That would be him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“‘Choose your battles wisely…you will need that woman on your side one day.’ This was my mother’s advice the day I got married when I was whining about my soon-to-be mother-in-law. My mother was right,and I’ve remembered that for thirteen years—I do need her on my side.” —Kendra, Michigan, USA
Rachel
“Travis, what are you doing here?” Evelyn asked innocently, like she didn’t know.
Rachel knew her well enough to know that after the momentary shock dissolved, she knew. Yes, the look on her face, that glint in her eye—Evelyn knew. She knew exactly what she’d just walked in on.
“Are you two?” She waved a finger between them.
Travis shook his head. “Don’t get involved in things that don’t involve you.”
Rachel had just witnessed the start of the implosion of her company, Gavin may or may not be moving to Boston, the boys were fighting like they hadn’t in forever, and the only thing in her life that felt remotely like a rock was Travis. And that was about to be snatched away.
“What on earth do you think this will lead to?” Evelyn’s expression steeled. “Doesn’t this just take the tart?”
Rachel refused to feel ashamed over her feelings for Travis.Or setting boundaries with her clients. Or any of the other things she did because, dammit, she got to be happy,too.
“Even my cat can’t believe you’re considering this,” Evelyn said on a huff.
Oh, well, goodness, if it was the cat struggling with Rachel and Travis’s relationship,then they should absolutely dissolve it immediately. The difference was that this relationship was real where the cat was…not.
Perhaps the pretend cat might need real executive assistance.Oh God. Is this what my life has come to? These kinds of thoughts?
The room seemed to get too hot. Her skin too itchy.
“Mama.” Travis strode toward Rachel. “Rachel’s having a pretty rough day. Lay off a little?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Evelyn said. If Rachel didn’t know the Puffle Yum Momster and her innate ability to get whatever she wanted, she probably would’ve bought that line from her. As it was? She did not.
“I’m just looking for my son and the mother of my grandchildren so they can come enjoy ice cream with the rest of us.” Evelyn waved a hand between them. “But I find this instead.”
“What exactly did you find, Mama?” Travis asked. “Because all I see is Rachel having a rough day, me talking to her, and you barging in and yapping about your cat.”
“You two are in abedroom.” Evelyn glanced very pointedly toward the bed. “Together. Alone.”
“Believe it or not, Mama, I don’t just drop my pants every time I enter a bedroom with a beautiful woman,” Travis said.
They continued volleying back and forth, but the room was getting too small, and Rachel couldn’t catch her breath. She evacuated to get her boys, so she could take them for a long, long walk and try to figure out what came next. How, without Cassie, she was going to make ends meet next month. And the month after.
Catching her breath got harder as she hurried down the hall and into the kitchen. She found Kellan, Brady, Bob, Dave,and Gavin all indulging in Evelyn’s homemade peach toaster tarts and ice cream.
“Meemaw says peach is the nextitflavor,” Brady said with his mouth half full. “I don’t know what that means, but it’s yummy.”
“Boys.” She kissed them both on the tops of their heads. “I was thinking we might take a walk.What do you say?”
“My tummy doesn’t feel good.” Kellan started to push his bowl away. The residual bit of melted sugared cream and mushy toaster tart sloshed in the bottom like a reminder of Rachel’s present life circumstances.
Evelyn knew. Rachel lost any semblance of control of the situation. What was going on was definitely not perfection.
“Well, sweetie, you know that when you eat gummy bears, and ice cream, and pastry, it’s probably not going to feel too good on your tummy.” Rachel rubbed his shoulders. “Let’s go walk it off.”
Kellan apparently changed his mind about the tummy ache because he pulled the bowl toward him again. Then he dove right back in like he was in a food-eating competition.
Evelyn’s voice slid down through the door to the kitchen. “I’m just asking why you two couldn’t talk in the living room.Why the bedroom? This is not a hard question to answer.”
