Page 69 of 27 Kisses

She drops her hand and her eyebrows shoot up as her eyes dart from the mess I just made to my face. “This has been building for a while. Don’t hold back. Tell me what you think.”

At first, I think she’s talking about what just happened with Garrett. But no, we’re still talking about her. “You abandoned your son. Your family.”

She gestures for me to keep going, and I swear, I’m about to yell the house down.

“You hurt Garrett and Isaac and…” I shake my head.

“Who, Christy?” Her tone is calm. Even. Like we’re talking about the weather.

I can’t take it anymore. I jab a finger at her. “You stole money from my daughter to buy drugs. Money she worked hard for. She was saving for a horse. Did you even know that?”

She nods. “There it is. Finally.”

“So help me God, Jane?—”

“Nope. You had your chance. Now it’s my turn to talk.”

I stare at her. What the fuck? She raises her brows, and I nod. Speaking now wouldn’t be good for anyone. And it would only prolong this torture.

“It was wrong—I was wrong—to do that. But to clear a few things up. I wanted the money for Simon. I planned on buying him a birthday gift and coming to the party. But shame held me back. I couldn’t face everyone. Couldn’t face Isaac and what I’d done to us. And you’re right, of course. I used the money to escape the pain—to not feel awful for a little while. Was it the worst choice I could have made? Yes. But I didn’t steal the money—I borrowed it from Lanie.”

I scoffed. “Borrowed implies you’ll pay her back?—”

“She did, Da.”

“Lanie.” I will my body to relax as I try to smile. “Darlin’, your aunt and I were just discussing?—”

“Discussing? I could hear you. Everyone could hear you. I turned a movie on the television to drown you out. Simon was getting upset.”

“I’m sorry. You’re right. We’ll keep it down. Go on, lass. Grown-ups are talking, so?—”

“No,” she says, folding her arms across her chest.

I stare at her. “Excuse me?”

“I’m not leaving. I have something to say.” Her brows rise in challenge and she reminds me so much of her ma. “Aunt Jane paid me back. And she apologized.”

When? And why did no one tell me? Not that it changes anything. “Lanie…”

“You need to let this go, Da.”

“It’s not that simple.”

She leans against the counter next to Jane. “I have a boyfriend, Aunt Jane.”

“That’s great, sweetie. What’s his name?”

Leaving them to it would be the best thing to do, but I’m still angry. “It doesn’t matter.”

I expect Lanie to give me attitude about it, but instead, she ignores me. “Riley.”

Jane smiles, and I throw my hands in the air.

Lanie darts a quick look at me and then says to Jane, “A few weeks ago, I snuck out to see him.”

“Lanie,” I say in a sharp voice. “We don’t need to discuss this now.”

“Why?” Her lips are tight, her eyes determined. I’m not winning this fight. When I don’t answer, she turns to Jane. “Da was furious. He grounded me from everything.”