Page 139 of Doyle

Whatever.

“What time is the presentation?” Her mother draped a gold bracelet around her wrist, trying to latch it.

“In a couple hours. I’m meeting Penny for lunch, then it’s after that.” She got up to help her mother. Took the bracelet. “You off to a game?”

“Oh no—lessons. I just can’t get my serve right. Thanks.” Her mother shook her arm to where the bracelet fell to her wrist. “Tell your sister that if she misses another family dinner, I’ll send the dogs after her.”

“That dog?” She pointed to her mother’s basset hound, who’d come in and flopped on the floor. Sighed. “Yeah, he’s terrifying.”

“It’s okay, Rochester. You can be scary when you want to be.”

He blinked at them, heavy brows, sad eyes.

Tia crouched and petted Rochester. “I think Penny was at Conrad’s game. Besides, Mother... you might need to loosen up on the mandatory family dinner. Or even, dare I say, Penny’s security detail. It’s a little creepy.”

Her mother gaped. “Her podcast gets her into trouble?—”

“I don’t have a security detail. Never did.” She stood up.

Her mother swallowed. “You didn’t... You weren’t?—”

“Kidnapped? Funny you should say that...” But no, maybe her mother didn’t need an update. “Truth is, I lived with the fear of being kidnapped all my life.”

“You did?”

She cocked her head at her mother. “Yes. Of course I did.” Tia dropped into the chair.

“For the record, we did have security for you?—”

“Mom. I don’t care about the security anymore.”

“I’m sorry, honey. We did have security, for both you girls, but yes, we gave Penny extra because we felt she needed it for her emotional state. But frankly, you never acted like you needed it. You were always so brave and calm and put together.”

Tia stared at her. “I didn’t feel like that.”

“It seemed you were born that way. You stopped nursing at four months, learned how to walk at nine months. I thought I was raising a small adult rather than a little girl.” She laughed.

Tia didn’t. “I...”

Her mother reached out and touched her hand. “I’m very proud of you, Tia. Please don’t hear anything but that.”

Oh.

“And I’m so sorry that you came home with a broken heart.”

Tia’s breath caught. “What?”

“Oh, honey. I know you. You’re always so... I don’t know. Full of life and passion and determination. You have a strategy for everything. Except... Listen, I’m not sure you even showered that first week. Started to get a little rank.”

“What? I showered!”

Her mother smiled. “Haven’t you finish the entire twelve seasons ofBonesin a month?”

“I have a little crush on Seeley Booth.”

“Don’t we all.” Her mother got up, went to one of the cabinets. “Where does Annette keep the insulated water bottles?”

Tia got up and pulled out a drawer. Handed her a pink bottle. “Okay, yes, I might have... met someone in Mariposa.”

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