Page 11 of Burning Love
She groaned. “Yes.”
“I gave him your card and said that if they needed anything to reach out. I’m sure you could find some money somewhere to buy them what they require. If not, I’ll reach out to West. He’d appreciate knowing that his mother and sister are so well taken care of.”
Her jaw dropped. “Do you ever hear yourself speak?”
“All the time,” her mother said, laughing as if she was proud of how she got everyone’s attention.
“You wanted to get a good look at him. That’s why you did it. I said he was sexy and you thought you’d check him out. Can’t you at least be honest with me?”
“Fine,” her mother said. “He’s very cute, but he’s way too old for you.”
“Age means nothing. West and Braylon are both ten years older, or thereabout, from their wives.”
“That’s different,” her mother said.
There was no use arguing over this. “It doesn’t matter. He was doing his job. Nothing more.”
“Then I don’t see what the big deal is,” her mother said. “I’ll let you get back to work.”
Her mother left her office and Talia turned back to her computer. She saw the time in the right-hand corner, noticed her sister Laken was online, which was rare, and shot her a message to see if she could talk.
Laken replied she had ten minutes, so Talia shut her door and placed the call through her computer.
“What’s going on?” Laken asked. “I heard things went well in Colorado.”
“Who told you?”
“West. I just got out of a meeting with him. You’re lucky you caught me.”
“I sent my report this morning to him. I’m surprised he read it already.”
“He’s on top of it when it matters,” Laken said.
“Or he’s watching over me because he thinks I’m going to screw up. Be honest.”
“I am being honest,” Laken said. “And he doesn’t think you’re going to screw up. Do you have a lot to learn? Absolutely. But the foundation is new and it means something. He knows you’ve got a good heart and, as things progress, I’m sure he won’t be watching as carefully. Very few get his undivided attention. You should be honored.”
“No, thank you. I had his undivided attention for years as a fill-in dad along with all the rest of the boys.”
“There isn’t anything you can do about that,” Laken said. “I know. Get over it. Was there a reason you wanted to talk?”
“Mom.”
“Oh boy,” Laken said. Talia heard the laughter in her voice. “What did she do?”
She filled her sister in on what happened a few days ago and then this morning.
“Mom is being Mom,” she said.
“She’s never going to change,” Laken said. “And sorry, but I can’t believe you turned the oven on without looking.”
Her fingers curled into her fists. She was forever going to be thought of as helpless.
Even if she was a touch of it.
“It was a bad day. I started out with cramps, then my flight was delayed, my bag was the last to come off the plane, then I forgot where I’d parked my car at the airport.”
“It takes getting used to,” Laken said. “Bring carry-ons.”
