumbs.
“You don’t have to apologize.”
Only her difficult daughter did.
“She’s not the girl she used to be. I told you that before. Well, this is just one more example. I have no idea who my own child is anymore.” She bit her trembling lower lip.
Jack found a tissue and handed it to her. “You’re not the only parent who’s raising a troubled teen.”
“Yes, but I may be the only one doing it while her grandparents judge from the sidelines.”
“How’s that?” This had something to do, he guessed, with the grandfather who was too busy for Lexi.
She shook her head.
