“I’ll have orange juice,” Lainey replies while looking at me.
Not wanting to keep the waitress waiting, I quickly answer, “I’ll have the same, please.”
“Great. I’ll be back with your order shortly,” the waitress says before hurrying away from our table.
When we’re alone again, I smile at Lainey. “Tell me everything that’s new with you.”
She leans forward to rest her forearms on the table. “My grades are good, so Mom’s happy.”
I let out a chuckle. “No, tell me all the fun stuff.”
“Our grade is having a bake sale in two weeks, and Mom said Porsha can come over the day before the sale so we can bake chocolate chip cookies.”
“That sounds fun.” My smile grows wider. “When your mom and I were sixteen, we tried to bake a cake and almost burned down the apartment.”
“Really?” Lainey chuckles. “Did you get in trouble?”
I shake my head. “We just had to clean up the mess and paint the kitchen.”
“Did Mom get in trouble a lot?” she asks.
I shake my head again. “No.” My gaze drifts over Lainey’s pretty face. “You look so much like your mom.”
“And Uncle Easton,” she mentions, pride shining in her eyes.
Lainey glances to her right, then lets out a groan before mumbling, “Ugh. Don’t come over. Don’t come over. Don’t come over ...”
I glance at a woman and girl heading our way with wide smiles on their faces. The woman is dressed in a pair of dark-blue pants that fit her like a second skin, a white silk blouse, and white high heels. An expensive-looking handbag hangs over the crook of her arm, and gold bangles jingle on her wrist. Her blond hair is up in a neat bun, and her bangs are perfectly layered around her face.
The little girl looks like a carbon copy of her mother, except that her hair is down in curls.
When they stop beside our table, Lainey gives them a polite smile. “Oh, hey, Mrs. Riley, Shay.”
“It’s so good to run into you here,” Mrs. Riley says while patting Lainey’s arm. She glances around, only sparing me a second of her attention. “Is your mom here with you?”
Seeing the uncomfortable expression on Lainey’s face, I climb to my feet and hold out my hand to Mrs. Riley. “I’m Nova Allen, Lainey’s godmother.”
“Ohhhh!” The woman’s eyebrows almost rise into her hairline with surprise, but her surprise quickly passes before she looks me up anddown with disdain. “I thought you were the nanny.” She barely touches me, her fingers only brushing over mine before she pulls back and wipes her hand on her pants.
I’m never quick to judge people, but holy crap, this woman is something else.
Mrs. Riley turns all her attention back to Lainey. “Where’s your mother?”
There’s a slight frown on Lainey’s forehead as she mutters, “Not here. You’ll have to excuse us. I’m having breakfast with myfavoriteaunt, whom I haven’t seen in a very long time.”
“Oh.” Mrs. Riley looks visibly taken aback, then she nods. “I’ll see you and your mom at the fundraiser in two weeks, but tell her I say hello and I’d like to have coffee with her when she’s free.”
Lainey only nods.
The rude woman gives me a look that makes me feel self-conscious, then she mutters, “Enjoy the meal.”
Lainey waits for Mrs. Riley and her daughter to leave, then she gives me an apologetic look. “Sorry about that. I don’t like them at all.”
“Mrs. Riley doesn’t seem very nice,” I reply.
“She’s the worst. She only talks to Mom and me because of Uncle Easton.” Lainey glances at the other patrons. “Actually, everyone is fake with me because they’re hoping to impress Uncle Easton. It sucks sometimes.”
I reach across the table and place my hand on hers. Giving my goddaughter a warm smile, I say, “You’re important to me, my sweet girl. Don’t worry about other people.”
