“It’s my job,” I clipped. “And lots of people read for fun.”
“‘Reading’ and ‘fun’ do not belong in the same sentence,” she sneered.
Ryan bit into his burger with a bit more rage than necessary.
“What setting did you pick?” Mom asked, completely ignoring Amber.
“Here,” I said.
Amber curled an overly plump lip. “You wrote a book aboutKansas?”
“Not a bookaboutKansas. A book set in Kansas. It’s just the backdrop, but I think it’s coming along pretty well.”
“I stole a peek at it over her shoulder the other day,” Ryan said with a grin. “I can’t wait to read it.”
“When is it coming out?” Mom asked.
“I’ll publish it right after the holidays.” Before I could get anything else out, my phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen, and my heart sank.
“What’s the matter?” Ryan asked quietly. But it wasn’t quiet enough when it was just the four of us.
“Nothing,” I said, trying to keep the mood high. “Just dad telling me he can’t make it.”
Amber’s face turned frosty. “You invited dad?”
“And Lisa and Bev,” I said. “But Bev was getting ready for renters at one of her other properties and Lisa had to work.”
Ryan wrapped his hand around my thigh and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
Amber scoffed. “Why would you invite Lisa?”
“Because she’s?—”
“She’s just some weird lady. She’s not family. She’s not anything,” Amber said.
Ryan stiffened.
“She’s my friend,” I shot back. “She cared enough to drive to Kansas City when I had an event. That’s more than I can say about you.”
Mom bristled.
Amber’s phone buzzed, and she picked it up with a victorious smile. “Hold on. It’s Dad.”
My blood boiled. Heat wrapped around my neck, and then everything went numb. “What?” I had texted and called him for the last week to see if he would come over, but all I got was silence.
Amber got his attention though.
Suddenly, all my favorite foods soured and I didn’t feel like eating.
“Girls, it’s not a competition,” Mom said with a heavy sigh. “Goodness.”
But it was a competition when we had to fight over who got to see our parents.
Amber was always our dad’s favorite. Every other weekend at his house was spent with him doing everything to appease Amber, and letting me tag along for the ride. Mom was running around, trying to keep the salon afloat, too busy to give us the time of day. Maybe that’s why I had always gravitated toward Shep, then Shep and Lisa. They made time. They chose me when they didn’t have to.
Ryan made time. Ryan chose me when I tried to push him away.
Wander, Willow, Jack, and Miles made time. They chose me when it was inconvenient.
