Page 139 of The Love Playbook

“Yeah, sure.” I nod like a deranged bobblehead. “Good thinking.”

Chris laughs and places both hands on my shoulders, then spins me around and whispers, “Talk to her.” Then he slaps me on the ass.

With a yelp, I hurry through the living room toward the kitchen. With any luck, Bailey, Quinton, or Joey will be here, and this conversation will have to wait.

Peeking my head inside, I see no signs of Chris’s other brothers, only Barb standing behind the stove humming a cheerful tune.

Shit.

Exhaling, I take a deep breath, readying myself for some good old-fashioned groveling when she lifts her head and meets my eyes.

A wide grin splits her lips the second she sees me, and the knot in my stomach loosens enough to rise to my throat, putting me in a chokehold. “Hi, Charlotte, honey. Come in. Have a seat.” She waves me toward one of the seats in front of the kitchen island and like an obedient dog, I listen.

My heart pounds in my throat as I sink onto one of the stools at the same time Barb sets her spatula down and comes towardme. “When Chris called and said you two were stopping by for breakfast, I was thrilled. How’s your mom getting on?”

It’s the first time I’ve see her after I tried to turn her against my father, and she asks how my mother’s doing in treatment? God, I’m such a jerk.

“Um, she’s doing okay. I’ve only spoken with her once. The first month is pretty intensive, so they don’t allow visitors or a lot of phone calls.”

Barb nods, her expression pensive. “That makes sense. Still, it must be hard. I’m sure you’re worried.”

Barb gives me too much credit. The truth is, I’m relieved.

“Yeah.” I play with the edges of the envelope in my hands and glance behind me, hoping Chris might sweep into the kitchen and save me, but the sounds of the boys squabbling from the living room assure me he won’t. “Um, actually, Barb there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“Oh?” Barb wipes her hands on her aprons and abandons the skillet on the stove for the stool next to mine. “What is it?”

“Actually, it’s more just something I need to say, a clearing of the air so to speak.”

“Okay.” She stares at me, expectantly, her gaze soft.

“I’m sorry,” I blurt.

Barb smiles and pats me on the hand, and I can tell by the look on her face she’s going to let me off the hook, but I don’t want her to. As much as I’d like to pretend I wasn’t a bitch to her, I can’t. I have things I need to get off my chest, because this heavy weight won’t lift until I do. And because I’m in love with her son, and that means loving all of him, including his family.

“I’m sorry for how awful I was at dinner. For lying to you and making it seem like my father had ill intentions. For giving you guys a hard time about the wedding.” I wince, and Barb’s mouth curves in a soft smile. “I just hope you know it had nothing to do with you personally.” My words come out fast, and I barely takethe time to breathe. “I know my father’s probably told you, but there were a lot of misunderstandings between us and reasons for why I was hurting, so when he gave me a hard time about—”

“Charlotte?” Barb places a hand on my shoulder. “Breathe.”

I inhale a deep cleansing breath?in through my nose, then out through my mouth.

“It’s okay.”

“But it’s not,” I say, wondering how she can be so cavalier about this.

“It is. Your father should’ve been upfront with me about the money, but having said that, I understand why you did what you did, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s water under the bridge.”

I swallow, staring down at the envelope in my hands. “It’s just . . . I’m in love with your son,” I say, lifting my eyes once more to gauge her reaction, and the smile on her face is nothing short of radiant. “Like, really and truly love him, which means I plan on sticking around, so I hope we can be friends or . . . or whatever stepmothers and daughters are supposed to be because I think you’re pretty great, and I love the boys, and—”

“Charlotte.” Barb places a hand on my arm again.

“I’m rambling again, aren’t I?”

“A little bit.” She winks and it reminds me so much of Chris it’s startling. “But I’m so glad Chris found you, because I think you’re pretty amazing too, and I would love nothing more than to be friends. You have no idea how thrilled I was when I started falling for your father and discovered he had a daughter. And quite frankly, I don’t blame you for the fib at dinner. Your father was acting like an ass.”

My eyes widen, and I choke out a laugh.

“That’s right,” she says, noticing my amusement with a laugh of her own. “I might love that man to the moon and back, but I can point out when my fiancé is being a turd.”

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