Page 75 of These Pucking Boys

My phone rings, and I fish it out of my purse to see who’s calling.

It’s my mother. Normally, I’d let it go to voicemail, but after witnessing Jake’s horrible relationship with his father, I don’t want to take my mother for granted.

I turn to Jake. “It’s my mother. Do you mind if I answer it?”

His brows pinch together. “I don’t mind at all.”

“Thanks.” I press the green button. “Hey, Mom.”

“Hey, baby girl. How are you doing?”

“I’m great.” I glance at Jake again with a smile. “How about you and Dad?”

“We’re fine, considering what happened to you. But you don’t need to pretend you’re okay for our sake, hon.”

“I’m not pretending, Mom. Being rejected and humiliated in public is the best thing that ever happened to me. I dodged a bullet.”

“Well, that you did. That Bill is lower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut.” Jake chuckles, and my mother hears it. “Who’s with you?”

Shit.

“No one, Mom. It’s just the radio. I’m driving.”

I glance at Jake apologetically, hoping he didn’t take offense that I lied about being with him. The corners of his lips are turned upward, though.

“Oh, all right. Anyhow, I called because I have some juicy gossip. Yesterday, we all went to a barn raising and bumped into none other than Primrose Larsson.”

“What was Bill’s great aunt doing at a barn raising? That’s not her usual scene.”

“Oh, I know. That woman is stuck up higher than a light pole. But that’s a whole other story. She approached your father and me and profusely apologized for that good-for-nothing great-nephew of hers. You can imagine how surprised I was. I was ready to pitch a hissy fit with a tail on it.”

And it would have been epic. No one pitches a hissy fit better than Mom.

“Oh, I bet. But Mom, I really don’t want to hear stories about Bill or his family. I don’t want to think about him at all.”

“I understand, honey. I just thought you’d get a kick out of knowing he’s on the shit list of his rich great-aunt. I wouldn’t be surprised if she cuts him out of her will.”

Bill would be furious. He never cared for his great-aunt, but the way he sucked up to her was embarrassing.

“That woman will outlive all of us.”

Mom laughs. “Ain’t that right?”

“Is everything good with you and Dad?”

“Yes, everything is good. Well... almost everything. Your father is losing sleep now that April has gotten herself a boyfriend.”

“No. Not his sweet little girl,” I tease.

“He just needs to get over it. Dash Wilkins is a good boy, despite his ridiculous name.”

“Dash? But I thought he had a crush on May.”

“Just a little boy crush. He got over that pretty quickly when he saw April all dressed up at the Ferrero wedding.”

As much as I want to hear more gossip about my siblings’ love lives, I don’t want to be rude to Jake.

“Mom, I have to go. I’ll call you later, okay?”

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