Matt looked at his dad, wondering if he might jump in and remind her that thirty years at the packing plant had almost put him into an early grave, but he didn’t say anything. Matt suspected he knew what Mom was really saying—there was something wrong with killing yourself with work if you weren’t doing it to support your family.
“Well.” Matt cleared his throat. “Dara’s been pretty successful in her field. I’d say that work’s paid off.”
“Has it?” Mom turned to Dara. “When do you expect to retire?”
Matt suppressed a groan. Funny how she was only proud of him retiring early when she could smack someone else in the face with it. Slapping a Marley with it must’ve been so satisfying.
Dara just smiled. “I suppose it depends on how some investments work out. The market’s been a little shaky, but we’ll see how it goes over the next few years.”
“Investments?” Dad perked up. “What kind of investing have you been doing?”
“I spread it around a little—”
Mom tsked quietly, and Matt shot her a glare, but Dara didn’t miss a beat.
“A lot of low-risk funds and a 401(k), but I’ve invested in a few startups and played the stock market too.”
“Is that right?” Dad rested his forearms on the table. “Have you looked into the secondaries market?”
“I have, but…”
While the two of them discussed investments, Matt and his mother exchanged looks over the table. He shrugged it off, though—Dara had probably scored a few points in Dad’s eyes, so that was a start.
When there was a lull, Mom offered up her polite-but-fuck-you smile—tight lips, bored eyes. “So, Dara. What brings you back to Aspen Mill?”
“Oh, I…” Dara chased a piece of zucchini around her plate with her fork. Then she set her shoulders back and met Mom’s steely gaze. “My husband and I separated, so I decided to come back to town for a little while.”
Mom scowled as she picked up her wineglass. “I understood you divorced quite a few years ago.”
“I did. This was…” Her eyes darted toward Matt again. “This was my second marriage.”
Mom eyed Matt, and he swore he could hear her thinking classless tramp. But she just smiled sweetly and said, “I see. I’m terribly sorry to hear it. Are you planning to stay in Aspen Mill?”
“I don’t know yet. I’m still sort of getting my bearings back.”
“Hmm. Yes. I suppose you would be.”
No one spoke. Awkward silence pulled up a chair and took over, and by the time everyone had finished eating, the throbbing behind Matt’s eyes had started. He got up to collect the dishes so he could serve dessert.
“I’ll give you a hand.” Dara didn’t wait for a response before she stood and picked up what she could carry.
Matt shot his mother a look, but she was too focused on watching Dara leave the room. Yeah, he could see why Dara had always thought the woman was trying to put a hex on her.
“Mother,” he said through his teeth.
She shifted her gaze toward him.
He glanced at the kitchen to make sure Dara hadn’t come back in, and then whispered, “I thought you were going to be polite.”
“You know how I feel about that woman,” she said quietly.
“You haven’t seen her in ten years,” he snapped back. “And she had nothing to do with anything that happened half a century ago. Can’t you let it go?”
Beside Mom, Dad gave a sharp, humorless laugh and drained his wineglass. “Good luck with that, son.”
For fuck’s sake. He picked up the dish of zucchini casserole and took it into the kitchen. He set it on the counter, but before he started putting the leftovers in the fridge, he paused to rub his forehead, hoping to keep the inevitable migraine at bay for a little while longer.
In a quiet voice, Dara said, “I’m thinking we should hold off on telling her about the baby.”
“Yeah. Good idea.” Matt lowered his hand and reached into his pocket for the migraine pill he’d made sure to keep handy. “I am so sorry. I should’ve known they’d still…”
“Not like me?”
“Let’s go with that.” He downed the pill with a gulp of water. “Want to help me dish up dessert?”
“Anything to get this over with faster.”
He flinched.
She touched his arm. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.”
Matt laughed humorlessly. “No, it definitely was not uncalled for.” He glared at the doorway to the dining room. “You know, I’ve heard legends of parents who actually support their kids, even if they disagree with their life choices.”