It only takes one look at Gwen’s face before I start to laugh—hard. She falls into giggles after I do until we both have tears in our eyes.
I’m wiping my cheeks dry when my gaze catches the eye of Holt’s mother-in-law. I flick my hand in a small wave to say hello. It shouldn’t surprise me when she looks at me like I’m a bug squashed under her shoe. Given how Holt’s conversation with her went, I’m probably the last person on Earth she’d want to interact with.
I can’t say that it doesn’t bother me. I don’t want to be the reason there’s a rift in Holt’s family, but I also can’t control what another person does. If she chooses to make this situation harder than it needs to be, there’s not much I can do.
“That was quite the greeting,” Gwen says lowly.
“Yeah. She’s not my biggest fan right now. It’s been incommunicado since things got ugly during their conversation.”
Gwen’s eyes widen. “She hasn’t said anything at all to the girls?”
“Nope. It makes me sad for them. Kathy’s got some interesting views and has shared them with the girls on occasion, but this took it to a whole different level.”
“Good grief. I’m glad Holt stood up for you.”
“Me too. I would’ve understood if he hadn’t, just to keep the peace, but it did make me feel good.”
“I can only imagine.” Gwen glances at the time on her phone. “I gotta get back to work. Do I need to run interference?”
I chuckle. “No, I’m going to head out. I need to get my drawing printed so I can give it to the girls tonight. I’ll see you later?”
“Yeah, see you later.”
I pack my stuff as Gwen heads back around the counter to put on her apron. Once I’m outside, I head to the post office. There’s a nice printer there that I can use to make a couple of copies for the girls.
“I’m not going to let you get away with this.”
I look over my shoulder to see Kathy storming toward me. I debate running away as quickly as I can, but that’s just not who I am. I have no qualms about standing up to this woman if she wants to go head-to-head with me.
“You have ruined my family, and I refuse to allow you to bring your whoring influence into my girls’ lives.”
I scoff. “Wow. Your girls? Lauren and Leah aren’t possessions. They don’t belong to anyone but themselves, and if you knew them better, you’d never try to take ownership over them.”
“Oh, go spew your hippie nonsense somewhere else. They’re as good as mine, and I won’t have you ruining their lives.”
“You have no control over what they do. Holt is the onlyone who gets a say in their lives. You can offer your shitty opinion, but he’s going to do what he thinks is best. You obviously don’t seem to care that you’re a step away from losing them for good if you continue to try to manipulate them.”
“I am looking out for their best interests!” she screeches.
“No, you’re trying to control them.”
“Someone has to step up when they’re headed down the wrong path.”
I shake my head. “I didn’t know Hannah, but from what the girls have told me, she’d be ashamed of the way you’re acting right now.”
Kathy’s face turns an alarming shade of red. “You get my daughter’s name out of your whore mouth. You don’t know anything about her, and she’d beashamedof the way the girls are acting because of you. They’ll turn into sluts just like you if I let you stay in their lives.”
I lift my arm to slap this woman into next Monday, when something in the wind whispers for me to stop. I clench my hand into a fist, taking a step away from Kathy. “I can take a lot of shit from people like you. Call me whatever you want. I couldn’t care less. But insulting those beautiful, strong, wonderful girls is a step too far. Think about what you’re doing right now, Kathy. Think long and hard because if you continue this behavior, you’ll lose your only connection to Hannah forever. None of us wants that to happen, so just know that if it does, it will be because of the choices you’re making right now.”
I walk away with my head held high, the streets blurring past through the sheen of anger that’s boiling through me. I take deep breaths to try to calm down, and whisper my gratitude to Hannah for stopping me from doing something stupid. I have no doubt that she was the one who kept me from making a mistake I’d have regretted for a long time.
Before I realize it, I’m standing in front of a two-story redbrick building, still running on my simmering anger. I don’t give it a second thought before I race inside, looking for the only person who can help me right now.
CHAPTER 37
Holt
My door bursts open as a blonde whirling dervish blows into my office.
