Page 17 of Heart of Stone
“I can get it myself, Mom.”
She brought her other hand over and sandwiched mine between both of hers. “But I haven’t had much of a chance to chat with you. Stay. Let your dad get you some dinner.”
“I’ll be right back,” my dad declared.
“So, how was your visit home?” Mom asked as soon as we were alone.
I shrugged. “Nothing special. I only went back to take care of a few things at my place. Cleaning out the stuff that had or would go bad in the fridge and taking out the trash. Things like that. Of course, my biggest concern was the business, but there was no need for me to be too worried. The guys have been on top of all the physical work, so I really just needed to deal with paperwork.”
Her features softened, something I couldn’t quite read lingering in her eyes. “I’m so glad you’re here, honey. I know this isn’t an ideal situation for you, but it means the world to me to have you close by again. I feel a bit spoiled now that I’ve gotten several visits from you within a week.”
Sylvia Erickson wasn’t the kind of woman who’d go out of her way to make anyone feel bad, and I didn’t think it was her intention to make it so now either, but a twinge of regret moved through me. I’d left my hometown years ago, and I rarely looked back beyond the occasional visits for the holiday.
While I had no intention of making this move a permanent stay, there was no question that my mom having a heart attack and landing in the hospital was enough to make me reconsider the amount of time I’d been putting between my visits.
“I’ll do my best to remember that and make more frequent stops over,” I promised.
Despite my reasons for remaining in this town now, the stay wouldn’t be permanent. Once I got through these six months and did what needed to be done to put my future plans for the retreat into action, I’d return to Pittsburgh. But I vowed to come back more often to see my mom. It was the least I could do.
“It would be appreciated.” A smile lit up her face as she touched her palm to my cheek. “Now, tell me how you’re doing at the retreat.”
I inhaled deeply, wondering how to answer that question in a respectful way, when I heard my father enter the room again. Only, when I turned to look in his direction, it wasn’t my father standing there with a plate of food in his hands.
It was Natalia.
My body tensed as my eyes locked with hers, and Natalia came to a grinding halt, her shoulders rising to her ears.
“What are you doing here?” I hadn’t exactly meant for the question to come out as harshly as it had, but I hadn’t prepared myself to see this woman today.
“Reid Erickson, I know you did not just speak to her that way,” my mom scolded me.
I winced, turning my attention to her, and muttered an apology. “Sorry, Mom.”
“I’m not the one you should be saying that to.”
Dread filled me as I kept my attention on my mother. But her expectant look turned downright menacing the longer I remained silent.
Clenching my jaw, I slowly craned my neck to look at Natalia again. Through gritted teeth, I said, “My apologies, Miss Barton.”
Natalia’s brows shot up, a hint of a victorious smirk playing at her perfect lips. She took a few steps into the room and sat down in a chair across from the couch where I was seated beside my mom. I was merely grateful she wasn’t wearing anything that left her legs bared to me again.
“Oh, Reid, I appreciate the apology, but I do believe we’re way past formalities. I mean, you didn’t already forget how I tripped, fell, and injured myself at your cabin, did you?”
Mom gasped. “What?”
Before I could respond, my dad returned with the food.
Anything.
I’d take anything I could right now to distract me from this whole situation.
With each second that passed, I was growing more and more frustrated. Or angry, I suppose. No matter what I did, no matter where I went, it seemed I couldn’t get away from this woman. Why couldn’t I go anywhere without her showing up?
My dad handed me the plate. “Thanks,” I said, taking it from him and immediately digging in.
With my focus on the food, I didn’t make any effort to offer an explanation about Natalia’s declaration. Let her be the one to share how clumsy a woman she was.
“You were hurt at Reid’s cabin?”
