Odd, really, that she’d consider her mother an ally. But she’d been more subdued during the meal, sitting quietly and thoughtfully, sometimes glancing at Dallas and giving her an encouraging smile. Weird. Totally weird. But there it was.
She carried two stacks of dirty dinner dishes into the kitchen with her and placed them in the sink. Tilly was making coffee and she turned around when she heard Dallas.
“Leave those,” she said. “I’ll load the dishwasher while you eat dessert.”
“I have a better idea.” Dallas turned on the water to rinse the plates. “Eat dessert with us.”
“I’m watching my sugar.”
“Then have fruit. You’re part of the family. You should be eating with us.” Dallas looked around, suddenly interested in what Tilly had made, and spotted the apple-caramel pie. Oh, God. Not good. Dallas’s favorite. She could eat the whole thing.
“You sound like your mother. Like I’ve told her many times, I eat my big meal in the middle of the day.”
“I sound like my mother?” Dallas said, aware it sounded like an insult when Tilly slid her a disapproving frown.
Snorting, Tilly wiped her hands on her apron and then opened the refrigerator and brought out a stainless-steel bowl of freshly whipped cream. “Yes, your mother. She always insists I eat with her and your father. And one of these days you’re going to realize how much you two are alike. No wonder you’re always butting heads like two bighorn sheep. I’ve never encountered two more stubborn women.”
“That’s not true. Not about me, anyway.”
Tilly gave her an amused look.
“Just because I want to live my own life doesn’t make me stubborn.” Dallas stuck her finger in the bowl of whipped cream and got her hand slapped.
“There’s living your own life and then there’s rubbing it in everyone’s face.”
Dallas gasped. “I’ve never done that.”
“No?”
“Of course not.”
The older woman smiled.
“Tilly, come on, you’re making me feel awful.”
“If it’s not true, there’s nothing to feel awful about.” She put an arm around Dallas’s waist and hugged her. “I love you. You three kids are like my own. I don’t like to see any of you hurting.”
“I know, Tilly. I love you, too.” Dallas swallowed back the lump forming in her throat. She didn’t know what else to say. Tilly had always been fair and a straight talker. She wouldn’t purposely needle Dallas. The thought that she’d disappointed the woman made Dallas ill.
“All right.” She returned to the freshly brewed coffee and got out a silver carafe. “Get your fanny back into the dining room and take the dessert plates and the pie with you. I don’t trust you with the whipped cream. I’ll take that out myself, along with the coffee.”
Glad to be back on playful ground, Dallas sniffed. “You don’t trust me?”
“With my life? Yes. With whipped cream? No.” Tilly lightly smacked her on her backside. “Now get.”
“All right already,” she said and grabbed the stack of plates.
“Use a pot holder. The pie is still warm.”
Tilly’s caramel-apple pie was to die for. But warm? Dallas sighed in anticipation. “Did I tell you how much I love you?”
Tilly chuckled and winked. “My dear girl, I would bake you a pie anytime you wanted.”
“I know.” Dallas had to shut up before she got all teary-eyed. It wasn’t even that time of the month. Why the hell was she feeling so emotional all of a sudden?
She took a deep breath and then got out a tray, not trusting herself to carry both the pie and plates out to the dining room safely. After she’d carefully balanced her load, she picked up the tray and backed her way through the swinging door.
She used her hip to keep the door open until she made it to the dining room on the other side. Just as she let go, her foot caught on the edge of the door. She stumbled forward and watched in horror as the pie flew off the tray and splattered across the hardwood floor.
ADHERING TO HER WISHES, THE goodbyes were said inside. No more sympathetic looks, no more idiotic jokes, no annoying fanfare as they left the porch. Thank God.
Dallas slid into the backseat of the car Eric had hired, and he climbed in beside her. She’d huddled closer to the opposite door, but he put an arm around her and drew her against him, to which she responded with mixed feelings. Part of her wanted to be left alone to wallow in self-pity, but the other part needed his soothing touch, needed the reassurance that he still wanted her.
It wasn’t just about her clumsiness that had her fraying at the seams. Accidents happened. Of course, she wished she hadn’t totally ruined dessert, but hey… What bothered her more were the crazy thoughts running through her head. Ideas spawned by her mother and Tilly.
The car left her parents’ circular drive and sped off toward Manhattan. Traffic in and around the city was brutal at any given time, but Saturday night had to be the worst. Inbound was horrible. Nearly ten already, and people were just headed in. It felt as if she’d never get home.
Eric kissed her hair. “Hey, are you still sulking?”
“I’m not sulking.”
“Wrong word. Stewing.”
“Yes, I’m still stewing.”
He laughed, hugged her closer. “I knew you were anxious to leave, but that was a bit extreme.”
“Are you trying to make me feel better? It’s definitely not working.”
Sighing, he rested his head on top of hers. “I liked your family.”
“That scares me.”
“Come on, seriously.”
“I am serious.”
He straightened to look at her. “What problem could you possibly have with Dakota? It’s obvious she adores her older sister.”
Dallas leaned back and smiled. She knew that. “We get along great. Of course, we’re the most alike.”
“And Cody was a little dull at first, but he was great once he warmed up. He isn’t all that conservative when it comes to legal issues. He believes in something and he’s passionate about it. I admire that.”
“I have to admit I did enjoy him tonight. I just wish Clair had a little more personality. He needs someone to give him a jolt once in a while.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” He started to laugh and then pretended to clear his throat.
She looked at him. “What?”
“Nothing.”
She elbowed him in the ribs, and he grunted. “Don’t give me that. What were you thinking?”
“About your father. If I were ever hauled into court, I’d want someone like him hearing my case. He seems reasonable and fair. I like him. Part of the dying breed who still watches baseball. Does my heart good.”
“Uh-huh.” She gave him a “nice try” look.
“And then there’s Tilly. What’s not to like about her? She’s a doll.”
She loved that he’d included Tilly as part of the family. “You still haven’t told me why you were laughing. Although I have a good guess.”
“You first.”
“Chicken.”
“But I have my good qualities.”
She grinned. “It’s about my mother.”
“Sort of. I was thinking how she probably gives your dad all the attitude he needs.”
“And then some.”
“But I liked her,” he added quickly.
“Right.”
“I did. At first, I admit, she gave me the willies. No offense,” he said with a wry smile. “But then later she mellowed. The way she brushed off your dropping the pie and then joking about not needing the calories, well, I thought that was nice.”
“Yeah.” Dallas had been a little surprised at her laid-back reaction. Maybe she’d figured she’d beaten up on Dallas enough for one evening.
The unfair thought left Dallas uncomfortable. Her mother had given her a lot to think about. Dallas couldn’t blame her for that. Nor could she blame her mother for being right. Damn it. The idea chafed.
“Are you stewing again?”
“Now I’m sulking.”
“Not allowed.” He lifted her chin and brought her around to face him, then brushed her lips with his. “This is a no-sulking zone.”
“I could wait until we get home.”
He frowned, thinking a moment, and then shook his head. “Better get it out of your system. I have plans.”
“Oh? Such as?”
He slid a hand between her thighs.
She jumped. “Oh.”
“Need I demonstrate further?” He lowered his voice, prompting the driver to glance in the rearview mirror.
Dallas met his eyes and quickly dropped her gaze. She wagged a scolding finger at Eric, which he grabbed and sucked into his mouth. She got the giggles and couldn’t stop until she had to gulp for air.
“Damn.” Eric shot a sidelong glance at the driver. “He thinks we’re having much more fun than we are.”
That started Dallas giggling all over again. Not be cause that idea was particularly funny but because she needed the release. Needed to laugh or she might start crying.
Tilly’s gentle criticism had gotten to her the worst. Tilly had never lied to Dallas. Ever. Tilly had always been supportive, always fair and always available with a shoulder for Dallas to lean on or cry on. In fact, she was that way with everyone in the family. And she thought Dallas had rubbed her rebellion in her parents’ faces.