“That’s because Mom wanted to surprise us with a girls’ day. We’re going to get our nails done at that cute little place in the middle of town,” Angela offered.
A groan nearly spilled from Lacey’s chest. That place was the worst. Okay, it wasn’t—but sometimes the women there got a little too chatty. Either you walked away with more information than you bargained for, or you left after being sucked dry of all the secrets you knew. There was no middle ground.
Her mother looked her up and down. “I suppose since you’ve just washed your hair, we’ll get you a trim and style, too.”
Lacey knew she shouldn’t be reading into the way her mother looked her over. She shouldn’t be feeling judged for being less than put together. But there was just something about standing before her perfect mother while in her bargain clothes and in her tiny apartment that brought back all her insecurities.
She could just see her mother picking apart the life Lacey had chosen for herself and deciding whether or not it was acceptable for her only grandchild.
Jumping forward, Lacey smiled. “I’d love that. Let me just get my purse?—”
“And where’s Bridger?” Her mother glanced around once more. “I would have thought I’d be seeing him today.”
“He’s at school, Mom. He doesn’t get out for two hours.”
Her mother frowned. “Well, our outing will take longer than that. How are you going to?—”
Lacey held up her phone. “I can have Mack pick him up.” The second the words flew from her lips, she grimaced. She hadn’t planned on telling her mother about her boyfriend for several months yet, and here she was bearing her soul in the first five minutes. How could she be so stupid?
One perfectly manicured brow arched. “Mack? Is he your babysitter?”
Before Lacey could respond, Angela jumped in. “Mack is her boyfriend. And he’s really good with Bridger.”
Was that hurt that flickered across her mother’s expression? Did she actually feel left out not knowing about the man in Lacey’s life? Well, what could she expect? Especially with the next words that left her mother’s mouth.
“You know, dear, you need to be careful about who you let into Bridger’s life. Not all men are interested in sticking around. Your heart might be able to take him leaving, but I doubt Bridger would understand.”
“Mom!” Angela gasped.
Lacey glanced at her sister in surprise—not expecting her to come to her aid so quickly. But then she waved her off, knowing full well that her mother wouldn’t simply take Angela’s word for it. “I know, Mom.” She nearly told her mother that she hadn’t let Mack meet Bridger until she knew that he was going to be around for the long haul, but that wasn’t exactly the truth. He’d slingshot himself into her life without any care for her concerns. Lucky for them both, letting him stick around had been a good choice. “Like Angela said, he’s great with Bridger, and they’ve really hit it off.”
Her mother pressed her lips into a thin line then nodded. “I’d like to meet him.”
Angela snorted.
Lacey gave her best patient smile and spoke through her teeth. “I’m sure we could arrange that.”
They didn’t immediately goto the salon. Ironically, Lacey’s mother wasn’t thrilled about getting lunch with her daughter’s appearance such as it was, but they had a reservation that they couldn’t change.
Lunch wasn’t so bad. Angela played referee throughout most of it, and filled the conversation with how the new location of herbusiness was doing. Lacey was happy to let her sister take the limelight.
She’d immediately messaged Mack the second her mother had left the apartment to ask him to pick up Bridger from school and was relieved to find out he’d already planned on doing so. Lacey had a shift later today, and with her mother’s last-minute plans, she wasn’t going to get a chance to see Bridger before he went to bed.
It was hard not to get annoyed at the whole ridiculous situation. Her mother was the one who judged Lacey on every little thing—especially how much or little time she spent with Bridger. And now she was the one taking away the time Lacey would have with her son.
At least Bridger would have some fun. Mack had promised her as much.
“Will you stop looking at that phone?”
Lacey’s head snapped up as she looked over at her mother, who was currently getting her nails done. The woman at Lacey’s back tugged on her hair with the comb before trimming some uneven edges. Lacey wanted to shrink down in her seat, hating the way her mother’s judgmental stare could still affect her. “Sorry.”
Angela shot her an empathetic smile.
It wasn’t like they could really talk to each other from where they were seated. They’d have to call out to one another over the other voices and the sounds of blow-dryers in the room. Still, Lacey tucked her phone beneath her leg and tried to pay attention to the nearest conversation.
The woman who was doing her mother’s nails chattered on about another member of their community, and Lacey rolled her eyes. Of course they’d start gossiping. Angela and their mother were visitors, and any old gossip could be refreshed around new ears.
“Oh, I heard that they were only getting married because it was convenient.”
