Page 141 of Traces Of You

It wasn’t just a headache to watch over her, it’d become a nightmare and she wanted to see how the woman she’d always wished was her mother decades ago was feeling.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Brooke said.

“Can I help with anything?” It was almost three, and there weren’t any cars in the parking lot. She didn’t know why Brooke was baking unless it was to get a head start for Reenie being out for the weekend.

“I’ve got it all,” Brooke said. “Bobbi Jo left about twenty minutes ago. She came in early and helped and took care of the lunch crowd. Still on the slow side until Memorial Day when the tourist season picks up.”

“I’ll be back full force by then,” she said. “You have my word. That is if you want me to or let me stay.”

Another reason she needed to talk to Brooke.

Would they want her out of the cabin now? She could stay with Ford, she knew that, but it was not what she wanted to do.

She’d never truly had a space to call her own, and jumping straight into living with another man, even one she loved, would rob her of the chance to finally feel what independence was like. Just once, she needed to know she could stand on her own.

There’d be no way she could afford to pay for a place alone, but if she could continue with this arrangement, she’d be happy.

“Of course you can stay, sweetie! No one is kicking you out and I need your help more than ever. Even Clay is going to need it. He mentioned he was going to talk to you about working the events.”

“Oh,” she said. “I didn’t think he’d want me around. At least more than anyone else.”

“My oldest is exactly what was said the first day you were here. More bark than bite. You’ll get used to him. But dinner tonight.”

“You know about that?” she asked. She’d set it up with Callum to cook dinner for the family as a big thank you for all that they’d done.

Maybe she wanted them to know she was still good to keep around, but the more important aspect of it was staying and fitting in.

She didn’t want to be an obligation.

She didn’t want to talk to Gale only when legally required. Like when she had to answer questions via video with Gainesville police.

What she wanted was a friendship with Ford’s sister, but until she cleaned up her past, she’d take what she could get.

They assured her there would be no charges, that she was a victim in all of this. It eased some of the guilt she carried over the lies she’d told. Everyone said she did what she had to do to survive… and she was finally starting to believe it.

The search of Oliver’s house didn’t find the staged blood, and Gale remained silent about it. There’d be no reason to mention it since Reenie left on her own and was alive and healthy.

The hope was she didn’t have to go back there, but it sounded as if Oliver was cooperating, and once Randy found out, he said he’d give anything on Stiles to get a plea deal too.

“My husband doesn’t keep secrets from me,” Brooke said. “But I knew something was up when he told me he had dinner planned. In our thirty-six years of marriage, he’s cooked dinner maybe ten times.”

Reenie grinned. “That’s nice of him.”

“We have traditional roles in the house. I love them, don’t get me wrong. Baking and cooking have always been one of my favorite things, but feeding my family, that brings me joy. It’s not for everyone.”

“It’s not,” she said. “I never thought I’d enjoy it as much. Maybe it’s because I’ve never had someone I really loved or cared for enough to do it, even though I wanted it. Can I confess something?”

“Of course you can,” Brooke said.

“I looked up to you twenty years ago. I wanted to be you. I mean, have a mother like you but then be you too. Care for those I loved and have them appreciate and love me back for it.”

Brooke got a tear in her eye. “And now you do with Ford.”

She smiled. “I do. Are you good with it?”

“Oh, honey,” Brooke said, going toward her with her arms out again and pulling her in. “You’ve suffered so much in life. It’s time to stop. Ford is a great man who will give you a wonderful life if it’s what you want, but he won’t push either.”

“I know.”