Raleigh pushed back her shoulders. “You had been through something incredibly traumatic, Skye. If you had to leave, even without saying goodbye, then that’s what you had to do. I don’t hold it against you.” She dipped her chin. “And I’ve never thought any less of you.”
That fissure in my wall of emotions widened. I leaned forward and wrapped her in my arms again.
I never thought I’d hear those words from her. I didn’t believe I deserved them.
“Thank you,” I breathed, unable to say anything else.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” she whispered back.
I held her a beat before letting go. A smile graced her lips, and I returned it with a small one.
Raleigh had always made me feel like I could be better than I was. She was always encouraging in any aspect of her children’s lives. Even though I wasn’t hers, she never treated me any differently.
My eyes caught on the bathroom door as I heard the shower sputter on.
Something like sadness crossed over Raleigh’s face when she noticed where I was staring.
“I think that he hates me,” I murmured.
She patted the top of my knee. “He’s been through a lot. We all have. But Fox is… sensitive. I know he doesn’t like to show it, but that heart of his is a big one.”
I nodded, part of me crumpling inside because I was the one who broke it.
“He doesn’t need to like me.” I wasn’t sure whether I was trying to convince her, or myself. “Not after what I did.”
“Give him time, honey,” Raleigh said.
I wasn’t sure what I was giving him time for. Fox didn’t owe me anything.
I tore my stare from the bathroom door and back to Raleigh.
“I didn’t mean for this trip to turn out like this,” I admitted. “I was planning on doing my work and leaving. I never expected to take so much of his time.”
A tender smile touched her lips. “I know you didn’t ask him to do this.”
There was something in the tone of her voice that I couldn’t quite place.
“He’s a grown man,” she continued. “He does what he needs to do. And you’re a grown woman. If you don’t want him here…” She shrugged. “You can always kick him out.”
“We’ve been through that.” I rolled my eyes. “Pretty sure he blackmailed me into letting him stay.”
She grinned. “My Fox might have a big heart, but he is stubborn. Most of my kids are…they get it from their father.” She winked.
A beat of silence passed, and she looked away for a moment. Her mouth pinched like she was stopping herself from saying something.
“Fox mentioned that you didn’t want to see me.”
I bit my lip, resisting the urge to pick at my nail beds. “It’s not that I didn’t want to see you—”
Raleigh put up a hand to stop me. “You don’t have to explain yourself. I’m sure being back here has been overwhelming for you.” She paused, then added, “I wanted to ask you something.”
My brow furrowed. “What did you want to ask?”
“You don’t have to accept.” Raleigh hesitated. “But I would love it—and would be honored—if you would come to the house for family dinner on Sunday night.”
My chest tightened.
They still had family dinner.
