For sure. Your mom is now Kaylee’s temporary guardian, so I can’t argue. But I can take Kaylee tomorrow.
Bails
Nonsense. I love shopping. You don’t.
I love ya. But don’t you have plans with Erik?
Bails
We’ll talk later about that. Have fun.
I imagined she’d told Erik how she was feeling about their relationship.
Kiss Kaylee for me.
I dumped my cell in my bag, hiked it over myself in cross-body fashion, and headed back to Lucas and his mom. As I reached the end of the hallway, I heard my name.
“Mazzie is lovely, son,” Priscilla said. “I don’t feel like she’s the type to want that football fame that some girls are after.”
Lucas chuckled, the sound warm and genuine. “She’s nothing like any woman I’ve met, Mom. I love her.”
“Son, she’s perfect for you. Don’t let her slip away.” Priscilla’s tone held that maternal certainty that I wished my mother had.
Warmth spread through my chest that Priscilla really liked me.
“I can see you two walking down the aisle and making beautiful babies. You know I want grandkids.”
My breath stuttered. The hallway suddenly felt smaller. The walls, closer. Wedding? Grandkids? What in the freaking world? Lucas and I had recently poured out our feelings, and the I love yous were fresh and new. By no means were we ready to talk about the future or marriage.
“Mom, you’re getting way ahead of things,” Lucas said, easing that stinging pain in my lungs.
The doorbell rang, loud and insistent, and I jumped like I’d been caught red-handed.
“I’ll get it,” Lucas said, his footsteps already heading my way.
I bolted back into the bathroom, my heart punching my ribs. I didn’t want Lucas to catch me eavesdropping. Still, my implant needed to be replaced quickly because getting pregnant wasn’t an option for the foreseeable future—even if his mom wanted grandkids.
“What the hell are you doing here, Kurtis?” Lucas’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. “Who gave you the black eye?”
I stood close to the door, and once again, I was eavesdropping.
Priscilla squeaked out a high-pitched noise. “Oh my. Get in here. You’re letting out all the cool air.”
“Let me guess.” Lucas’s voice was tight as though he was ready to snap. “You owe someone money, and you don’t have it, which is why you're here.”
“I don’t need a lecture from my son,” Kurtis fired back, his tone caustic and defensive. “And no. I’m here to talk to your mother about the divorce.”
“I thought you two already discussed that,” Lucas said.
“Lucas,” Priscilla said, her tone dripping with a forced sweetness. “Why don’t you check on Mazzie? She’s been in the bathroom a long time.”
Forcing my feet to move, I scurried out of the bathroom then slowed my steps, taking inventory of their family tension.
Lucas stood rigid near the fabric bench along the wall, his broad shoulders hunching up to his ears. Kurtis hovered just inside by the door, the ugly black eye a stark reminder of his troubles.
Priscilla positioned herself between the two men like a referee in a boxing match.
While Lucas mostly resembled his mom, he had the same stubborn jaw as his father and the same fire in his eyes.
