I look back at Dora, who isn’t quick enough to mask the sad expression on her face. I lower my voice and repeat my previous question, “What’s going on, Dora? Since when does my mother speak to you like that?”
She brushes me off with a fake smile. “It has been a strange day. Nothing for you to worry about. Go visit with your mother while I get the food ready.”
I stare at her. She’s stubborn enough not to say anything when she doesn’t want to, so I let it go for now.
“Chicken salad?”
“Always.” I grin because nobody makes a chicken salad sandwich like Dora. I have no idea what she adds to it, and she refuses to share her secret recipe with anyone.
“I’ll bring them through when they’re ready.”
“Thanks.” I walk to the door, turning before I get there. “Is Katy around?” I might as well rip the Band-Aid off and let everyone know at once.
“She went out earlier to meet a friend but said she would be back for lunch, so I would expect her soon.”
“Send her back when she gets here, would you?” I ask, knowing she might slip up to her room otherwise.
“Of course.”
I nod my thanks and head to the sunroom. When I walk in, I find my mother sitting in one of the chairs, tapping her fingers impatiently on the arm.
“Goodness me, did you get lost along the way?”
“I’m just putting my order in for lunch,” I mutter.
“You need to stop distracting the help from working. They know what they’re doing. And after all this time, I’m quite sure Dora knows what you do and don’t like.”
I blink, the urge to turn around and walk out riding me hard. If she’s in this kind of mood already, what I have to tell her will make her head explode.
“Dora is more than just the help,” I snap, turning when I hear footsteps heading our way.
My father walks in, placing his briefcase next to the chair before loosening his tie. “Jake,” he greets me. I take in his expensive navy-blue suit and pale blue shirt—one I’ve seen a dozen times before but never quite as wrinkled as it is now. It almost looks like he’s slept in it.
“Everything okay?”
I look between him and my mom, who hasn’t even looked at my dad.
“Yes, just busy. Sometimes, there are not enough hours in the day.”
“I understand that,” I mutter.
“Yes, well, I’m not sure it’s quite the same thing. I have many people relying on me?—”
“And Banner literally saves people’s lives,” Katy huffs as she walks in behind him, rolling her eyes.
“It is rude to interrupt, and worse to eavesdrop, young lady,” my mother snaps at her.
“I wasn’t eavesdropping. I was asked to join you, and nobody was talking in whispers. I?—”
“Enough. You will learn respect, or you will not like the consequences.”
“Funny how it’s okay to interrupt me,” Katy mutters under her breath as she backs down. I stare at my mom like she’s grown another head.
“I do have another meeting to get to, Jake, so could we hurry this along?” My dad sighs, taking a seat on the sofa after pouring himself a large scotch.
I glance at Katy, who has her arms crossed in an almost protective manner and wonder what’s going on in this house. I shake my head. One problem at a fucking time.
“Seriously, Jake, we have better things to do than?—”
