Page 80 of My Mistake To Make

‘I have a date, Doug. She’s your problem tonight.’

She turns, climbs into her car, and drives away, and I hang my head. I tried. I tried to do it another way, but now I really do have no choice. I pull out my phone and bring up Breanne’s number before pressing call.

‘Hey, little brother, to what do I owe this pleasure?’ she asks sweetly, and I pinch the bridge of my nose as I exhale.

‘I need you to fix that meeting, Bree. I need to get this shit done.’

I hear her take a breath before she answers. ‘On it. I’ll let you know.’

And that’s it. She cuts the call, and I know that before the hour is out, she’ll have it all arranged, and the ball of me getting custody of Bowie will officially be rolling.

Two nights. That’s howlong Jessie has been gone without a word. A part of me worries that something is wrong, but the part of me that knows that woman inside out is just frustrated. I know that she probably met a guy who wanted to spoil her for a few days, and that trumps everything, even her child.

‘So, what do you want, honey?’ I ask as we push into Merv’s for breakfast. I have a crew of guys working up at the house today, but I had to let Cara know they’d be getting started without me. I hate it, but what choice do I have?

‘Pancakes.’ She smiles up at me.

‘Is that my princess?’ Merv calls out, and Bo runs off toward him, behind the counter, and into his waiting arms. If she’s theprincess, Merv’s Diner is her palace. That little girl rules the roost here.

‘Daddy brought me for pancakes, Grandpa Merv.’

‘Well then, we better get to it.’ He puts her down, ‘Go and wash your hands and put on your apron.’

Bowie runs back to meet Leah, one of the waitresses at the diner and gets herself set up for cooking, and I take a seat at the counter.

‘Still no Jessie?’ Merv asks quietly, and I shake my head.

‘Nothin’.’ I sigh, and he shakes his head. Merv has had as much of her shit as the rest of us.

‘Hi, baby,’ My mom startles me, and she takes the stool beside me as she and Merv make googly eyes at each other.

‘Was thatbabyfor me or the old man?’ I sass, and she taps my arm.

‘Can’t it be for both?’

‘Grandma.’ Bo beams as she walks out of the kitchen in her little apron. Her hair has been pulled up into a loose bun by Leah, and I melt. Damn, she’s cute.

‘Oh, my sweet girl, are you cooking with Grandpa Merv?’ Bo nods, and my mom smiles at her in awe. ‘Well then, I guess I’m staying.’

Merv and Bowie disappear into the kitchen, and I turn to Mama.

‘You not working?’ I ask, and she shakes her head.

‘Later. Nick had an appointment out of town, so the clinic is closed this morning.’

Nick Barber is the town vet and my mom’s boss, which is weird since he was also one of my closest friends when we were kids. We fell out of touch when we all went our separate ways at eighteen, but he’s a good guy, and he takes care of Mama, so I appreciate that. I just wish he’d find his way back to us, we haveall tried inviting him for a beer, or to work out, hang out at family parties and barbecues, but he declines every time.

‘Merida.’ Bowie’s squeal grabs my attention, and I look up to see her flying out from behind the counter and wrapping her little body around Cara’s legs. My heart skips at the sight of the woman I’ve missed so much these past couple of days, but I don’t have a lot of time to dwell on that when I hear the gasp from the seat next to mine.

‘Oh, my god.’ Mama exhales the words as she tries to stand, and I get up to help her. She’s not infirm by any means, but I think the shock of seeing the daughter of her old friend for the first time is having an effect.

Cara looks up from Bo, beaming with happiness as she meets my eyes, and I smile before glancing at Mama and stepping forward.

‘Um, Cara, this is my mom. Mama, this is…’

‘Cara.’ The name is a breath from my mom’s lips, and I watch as Cara’s smiling eyes meet my mom’s.

‘Hi.’ She smiles, that beautiful, genuine smile she always has, and Mama steps forward.

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