Page 91 of Love In The Spotlight

“Tea would be nice,” Laken said. He found that funny since she seemed to live on coffee but had been drinking tea more around him lately.

“I know Jamie drinks tea over coffee,” his mother said. “He gets that from me.”

He smiled. “My mother is a great tea maker. She’s used to having both ready for people to stop in at any point.”

“My door is always open,” his mother said.

Which was a reminder that he never got much time with her and they could be interrupted.

“Is Dad around?” he asked.

“He’ll be here in an hour or so. He’s got a few errands he had to run in town.”

His father knew he was coming and when and could have held off. “I can wait until he’s back to tell you a few things,” he said.

“Might as well tell me,” his mother said. “Your father is a busy man.”

He turned and saw the sympathy on Laken’s face.

“Always has time for everyone,” he said. “Listen, you know Penelope Plush Soap is going public next week.”

“I do,” his mother said. “I find it a wonderful thing you’re doing.”

He smiled. “Thanks. It’s a great product and I want my daughter to be set for life.”

“You should be already if you didn’t waste your money,” his mother said.

He wanted to grind his teeth. His parents had no clue what he did with his money. They only saw the bad and never wanted to listen to anything else.

“I’ve got more than I need. I was taught to help others in need, which I try to do with you, but you won’t take it.”

His mother turned from where she was pouring hot water into the cups. Mix matched cups even though he’d given her a nice matching set for Christmas. She probably gave them to someone else.

“Your father and I aren’t in need. You don’t seem to understand that. And if you say that to him it will only cause a fight. It’s been hard work keeping the two of you from going at each other’s throats.”

“So that is why Dad avoids me?” he asked. “And you encourage it, because it’s hard on you?”

He hadn’t realized that and wished he had. “I didn’t mean it that way,” his mother said, putting the tea down. “And we shouldn’t talk about this in front of company.”

He wanted to talk about it though. He was here and it should come out.

He didn’t even care if Laken witnessed it because he wanted her to understand this about him.

“Laken isn’t company,” he said. “She’s my girlfriend. We’ve been dating for months. Penelope has even met her and her family.”

“So you don’t work together?” his mother asked. “You gave me that impression. Actually, you said it. Did you lie?”

“No,” Laken said. “Jamie and I met through work. Part of my job is to set new businesses up. But you could say I fell for his charm and what a wonderful man and father he is. It’s easy enough to see when people open their eyes.”

He would let that subtle dig go. His mother didn’t catch it even if he did appreciate it being said.

“I see,” his mother said. “So you know that Jamie is a single father? Did he tell you that he didn’t even tell his parents he had a child until Penelope was six months old? He called me upset and told me about her and that she was broken out in a rash and he didn’t remember what I used on him.”

“Laken is aware of everything,” he said. More than his parents knew.

“Why he chose to tell you when he did isn’t anything I can control or would judge on,” Laken said. “We all have our reasons for doing things in life. But the fact that when he needed help he called his mother is wonderful. I lost my father when I was young. I’ve got a lot of siblings and my mother raised us on her own. We had to help each other out. We all still go to our mother when we need something. She loves it. She says she must have done something right then.”

His mother didn’t say a word and just sipped her tea, but he could see the thought process going on behind his mother’s eyes.

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