Nothing Good Gets Away

Chapter 13

ROWAN BASS

With Scout in my backseat and a raspberry pie in the front, I park in my parents' driveway and let myself sit to decompress from the Saturday traffic I had to fight through to get here.

My mother seems to notice as she walks out of the house and wanders over to my car. I smile tightly and pull the keys from the ignition to get ready to hop out. She's happy to take the pie from me while I grab a hold of Scout's leash to let him out of the car next.

"He's so much bigger than last time," Elise gasps.

"I know," I pout down at Scout. "He lost all his puppy fat."

She smiles and bends over to pet him gracefully over the head, and he stays sitting nicely for her. Harry spent a whole week teaching him to stop jumping up on people, but Scout seems to forget that rule only when he's around. He's more excited to see Harry than he is to see me at this point.

"Well, come in," my mom places her hand on my back to guide me toward the house with her. "How was your day?"

"Really long," I yawn on impact. "I spent most of it at the bakery just checking up on things, and then I went home to get Scout, and then the traffic was insane getting here."

"Hm," she closes the front door behind us, and I let Scout off his leash to take him to the backyard. "I'm sorry your father is working tonight at the restaurant, but I made a charcuterie board for us to share with some wine."

"That sounds great to me," I drop my purse over on the couch, and help her to grab the wine and glasses while she brings the board to the outdoor dining area.

"So how are you?"

I open my mouth to start ranting, but then stop myself to pour our wine first. Mine is almost full as I raise it to my lips, earning me an amused red-lip smile from her.

"I'm just a little overwhelmed, and the bakery has only been open for just barely three months. And nothing is wrong, everything's going great and the money is coming in, but I still feel like when I'm home, I'm just thinking about how things are going there, or I'm wondering if it's all going to fall apart and this is just the honeymoon phase."

"Mhm," she puts together a cracker with brie and salami for me first. "It's smart to think of the future, but don't get so worried about things that aren't happening now. If it's going well, just appreciate it and stay in the moment."

"Yeah," I cover my mouth to chew. "It's a lot, but I mean...I'm grateful. Really grateful."

She smiles softly like that's not news to her. "I know."

"But how are you? Doing okay with all of Dad's traveling?"

"I'm keeping myself busy," she confirms. "Sienna's mother is trying to keep me involved with the Malibu Group, but...you know I don't fit in with those women very much. I think they don't understand my accent well."

"Mom," I scoff, "you speak perfect English. You just don't speak Valley girl."

Her blue eyes crinkle at the corners as she laughs, and that's just another thing I love about her; her face still moves with every expression she makes. But that includes the subtle frown that follows.

"Are you happy here, Mom?"

She looks at me as if she realizes she was caught without her usual little smile. "I am."

"But..."

"Hm," she sighs and makes a cracker for herself. "I guess I feel sometimes like I miss when you and your sister were little and still at home, but I'm so happy to know you both have your lives. All I want is for you two to be happy."