His mother broke into a sob, hugging Caitlin tighter. Travis encircled them both in his arms. His life was definitely looking up.
The men observedthe women who were busy chatting in the living room. The only other awkward moment was when his mom bluntly inquired about Caitlin’s scar and bruising. His mother was admittedly nosy and sometimes was short on tact, but there was no one who had a bigger capacity for love than one Lillian Blake.
“There’s something you want to tell me without your mother finding out?” Daniel asked his son.
“Someone is still after Caitlin,” Travis admitted to his dad. “The attack we told you about, which is the reason for her current injuries, is not quite over. It’s under control right now, but I’m trying to be careful. I’ll be assigning extra security for you both, unless you want to take Mom on a vacation for a while.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know, Dad.”
His dad nodded. “I understand. I prefer to take your mom away, but a part of me doesn’t want to leave you both alone in this. If something happens to either of you, we want to be close in case you need help.”
“Dad—”
“Your mom is not obtuse, Travis. Leaving for another vacation so soon after coming back from Lisa’s is going to make her suspicious. I’ll break it to her gently.”
“I’ll arrange for security as soon as possible. I had a contract that ended yesterday, and I’ve already recalled my crew from that one.”
“We’re all set then.”
“You’re all set,” Travis assured his dad.
It would bea couple of hours before Travis’s parents left. Caitlin caught an earful of his mother’s anecdotes of her life before, thinking it would spark her memory. Sadly, amnesia didn’t work that way. None of the stories sounded familiar, and it was as if Lillian was recounting someone else’s life—not her life with Travis. Though she knew Lillian didn’t mean it, the older woman’s eyes drifted to Caitlin’s scar more frequently than was comfortable. Eventually his mother said, “I know of a good plastic surgeon that can fix your scar, Caitlin.”
Caitlin knew she meant well, because there was no malice in her tone, and clearly she was just trying to be helpful. Unfortunately, the men had walked back to the living room by then, and Travis overheard his mother. He was furious.
“What the fuck, Mom!” Travis snapped. “Caitlin is perfect the way she is. I would not change a fucking thing.”
“Travis, calm down.” His father’s voice boomed behind them.
There was a tense line along Travis’s jaw. “I think this visit is over.”
“Travis, your mom—” Caitlin began.
“No. He’s right, my dear,” Lillian said in a quiet voice. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just that—”
“It’s okay, really,” Caitlin assured her. “The scar is a part of me now. I’d feel naked without it.”
His mother looked at her with such regret. “Oh, Caitlin.”
Damn, she must have looked really good with a flawless face, Caitlin thought miserably.
“Sweetheart,” Daniel addressed Lillian. “I think it’s time we get moving. We haven’t quite settled back to routine, andthe kids need time for themselves. Three weeks is not enough to make up for three years.”
“Damn straight,” Travis muttered. His mother wrinkled her nose at her son, miffed at his cursing. Caitlin wanted to laugh. There was such a sense of family between them that even when they were at odds, she found it so endearing.
“Thank you,” Caitlin told Travis after his parents had left.
“For what, sunshine?”
“For giving me a family.”
“Babe, they’ve always been yours,” Travis said softly. “Since the day I decided you were mine, they belonged to you.”
He eyed her carefully. “So, my mom didn’t overwhelm you?”
Caitlin grinned. “Travis, you know your mom. What do you think?”