Page 170 of Moon's Promise

Taking out a bottle, she poured herself a generous glass before putting the bottle back inside. Before closing the door, she pulled out a bottle of beer, then brought the wine and beer back to the table and set the bottle of beer in front of him.

“Maybe this is more to your taste. Alexa,” she called out to the speaker sitting on the kitchen counter, “play some soft music.”

The strains of “Killing Me Softly” started filling the air.

“I don’t think Larissa needs to hear our conservation,” she explained as she sat at the table. Kendra took a sip of the wine before setting the glass down then folding her hands on the table. “Moon, may I be frank with you?”

Twisting the beer cap off, he took a drink. “Please do. Just be aware that I plan to be just as blunt.”

“Please do. That is my intention for us—to be honest with one another.”

Moon waved his hand at her. “Go for it.”

“Thank you. I will. Moon, I have raised my daughters to have a brain where men are concerned. Unfortunately, their emotions get the better of them, and I’ve had to sit back and watch two of my daughters get their hearts broken. Lana, I’m hoping after her disastrous failed engagement, will be somewhat more discerning before becoming involved in another relationship. Larissa”—Kendra’s expression turned sorrowful—“on the other hand, is my most trusting child, trying to find the best in everyone. Especially when she loves them.”

Straightening his relaxed posture at hearing that Larissa loved him, he instantly went on high alert. Kendra’s piercing stare made him want to fidget under her regard. In an effort to guard his reaction, he lifted the beer to his lips.

“You don’t have anything to say about what I just said?”

“I refuse to get in an argument with you over Larissa and my relationship.”

“Yet you had no problem showing me your anger when I threw away the preserves and juice. Can you understand my concern?”

“You could have made the point without throwing good food away.”

Kendra’s expression became fiercer, her upper body leaning toward the table. “You were so far up on your high horse that I thought you were going to beam me with the juice bottle, but for several days, you’ve let me criticize Larissa repeatedly without saying one word.”

“I was going to say something tonight.”

“Yet it took you less than two minutes to say something about what you cared about.”

“I didn’t feel comfortable getting between you and Larissa’s relationship, just as I don’t want you to interfere in our relationship.”

Kendra leaned back in her chair, her hand going to the wine glass. “Moon, may I cut to the chase?”

“I wish you would,” he said drily.

“Don’t patronize me.” She looked at him as if he were a bug under a microscope. “I may be sixty-one years old, but I see you. Larissa does, too. You aren’t fooling either of us.”

“Exactly how am I trying to deceive either of you?”

Kendra’s lips curled disdainfully. “Please …” Snideness dripped from her voice. “Don’t patronize me. A blind man would have seen you hiding across the street from my house. Both Larissa and I saw you. Your intent was to scare Larissa into coming back to Treepoint. When she called to tell me what happened in Jamestown, I told her to come home. She refused, wanted her child to have a father in their life. Even when you started playing nice, she took your efforts at face value and allowed you to talk her into moving back to Treepoint. As far as I can tell, she has made a good faith effort with everything you have suggested for her to do. Even to the point that Lana and Priss are living separately while you play house with Larissa.”

“I don’t like what you’re implying.”

“I’m not implying; I’m coming right out and saying I think you’re full of bullshit.”

Moon was surprised Kendra had let the profanity slip out of her mouth.

She read his surprise. “You have me all wrong, Moon. Don’t underestimate me like you have Larissa. I’ll go for your balls where my daughter is concerned.” Kendra sniffed the air as if she were smelling something disgusting. “You might be pretending you shit flower petals whenever Larissa is around, but I can smell bullshit a mile away. I’m going to disillusion you about something else, too. Larissa might love you, but she doesn’t have blinders on.”

“What does that mean?” Moon took another sip of his beer. He was going to let the bitch get out what she had been storing up, and then he was going to rip her into shreds.

“It means, when you do show your true colors to Larissa, and I believe you will, you’re going to be dealing with far more than you expected.”

Kendra leaned forward, her hand going to one of the stacks of books on the table, toppling them over. “Take a look at these books. I bet you think I’m the one who convinced Larissa to write that paper for my friend’s son. I didn’t. He called and asked her. Larissa gave in when Kyle told her that he would flunk the class and wouldn’t be able to graduate this semester. Larissa is too kindhearted for her own good.

“This other stack of books is for one of her previous mothers, who is trying to get through college with three children at home.” Kendra laid a hand on the stack of paperwork next to the computer. “This is all the work she has been working on to prove Treepoint needs a birthing center. She’s already put in hundreds of hours, and they keep asking for more. Lana and Priss have tried to help, but Larissa has put in the majority of the work. She puts her whole heart into everything she does to benefit others. She’s a gentle soul in a world that only values strength. Are you aware how many scholarships she was offered before she was even out of middle school? She refused all of them. Instead, she worked part-time to help me pay to send Lana to medical school. She had her choice of Ivy League schools, but she went to a local college to save money so Lana and Priss could chase their dreams.”

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