The lie tasted flat, like the dregs of a Coke left out too long. I risked a glance at Harper, who was staring at me with a mixture of disapproval and… was that pity?
Great.
Just great.
This whole thing was putting her in a bad spot, not just Jules and me. And we weren’t teenagers, for God’s sake. We shouldn’t have to skulk around. Despite my fears of getting close, I had to admit that maybe it was time to move this relationship into the light a little. Not with Mom yet, but maybe a sibling gathering. We could break thenews in stages, establish allies before coming clean to Mom.
Because Mom was going to be complicated.
I wasn’t delaying. I was planning. I almost patted myself on the back, but there was no doubt this situation couldn’t continue without something changing. If only I knew what had to give. I hated change.
“An understanding,” Mom repeated as her gaze flicked between Jules and me. “Well, I suppose that’s a good thing.”
I nodded, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. “Yep. Totally good. Professional. Anyway, about those renovation plans…”
As I launched into a rambling monologue about new loungers and pool tiles, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was treading water in a rip current, being pulled farther and farther from shore with each passing second.
