“How about we leave the names out of it and focus on Chloe,” I suggest. “Do you want to invite her to stay tonight?”
Meredith’s eyes light up. “Yeah?”
I nod. “If it’s okay with her mother.”
“Ohmigod, Dad, that would be the best.” She swipes her phone up off the table but then remembers the rules. “Can I text her now to ask?”
“One text,” I say.
“I thought tonight was all about cleaning up for the party tomorrow,” Travis says, all moody again.
“Chloe can help clean up,” I say.
“She can help Meredith mow,” Cade says, bringing that grin of his back, intentionally stirring his sister.
“Cade,” I growl. “Enough.”
Christ, Lily and I made it through years of Cade’s moods, and I’m fucking grateful he’s left them behind, but right now I could do without his grins and shit-stirring ways.
“So, Brax can stay over too?” Travis says, not letting this go.
“No, he can’t,” Lily says.
“Why not?” Travis questions, challenging Lily with his words and his demanding stare.
“Because we’re having a huge party tomorrow and I need all of you to help me get this house ready.And”—she talks over him when he tries to cut in—“I said so, Travis. End of story. Don’teven think of arguing with me over this. Not after what you’ve done this week.”
He shoves his chair back and stands. “I’m with Meredith. The inequality in this place is shit.” With that, he stalks away from the dining table and down the hallway towards his bedroom.
I run my hand down my face.
The day has barely started and already here we fucking are.
“I was talking about gender inequality, Travis,” Meredith calls out after him. “I think you need to look the definition up.”
“Meredith,” Lily says, her voice holding traces of the mental exhaustion we’re both feeling at the moment with our kids. “Please stop.”
Cade stands. “Thanks for breakfast, Dad.”
Usually, I’d tell the boys to get their asses back to the table until everyone’s finished eating. Today, I let that shit go. I’ve got bigger battles to fight today than this one.
Lily’s POV
11:30 a.m.
Me
I’m not going to make it to the clubhouse today. In fact, I may not even make it home tonight. My mother may make me dead before then.
King calls ratherthan responding with a text.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
I frown. “You sound tired.”
I hear his exhale before he says, “Lily. What’s your mother done?”
“Brynn just called to tell me Mum has made party bags for the party.Party bags, King. Meredith is turning sixteen, not ten! Apparently, she’s also told Brynn she’s going to get the kids to play Twister at the party. And that’s only the beginning. If I thought you’d actually sit there and listen to everything she’s got planned, I’d keep talking. Really, all you need to know is that I can’t go on.”
