He’d be a while yet getting home, but he sounded cautiously optimistic about his visit with Darcie.
The officer who’d talked with her at the hospital had explained there would, in fact, be some jail time, followed by a mandatory program and counseling. Darcie would also have to submit to random drug testing.
Corbin had surmised that she was a multiple offender.
Ivey knew that had to be tormenting him. She, too, was thinking about the things Justin might have gone through.
The rest of Corbin’s trip had been spent learning what he could about his son. Darcie had managed to unearth a few photos off her phone, but the younger ones of him were gone forever when she’d lost an earlier phone.
She’d claimed that everything she owned was stored in her car, now abandoned at the bar. To keep it from getting towed, Corbin had offered to move it for her. She’d readily given him the keys and told him to take anything of Justin’s that he wanted—as long as he planned to help her once she was free again.
Corbin now had a box of items he was anxious to go through, but he wanted to get home first.
To his son.
And to her.
Ivey couldn’t wait to see him. The future looked a little brighter with one problem addressed.
She was smiling as she drove up to the house—until she saw the RV taking up a considerable amount of space in the driveway. She assumed whoever it was had just arrived, since the motor was still running. When she pulled up alongside it, a woman gave her an assessing stare from the passenger seat, then grinned. Ivey watched her disappear into the back of the motor home with someone else.
Unsure who they were or why they were there, Ivey hurried to the front door and poked her head inside. “Lang?”
He came out of the kitchen, drying his hands. “What’s up? Is Hope home, too?”
She almost grinned. His constant distraction with Hope seemed like a very good sign to her. “Probably.” She glanced back outside and saw the two people step down from the vehicle. “You have company.”
His brows came down. “Not...” He looked to where Justin laid on the floor coloring.
“No.” Before Ivey could expound on that, the woman was right behind her.
“Where is my grandson?” she boomed.
Lang dropped his head back and groaned.
The man with the woman laughed. “We just got here, Vesta, and you’re already shouting questions.”
Grandson? Ivey thought. She saw the expression on Lang’s face, which was comically pained, and noticed that Justin was now paying attention, too. He had that alert, guarded posture about him.
Blocking the doorway to give Justin a moment to understand the visit, Ivey turned to face the couple. “You’re Corbin’s mother?”
“And his stepdaddy,” the man said, extending a hand. “Hagan Phillips.”
Ivey accepted his hand. “Ivey Anders. It’s nice to meet you.”
“He’s not their stepdaddy yet,” Vesta said with good humor.
“Not for lack of trying,” the man shot back.
Ignoring him, Vesta opened her arms with a huge smile and grabbed Ivey in for a crushing hug.
Given the woman was nearly as tall as Corbin, Ivey got squashed in her impressive boobs. Laughing, she patted Vesta’s back. “Hello to you, too.” She remembered what Corbin had said about his mother’s propensity for hugging. She supposed she’d passed muster—at least so far.
Thrusting her back to arm’s length, Vesta asked, “Are you here with Lang or Corbin?”
“Let her breathe, Mom,” Lang said, coming to her rescue. He caught Ivey’s arm and pulled her to his side.
It gave Ivey a second to really look at Corbin’s mother. She was...remarkable. Tall, with a stocky, commanding figure under casual but obviously high-end clothes. Bright silver hair in a pixie cut framed her face and contrasted with her light brown eyes.
“Lang!” Vesta cried with obvious glee. “You finally found a good one.” She pulled Lang away from Ivey and gave him the same demonstrative affection.
The difference was that Lang squeezed her right back. “She’s not mine, Mom. Corbin claimed her first.”
Vesta eyed her again while speaking to Lang. “Your brother always did have a lot of sense.”
Lang glanced at Ivey. “What she means is that Corbin had more sense than me.”
“Where women were concerned,” Vesta confirmed. “Now where is he?”
“Corbin?” Ivey asked. “He should be home soon.”
Vesta pressed her way into the house, spotted Justin and squealed.
Justin looked frozen in indecision. All around him, the animals sat in fascinated silence. They all stared at Vesta.
Lang caught his mother before she could move. “Take a breath and let me introduce you properly.”
Coming in behind them, Hagan said, “That’s like asking the wind not to blow.” He smiled at Justin. “Look at that. Such a cute kid.”
Clasping her hands to her chest, Vesta moved in. “So incredibly cute. Oh, sweetheart. I’m your loving grandmother. Now give me a hug.”
Chapter Fourteen
Ivey quickly took in the situation.
Justin appeared ready to make a run for it. The instinct to shield him got her feet moving. She quickly stepped into Vesta’s path, stationing herself in front of Justin and trying to placate Vesta with a smile. “He’s still a little shy.”
“No, I’m not,” Justin said. “Babies are shy.”
Figured he’d take that moment to disagree. Plastering on her smile, Ivey said, “He’s also opposed to being compared to a baby in any way.”
“I completely understand.” Vesta slowed her approach and made a visible reach for patience.
Ivey knew it was difficult for her. This was a grandmother meeting a grandson for the very first time. An emotional occurrence for both parties. If only she’d called first, Corbin could have prepared Justin...or at least been present. Then again, she supposed Vesta wanted to surprise everyone, much as Lang had.
Turning, Ivey tried to nudge Justin forward. “Would you like to say hello to your dad’s mother?”
“Maybe.” Resisting her efforts, Justin peeked around Ivey. “I don’t think I want to be squished, though.”
“Being squished is nice,” Lang said. “My mother is a world-class hugger. Give it a try.”
Vesta was far too quiet, and Ivey realized she had tears in her eyes. Gently, she asked Justin, “How about a nice adult handshake?”