Arden opened her mouth to say something and then shook her head.
“What?” I asked.
“That seemed like the perfect segue to ask what your intentions are with my brother and how you’re feeling. But then I realized that sounded too much like prying. So, never mind.”
I blew out a breath. “I don’t have answers for you. I wish I did, but I need some time.”
“And neither of you took any time before. I’m glad you are now. I love my brother, and you’re part of our family now, Myra, even if it’s not through Nate. You’re our friend. We have a connection. And we don’t want you to get hurt either.”
I pressed my lips together and nodded before standing up to stretch my back. “Let’s look at that painting again for Liam, and we can come up with a plan.”
“As long as you charge me full price,” Arden said, nodding at me. “No family discount.”
“Oh, there’s going to be a family discount, didn’t you just say I was connected?” I tried to sound light, as if I didn’t have a care in the world. But she saw right through that, and I didn’t blame her.
I didn’t know what I felt for or about Nate, and I wasn’t good at hiding that I was lost.
And Arden saw right through it.
We made a plan for Liam. I would drop off the painting at his birthday party, rather than Arden taking it now and hiding it from him. I didn’t mind, and I thought it would look perfect in their home, picturing where it would be in Liam’s office.
I figured I could go back to work, or maybe I should read a book or rest my brain for a bit. My mind was going in a thousand different directions, and it was hard for me to focus on anything. And it didn’t help that I kept thinking about Nate and what our future could be.
I was so scared. So scared to want to feel and to be. So, I wouldn’t.
This was a momentary place in time.
Eventually, we would walk away and be friends. However, the sooner we did that, the easier it would be—and the less pain there would be in the end.
The doorbell rang, and I frowned, trying to figure out who it could be. Honestly, it could be anyone since everybody kept trying to see what was up with Nate and me; they constantly stopped by.
I shook my head, a smile playing on my face as I opened the door, only to frown as soon as I saw who was there.
“Mother.”
My mother stormed in, not even bothering to ask to be allowed inside. Her high heels clicked on my hardwood as she spun and narrowed her eyes.
The house was the same as it had been before. Cleaner even since my ladies had already been through to help me with any dust and vacuuming.
My mother hated the place, that was clear, and that made me love it even more.
There was probably something wrong with me.
“Why don’t you come right in?” I asked, trying to keep my voice from going too cold. I knew I was failing.
“You need to stop whatever you’re doing.”
I shook my head. “I’m not doing anything, Mother. I’m simply trying to live my life.”
“You are stealing from your family.”
I took a step back and shook my head. “How could I possibly be stealing from the family? I rarely talk to you. I have nothing to do with you.”
“And yet, my mother’s seen fit to give you everything. What did she see in you?” Her gaze traveled the length of my body, a look of distaste covering her features.
I tried not to let the slight hurt, the idea that my mother wanted nothing to do with me, and all she saw was what was lacking. But I couldn’t let it do too much.
Not when everything hurt already to begin with.
“You need to go. We’re already talking through our lawyers. Let’s continue doing that.”
My mother snarled. “You think it’s so easy? To walk away and think you get everything. I don’t know what you did to my mother, but I will never forgive you for daring to take what is not yours.”
“You need to leave. I loved Grandma. I wish I could have convinced her to come out here. To be in a place she loved. But in the end, she wanted to be where she lost her husband. Your father. And I understood that. But I didn’t convince Grandma to do anything. I never expected anything from her but her love. And I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye. You took that away from me.”
“Stop it. I took nothing from you. You’re the one daring to take from us.”
“That’s a lie, and you know it.”
“You are going to regret this. Believe me.”
She stormed past me and went to my front door. “We’re officially contesting the will. I gave you your last chance. You’ll be sorry.” And then she blew out of my house, leaving me standing there, wondering how the hell I had come from that woman.
My hands shook, and I wanted to call Nate, to have him tell me that everything would be okay and hold me.
But I didn’t.
That would be leaning on him too much. And I wasn’t ready for that. I needed to remain cold and distant. If I relied on anyone too much, it would only hurt when things broke later.
So, I let out a breath and called my cousin. Lacey picked up after the first ring. “Hey there. How are you?”
Tears pricked the backs of my eyes, but I ignored them. They wouldn’t help anyone. “My mother was just here. They’re officially contesting the will. It might hurt the trust for your kids, as well.”
Lacey cursed under her breath, very imaginative utterances that I would have to write down for later.
“Are you okay? Do you need me to drive down there?”
Tears once again threatened.
“I’m okay. She’s said worse things to me.”
Lacey paused long enough that I was afraid I had said too much.
“Just because you’re used to her attitude and the way she treats you doesn’t make it right.”
“Perhaps. But I can’t change her. I can only try to be myself.”
“That sounds perfect to me, and very much like something Grandma would say. If you need me, I’m here. And my husband’s family and I can take care of my children. We always have. Grandma Sharon’s extra little bump would have been a nice way to secure their futures, but we can take care of our own if your parents and Roland ruin everything.”
“It might be the other cousins, too. Not only Roland.”
“Oh, I know. You were always the sane one of the bunch.”
I smiled. “Funny, I used to think that about you.”
“I’m here if you need me. I might bring the whole family down to bug you for a meal one day. We live so close now. We need to be a family.”
My heart warmed, surprising me that it could after such a horrendous evening. “You’re right. We do need to be a family. And I’m glad you’re close.”
“You know, Grandma was the one who pushed me to marry the man I love. To take that leap and to move out here. She gave me all the guidance I needed.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“It seems there are a lot of things we don’t know about each other. Let’s figure them out.”
We talked for a few more minutes, and I already felt lighter as we hung up. We would make plans to meet up and have a meal. I wanted to see her children, meet the family she had made on her own.