Page 105 of Delayed Penalty

“Just a minute.”

I draw in another breath, then release it slowly, feeling Hayes’s eyes on me the whole time. I’m sure it probably seems like I’m blowing this out of proportion, but he doesn’t know what it’s like to be the screwup in a family full of otherwise perfect children. I’d like to believe they’re going to be on their best behavior with Hayes here, but I know they’ll still take jabs at me. They might be jabs only I’ll understand, but they’ll hurt all the same.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Hayes says soothingly.

I nod. “I’m ready.”

“You sure?”

“Yep. Let’s do this. Flora, go ahead.”

I’m sure my mother will have something to say about how family doesn’t have to ring the bell, but Flora loved the idea so much, so she’s going to have to live with it. As we wait, I work through the breathing exercises I learned during that one yoga class I took.

In through your nose, out through your mouth.

In through your nose, out through your mouth.

In through your?—

Then I’m not breathing at all. Instead, I’m looking down, down, down to where Hayes has taken my hand in his, his long fingers curling between mine. He squeezes once, twice, then three times, and my worries slowly slip away. My shoulders relax and my breathing goes back to normal, not forced. It’s like a weight has been lifted, and I have him to thank.

“I’m here,” he whispers so low only I can hear.

I smile up at him, having no doubt he means it. He didn’t let the body shop bully me around. He’s certainly not going to let my family do it.

The front door clicks open, and I drop his hand, shuffling an inch away and trying to make it look as natural as possible, but it doesn’t matter. My mother isn’t looking at me. She’s beaming down at Flora and Pickles.

“Oh my goodness! You brought a cat!”

“Wait,” Hayes says. “I thought?—”

“Just like you requested, Mom,” I say, stepping forward and widening my eyes, hoping she’ll understand.

She nods. “That’s right. Ididask to meet this adorable, lovely little thing. And the cat too, of course.” She winks at Flora.

The kid giggles. “You already know me, Mrs. Bess.” She holds the cat up. “This is Pickles. She’s my best friend.” Flora looks back at me. “Sorry, Just Quinn.”

I grin. “That’s okay. I’ll allow it. Pickles is awfully cute.”

“She is.” She thrusts the cat toward my mother. “You want to hold her?”

“You know what? I do, but not right now. I’ve got some potatoes on the stove that need stirring and a turkey that needs basting. Can I hold her later?”

Flora nods. “I’ll allow it.”

My mother chuckles as she rises back up to her full height, smiling over at me and Hayes. “I’m so glad you came, though you could have just walked in.”

Knew that was coming.

She waves us inside. “Come on in. Everyone else is already here.”

Great. Even though I made sure we left ten minutes earlier than we needed to, I still managed tosomehow be late. Can’t wait to hear my siblings get on me for that.

We follow my mother inside, taking our shoes off by the door, and I watch as Hayes takes the house in. It’s nearly the same size as his, but he’s looking at it like it’s a mansion or something, and I wonder if he thinks this is where I grew up.

“My parents moved here about two years ago,” I tell him. “I grew up in a small town on the Peninsula.”

“Gosh, I miss that house sometimes,” Mom says. “Don’t get me wrong, I love this one, but that one just had a coziness to it, you know? It was well loved.”

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