Page 109 of The Show

I elbowed open the door, trying not to tip the lunch contents in the bags. I was on Lowe’s floor at the shared workspace her office was located, not that it was much of an office when I could reach to either side of the wall if I stood in the middle of it. But if she wanted to work there, then I wasn’t going to stop her, even if she did now have a perfectly good office over at the stadium. Still, picnic on the floor of this one was probably a better idea because it wouldn’t go down too well if someone caught us having sex in my first week of running the place, which is the direction I’d planned this lunch to head.

That reminded me, I needed to find out if my office was soundproofed, and if not, get it done.

I paused for a second at the door; muffled voices were coming from inside, and seeing as I knew Lauren had bailed, I was struggling to recognize the second, vaguely familiar voice. It hit me when Lowe let out a low grumble.

“Mom, I’m grateful for you coming over and bringing lunch, but I do have a lot of work to do.”

I could tell from Lowe’s tone she was trying her hardest to be patient. I smothered a smile, because never for one second, up to a few weeks ago, had I imagined Lowe getting so annoyed at her mom. I thought I’d known everything, but that wasn’t to say I hadn’t loved discovering the parts of her I hadn’t - like her hatred of early mornings, or the only reason her hair was ever tied up was when she’d misplaced her brush, or how she always topped her coffee up half way through her first cup, because then she could legitimately claim she’d only had one.

I loved it, and I hoped a day didn’t come where there wasn’t something new for me to learn.

“I know, LoLo, I’m not staying. I just wanted to make sure you had a proper lunch today. I hope Penn isn’t working you too hard. I spoke to Robyn and she said he’d got the whole staff working all hours of the day and night to get his new team on track. I don’t want you to be one of them.”

I rolled my eyes. The New York-Connecticut gossip train never ceased to amaze me. I had no idea where my mom had got it from either, seeing as I hadn’t spoken to her in a few days, and the last time I did was only to confirm what we were doing for my grandmother’s birthday next weekend.

“Mom, how many times do I have to tell you… why won’t you ever listen to me?”

I was tempted to wait outside and see where this conversation would go, but I pushed open the door anyway. Lowe was with her mom, and that meant she had the perfect opportunity to change the subject from work to me, especially as Abigail seemed on the verge of another sales pitch on her endless streams of men for Lowe to date. Something that needed firmly culling.

“She’s not, Abby. I can assure you she’s working just the right amount.”

Lowe froze with eyes like Bambi, and while I couldn’t quite read the expression, I definitely didn’t like it, especially as of the two of them, Abigail was the one who seemed happiest to see me. She jumped up and pulled me into a hug. I’d always been fond of Lowe’s mom, even if she was a slightly more annoying, hopped up version of my mom. I wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that she was exactly like Lowe, exactly how Lowe would look in thirty years.

She moved back, and gave me a thorough assessment. “Oh, Penn, sweetie, how are you? You look well. And you’ve brought lunch for Lowe, how kind. I saw your mom yesterday for tennis, and she said you’ve been working so hard with the new club. I barely saw you at Lucian’s party, but I’m glad I get to say congratulations! I told Lowe to count us in for season tickets,” she added, like she was trying to enter a holiday raffle.

“I have, there’s lots to do.” I glanced over her head at Lowe, who was looking at the floor, then back to Abigail when she eventually let go of me. “Lowe didn’t mention the tickets, but I’m sure that can be arranged.”

“Yes, and Lowe’s having a great time helping you. So nice you kids are working together, you with your company and Lowe with hers. You know, she was hoping that working for herself would give her more free time…”

Abigail Slater was as subtle as a bulldozer, and I would have found it funny if the point she was trying to make didn’t have everything to do with her daughter’s dating. Because it also meant Lowe hadn’t told her about us.

“Mom…”

Lowe’s quiet warning seemed to have more effect on me than it did on Abigail who paid no notice, while a warning buzzed along the surface of my skin.

Lunchtime was not going to go as I’d planned it.

“Well, she came with good recommendations.”

“Oh, I’m sure. Lowe’s always worked hard, too hard.” Abigail looked over to Lowe then back to me. “Say, Penn, you must employ lots of eligible single men with your baseball team…”

My teeth gritted.

“Mom! Jesus! That’s enough!”

I frowned over at Lowe, then back to Abigail. “I can’t say I’ve looked at them too closely, Abby.”

“Shame, shame. Still, if you do happen to come across any…” She turned back to Lowe, whose thunderous glare was aimed directly at her. “Okay, well, you kids must have business to discuss, I should probably get going.”

I looked at Lowe and it was clear she had no intention of stopping her mother from leaving, which meant she had no intention of telling her about our relationship. The worry buried itself under my skin.

“You aren’t going to stay for lunch, Abby?”

“Penn, not now. My mom has to go.”

“Not now?” I asked, my eyebrows raised high, but Lowe looked away without responding. And the rubber band holding my patience snapped hard, especially as I’d spent a good part of my morning reaming out my sister for being a dick to her. I gently placed the lunch bags down on her desk. “Okay, you decide when now is, and then how about you let me know?”

I turned to Abigail, who was understandably confused by the whole exchange.

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