Page 44 of Starts With a Bang

Janet planted her elbow on the countertop and rested her chin on her hand. “I’m sorry I went upstairs so early last night. Did I miss much?”

“We played Monopoly after dinner,” I replied.

Janet chuckled. “Okay, maybe I’m not that remorseful. Board games have always been more Molly Beth’s thing than mine.”

“What is your thing, then?”

“I, uh…” Janet sat up straighter and stared into space for several moments. “I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know.”

“How’s that possible?” Though I had a pretty good clue.

“I’d turned myself into the perfect corporate wife. My entire existence has revolved around advancing John’s career. More opportunities was the best thing for our family. It meant money, fancy trips, and a better education for Christian.” Janet inhaled a long, shaky breath. “But nothing has ever been enough.” She looked at me as tears welled in her eyes. “I’m not enough. If I died tomorrow, John would be half-assed to plan my funeral. He’d work right up until the service and return to his office immediately after.” Her gaze fell, and she drew a circle on the marble with her finger. “I can’t believe I’m telling you this after only meeting you last night.”

I chuckled. “I’m used to it. People tell bartenders and hairstylists things they’d never say to anyone else.”

I immediately regretted the reference to drinking. There was no way in hell Janet didn’t know she had a problem, but her lips curved into a wry smile.

“There is something special about you. I’d say it’s your aura, but that sounds woo-woo. Do you kids refer to vibes these days, or is that like a hippy-era thing?”

“We say vibe.” I cocked a brow. “And I’m thirty. Hardly a kid.”

She waved me off with a tsk. Janet started to say something but coughed. “My mouth feels like a desert.”

I turned back to the refrigerator. “There’s juice, water, and soda.”

“I’d kill for a glass of orange juice, but I shouldn’t. All those carbs.”

I pulled the jug out of the refrigerator and grabbed a juice glass from the cabinet. “It’s Christmas, so calories and carbs don’t count.” I halted before pouring. “Unless there’s a medical reason you can’t have it.”

“Nope.”

I poured the juice and placed it in front of her. Janet lifted the glass, took a deep breath, and sipped the juice. She sighedhappily, then took another. Janet held the glass out to me, and I topped her off. I left the jug on the counter in case she wanted more and returned my attention back to prepare the omelet. I’d just sprayed the skillet with nonstick spray when I heard footsteps approaching from the hallway.

Dom rounded the corner and slid to a stop when he saw me at the island with Janet. “There you are. I worried you’d come to your senses, nabbed my keys, and were on your way back home.”

He’d only put on a pair of gray sweatpants before coming to find me, and I couldn’t tear my eyes off him. The skillet slid in my grasp and snapped me out of my daydream.

“Dom, darling,” Janet said, patting the stool beside her. “No one who looks at you the way Sven does would behave so cowardly.”

Dom looked at Janet, and I could tell the moment he really saw her. He had a decent poker face and gave little away, so it wasn’t likely she noticed his reaction. The sloop in his shoulders was subtle but expressed his sadness. The way he plucked the seam of his sweatpants betrayed his discomfort. Understanding that Janet was going through something was one thing, but knowing what to do about it was another.

Dom straightened his shoulders and relaxed his fingers once he’d processed his thoughts. He walked to the island and sat on the stool next to her. “Do you want us to put on shirts?”

“Don’t be silly,” Janet said, then downed the rest of the juice in one gulp. “Hit me again.”

I could tell by the slight furrow in Dom’s brow that he was worried there’d been alcohol mixed with the juice. I picked up the jug and refilled her glass to show there wasn’t.

“You’re a doll,” Janet said before giving her full attention to her nephew. “Ignore the awful state you’ve found me in, Dom.” He opened his mouth to protest, but she patted his hand to cut him off. “That’s not important right now, but an apology is.” Shecycled through a deep breath. “I’m sorry that I reacted so poorly when we found out about Christian and Emerson. I’m not saying I should’ve turned my back on my only son, but I could’ve been much more understanding about your position. You deserved our love and empathy.” She covered his hand and squeezed. “I’m truly sorry.”

“Thank you, Aunt Janet. That means a lot to me. I’m sure I could’ve handled the situation better too.”

She shook her head. “You and your parents were the casualty of Emerson’s betrayal.” She closed her eyes and released a shaky breath. Janet met Dom’s gaze. “And Christian’s too, despite his insistence to the contrary. Your uncle feels the same way, but I don’t know if he’ll ever admit it.”

“We talked about it last night.” Dom smiled at his aunt. “I think having this holiday together was a good idea.”

Janet’s eyes filled with tears. “You do? What about the matching pajamas?”

Dom snickered. “Don’t push it, Aunt Janet.” He came around the island and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. “And what are you doing over here?”

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