Page 76 of A Sweet Mess

“I love you, baby. Please don’t hurt alone anymore.”

“Mom.”

“Don’t deny it. You loved your dad, but you didn’t even get to grieve his loss properly. You were so hard on yourself. Giving up more than I would ever have dreamed of asking you.”

“I didn’t want to be like him. I wanted to take care of you and Seth.”

“You are like him, though.” Landon stiffened, but she held on. “So passionate. So talented. But you’re stronger than he was.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“Well, I am. Even as a kid, you always owned what you did, good or bad.”

“I—” A rush of pent-up emotions choked him. “I was so scared when Dad left. I couldn’t lose you and Seth, too.”

“You gave us everything money could buy, but you kept yourself distant.” She pulled back and gazed at him with painshadowing her face. “I thought you resented me for having to give up your dream.”

“Not for a single moment.” Landon shook his head, horrified his mom had blamed herself all these years. “I walked away from my dream—from my life—because I didn’t think I could survive losing anything else I loved.”

“If you keep hiding, then you won’t have anything to lose, because you’ll have nothing worth having. It’s time to start living your life, son.”

“I know.”

“Well, then. You’d better go and get back the woman you love.”

22

When Tara came by for their weekly dinner, Aubrey’s eyes were nearly swollen shut.

“Ye gatz!” Tara cringed away from her. “What happened to you?”

“I… I…”

“Hello, Tara.” Her mom’s serene voice broke through Aubrey’s wailing. Despite the pregnancy dramas, they’d been getting along surprisingly well.

“Hey, Mama Linda. How long has she been like this?”

“Oh, on and off since she woke up this morning.”

Aubrey stopped crying to listen to their exchange. They were talking about her like she wasn’t there. She blew her nose loudly to break whatever invisibility spell they’d cast on her.

“What now, Bree? Did one of your cacti die? Or do you miss the fuzzy dice you had when you were twelve?”

Linda giggled behind her hand, and Tara inclined her head in acknowledgment. Aubrey glared at the two of them, switching to her irritated mood.

“Can’t you ever be serious?” she snapped.

“Only on very special occasions.”

Her mom actually snorted. Very unladylike. Tara was a bad influence on her. She didn’t blink an eye at the daggers Aubrey was shooting at her.

“Well, this is important,” Aubrey said.

“What is it?” Tara’s eyebrows shot up, alarm creeping into her voice.

“I’m fat.”

“Good heavens.” Her friend face-palmed.

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