Libby choked back a laugh. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was.” Charlotte sighed. “I know Addison means well, but she definitely needs to tone it down.”
Libby took off the oven mitts and tossed them onto her counter. Then, she swung the refrigerator door open and pushedsome containers aside. When she pulled the bowl of potato salad out, she set it down on the counter and removed the lid.
“How’s Patrick taking all of this?”
“He’s handling it so well. I feel guilty. He definitely deserves a lot better.”
Libby retrieved a wooden spoon and began to stir the salad. “He’s a good guy. He’ll be good for you, even if it is an adjustment.”
Charlotte snorted. “That’s an understatement.”
“When will you be back on your feet?”
“In a week or so if everything looks good. I’m so ready to go back to work.”
Libby chuckled and stopped tossing the salad. She took two plates out of the top cupboard and set them down on the dining room table. Then, she took out a bottle of soda and two cups. When Annie got home from school, she left her bag by the door and kicked off her shoes.
She froze when she saw Libby in the kitchen, untying her apron and smiling. “Welcome home. I made your favorite today.”
Annie glanced from the casserole to her face and back again. “Why?”
“After dinner I thought we could talk. I made some chocolate cake too. Char, I’m going to call you later, okay?”
“Good luck,” Charlotte replied before hanging up.
Annie frowned and peeled off her sweater. Wordlessly, she disappeared into her room and returned with her hair tied back and droplets of water on her face. She tugged on the hem of her hoodie and helped Libby carry the food out to the table. Once everything was set, Libby pulled her chair out and paused.
Annie wouldn’t meet her gaze.
“Dig in,” Libby said a little too loudly. “There’s potato salad, mac and cheese, and grilled chicken. Everything is just the way you like it.”
Annie picked up her fork and sank lower into her seat. “Okay.”
“How was school?”
“It was fine.”
“How’s Devon?”
Annie gave her a sharp look. “He’s fine too.”
Libby scooped up a spoonful of salad and added it to her plate. She stabbed her fork into the nearest potato and lifted it to her lips. “I was thinking of having Charlotte over once she’s feeling better, if that’s not too weird for you.”
Now that they were in a better place, Libby didn’t want to jeopardize that.
Annie could take as long as she needed to adapt to the idea of her foster mom and former teacher being friends.
Libby was going to try to be more respectful of her space.
They’d come a long way in the past few weeks, but Libby was a little too aware of the fact that they still had a long way to go.
Annie was pushing the food around her plate and staring at it, as if it had all of the answers in the world. Libby finished her salad and added a generous amount of mac and cheese to her plate, bursting with rich and creamy flavor. When she glanced back up, Annie had barely touched her food, and it sent a ripple of unease through Libby, the kind that made her stomach clench and her mouth turn dry.
Had she misread the situation?
Was this all too much for Annie?
