“Don’t get snarky with me, young woman.”
My nostrils flare as anger fills me. How dare she boss me around! “You literally told me less than a minute ago how I weighed you down and you would have been better off without me. I’m pretty sure I’m entitled to be snarky.”
“You always were such a righteous child.” She motions to Zane and Adele. “And now here you are with a husband and child. I am disappointed in you.”
It’s a good thing I no longer care if she’s disappointed in me. Otherwise, those words would wound worse than a jellyfish sting. And everyone knows jellyfish stings are the worst.
Zane clears his throat. “Mrs. Wilder—”
“It’s Poppy, darling. I’m not married. Never have been.” She bats her eyelashes and bites her bottom lip.
She believes Zane is my husband, and she’s still hitting on him. Now do you understand why I’m not worried about getting my mother’s approval?
He steps closer to me and places a hand on my hip. “How can we help you today?”
She sighs at the hand on my hip. “At least you found a faithful man. Most men aren’t, you know.”
Yes, I know. My father wasn’t faithful. He was a player who played Mom when she was young. He got her pregnant and then disappeared. I’ve never met him. I don’t even know his name. Assuming ‘that man’ isn’t a proper name.
Zane squeezes my hip before releasing me. “Sloane and I aren’t together.”
“Oh.” Mom’s eyes light with interest. “You have an open relationship? Perfect.”
I stare at the floor. If ever there was a time for a hole to open up and swallow me whole, now is the moment. I wait but nothing happens. Darn it.
“I’m his nanny,” I explain.
“Nanny?” Her nose wrinkles. “You choose to be involved with a child when it’s not required? How odd.”
“Ms. Wilder.” Zane waits until her attention is on him. “I think it’s time for you to leave.”
She doesn’t make a move toward the door. Of course not. Far be it for my mother to listen to anyone but herself. “But I haven’t had a chance to catch up with my daughter yet.”
Catch up? What an odd way of saying beg for money.
“She doesn’t appear to want to catch up with you.”
“It’s her face. I believe the young people refer to it as ‘resting bitch face’.”
Zane growls. “Tell me I misheard. You did not just say your daughter has resting bitch face.”
Mom clutches her chest. “I’m sorry. Did I use the term wrong?”
She knows exactly how to use the term. But is she fooling Zane with this innocent act? I glance over at him. His jaw clenches, and a muscle in his cheek pulses. He’s not fooled.
I knew there was a reason I liked Zane. As a person. Not as a potential partner. Unlike my mother, I don’t fling myself at every available and some non-available men.
“I’m trying to ask you politely to leave. But I can forget the polite.”
“To leave?” She blinks. “You want me to leave?”
Despite evidence to the contrary, she’s not deaf. She heard Zane when he told her it’s time for her to leave. But she only hears what she wants to. And I’m the one who’s stubborn.
“I want you to leave and to stop harassing your daughter.”
Warmth fills me until my knees wobble. No one’s ever stood up for me with Mom before.
Not the school guidance counselors, not the police officers who responded to the emergency call when she started a fire by putting her shoes in the oven, not the neighbors who mooched liquor from her, and definitely not the boyfriends who leered at me and made me feel uncomfortable.
