Page 35 of Chasing Forever
I lean in closer to Bennett. “It’s important,” I say through clenched teeth.
“Bennett, just let her borrow Wren for the night so she can get one of these four dates with Brooks over with. Although he’s not going to bat an eye. He loves Wren.”
I sigh. “Who told you?”
Mom finally places her phone on the table, screen down as though there would be anything that might pop up on her phone that we shouldn’t see. “This is Willowbrook, Lottie. I also know you bought your new hubby doughnuts Sunday morning. I’d hoped it was because you woke up in his bed, but sadly, Scarlett slipped and said she saw you leaving for Brooks’s place.”
I cock my jaw and look over at Bennett. “I should’ve moved out of here years ago. Somewhere people aren’t all up in my business.” Now I glare at Mom.
She shrugs and sips her coffee. “You’re the one who married him in Vegas.”
“Exactly. I wasn’t in the town square in a wedding dress.”
A flash of sadness hits her eyes. And just like that, we’re both thinking about Holden and how he left me in the church, smack in the middle of the downtown square. The location was his parents’ request. As though we were royalty and it was the wedding of the damn century.
“You went to the same chapel as Emmett and Briar.”
I throw my hands in the air and decide I’m going to drown my sorrows the old-fashioned way—with carbs.
I snatch Wren’s forgotten plate.
“Hey,” Bennett says.
“Please. You don’t need the extra calories.” I shovel a mouthful of chocolate chip pancakes into my mouth as if I’m in an eating competition.
“What the hell?” He looks to Mom for backup, but she doesn’t say anything. She’s unusually quiet and suspiciously unnosy, which means she’s definitely up to something.
I swallow what’s in my mouth. “I’m just trying to make sure you stay fit.”
“For what?”
I freeze. Crap. My eyes dart to Mom, who’s peeking at me over the rim of her coffee mug.
“You know… for… good health and all that.” I wave my hand as if that’ll distract them from the fact that I almost said so you can find a woman. That would’ve been… too far.
“Right. I gotta go.” He stands and grabs Wren’s backpack and jacket off an empty chair.
I catch his wrist. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean?—”
“You know how you hate everyone pushing Brooks down your throat?” I stay quiet, because yeah, he’s not looking for an answer. “Well, I hate everyone thinking I need to find a wife and a mom for Wren.” He steps away from the table.
“B, I didn’t mean…” But he’s already gone. “I’m sorry,” I murmur.
Mom laughs again at something on her phone, and mine vibrates with a text. “Adult siblings fighting. Will you ever grow out of it?”
I blow out a breath and ditch my breakfast to try to catch Bennett before he gets in his truck. “See ya, Mom.”
“Good girl.”
I walk out of the dining room of The Getaway Lodge, and Wren is holding Bennett’s hand as they head toward the door.
“B!”
Wren stops and tugs her dad back into the lobby. “Aunt Lottie called you!”
Bennett gives his daughter a tight smile, then lifts his eyes to me. “We’re gonna be late.”
“Please.” I bite on my bottom lip.
