“Did I say busybody? I meant, the most caring and amazing mother ever, who is simply looking out for her daughter’s happiness.”
I snarled my lip at my brother. “Kiss up.”
He winked at me.
My phone rang and my mother glanced down at the same moment I did. “Speak of the devil.”
Sliding my finger across the screen to answer it, I quickly put the phone to my ear and got up from the table to take the call. I could feel the heat of my mother’s stare on my back.
“Hello?” I said, peeking back at her before I stepped out onto the sun porch.
“Hey, Saryn, this is Truitt.”
My chest did a little flutter and I tried to sound casual. “How are you this morning, Truitt?”
“In a bit of a pickle. Listen, Lee is on vacation in England and fell and broke her leg in two spots. She’s due to have surgery over there and won’t be back for another few weeks, at the least. I really need to get some of the decorations down for the rooms in Liliana’s playhouse, as well as the paint colors.”
“Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that. Mind if I ask who Lee is?”
“Shit, yeah sorry. She’s my cousin, and she works for me, doing the interior decorating and paint for the playhouses. I can build them, but when it comes to decorating them, she’s the go-to girl. I’ve got your playhouse and another one I’m making for a senator in Austin. That one is for a boy, Jack, and I can pretty much take care of that one, but Liliana’s, yeah, I’m thrown for a loop. I have a few ideas, but I could really use some help, and who better to ask than her mother?”
I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. When I looked up, I noticed my parents and Ryan were all staring at me. I dropped the smile and acted casual. “What do you need me to do?”
“I was hoping you and Liliana might go shopping with me today.”
For a moment I was stunned into silence. I wasn’t sure if it was from the anticipation of seeing him, which was crazy, or the fact that he had thought of Liliana in his invitation. Then again, the playhouse was for her, so of course he would invite her to come along. Or maybe he wanted her to come along so I wouldn’t think it was a date.
“Um…”
“If you have plans I’ll totally understand, I know it’s last minute, but today is about my only free day to get this done.”
“No, we don’t have any plans. Should I meet you somewhere?”
“I was thinking I’d just pick y’all up, if you don’t mind me driving with Liliana in the truck, that is.”
Good Lord, my stomach dropped. I’d never met a man who put such thought into my child and my feelings regarding things. It was so damn refreshing. “I don’t mind at all,” I said, barely above a whisper.
“Perfect, I’ll swing by in about an hour if that works for you. We can head to the Rim in San Antonio.”
“Sounds good.”
“See you soon, Saryn.”
The line went dead and I stood for a few moments, trying to let what had happened sink in. I was going on a shopping date with Truitt. Truitt Carter. The guy I left Boerne because of. The guy who I was almost positive still had a piece of my heart whether he knew it or not. Broken as it may be.
And it means nothing, you fool. He’s building your daughter’s playhouse and he needs your advice. It’s as simple as that.
Then why in the hell is my heart racing in my chest?
After taking a few deep breaths, I made my way back into my folks’ kitchen.
“Tell me that wasn’t the hospital calling you to work today,” my father said. I quickly looked over at my mother. She’d seen Truitt’s name on my phone and I was surprised she hadn’t said anything.
“No, that was Truitt. His cousin who normally does all the interior decorating for the playhouses is in England and she won’t be back for a number of weeks because she broke her leg. He asked if Liliana and I wouldn’t mind going shopping with him today to pick out some things for her playhouse and for another one he’s building.”
“Pwayhouse! Yes!” Liliana cried out from her place at the table. Ryan and my father laughed as my mother simply kept her back to me while she cleaned dishes. I knew she was still upset with me regarding the whole one-night-stand thing with Luke. She might not have said it, but she thought it looked bad in front of Truitt.
“What did you say?” Ryan asked before stuffing pancakes into his mouth.
I walked up to Liliana and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead, then wiped her face with a napkin I had quickly picked up without her seeing. She fussed, but I managed to get the syrup off her chin. “I told him we’d love to go. I mean, who better to pick out the things for her little castle than the princess herself.”