Page 58 of The Heiress
“Don’t let the bedbugs bite,” Mom piped up with a chuckle.
I padded off to my room, lamenting my poor stamina, but also needing the space to take stock of what had happened this evening. Mom hadn’t freaked out about the lawsuit, almost expecting that it would happen, and though I didn’t agree with it, the burn in my heart, the heaviness had lifted. Mom and I would find a way through this—together.
And it would all be because of her—the girl whose kisses would be forever imprinted in my brain and on my lips.
––––––––
There was an ache inmy hips the next morning, not pain but a reminder that I had worked hard—and wasn’t invincible. Common sense told me I needed to rest, and with both Mom and Elisha’s drapes drawn, I didn’t want to hit balls and wake them.
I was in the gym stretching when Max’s phone call came through. They’d just arrived home after an early morning flight into Falls Creek and he wanted me to come around. He was dying to catch up.
“What about Taylor?” I asked, surprised I was his first port of call.
“I’m meeting her for lunch,” he said. “She’s having coaching this morning.”
“Okay,” I said, “I’ll be there soon.”
There was no sign of either Mom or Elisha by the time I changed and grabbed my keys and generally wasted time, hoping Elisha would awake. I thought about going upstairs and knocking on her door, but what if Mom heard? I would have felt saner if I’d seen her before I left, but I had to assume she and Mom had gone to bed late after the movie.
I couldn’tnotmention Elisha to Max, because Taylor was bound to say that we’d had dinner together. Max would probably be more shocked by the fact that Taylor and Elisha had danced together.
But I had no intention of telling him about the ‘private plunge pool party’ which is what I was calling the thing with Elisha. Well, in my head only.
I was greeted with a hug from Mrs. Saunders, who immediately poured me a cup of coffee. Mr. Saunders was taking suitcases upstairs while Max was leaning against the kitchen island.
“Hey, where are your crutches?” he asked, coming forward to give me a fist bump.
I flashed a wide smile as if I’d won a Grand Slam title, holding out my palms to show I didn’t need them. “I gave them back.”
“Really?” Max asked in shock.
“No, not really,” I said, “but I’ve been without them all weekend.”
That earned me another fist bump. “Good job man,” he said like he was a proud parent.
I sat down at the counter while Max perused a list. Max helped out with his parents property maintenance company, mowing lawns mainly, and he was clearly annoyed that he’d missed doing Mrs. Jacques’s yard and was wondering when he could fit it in. Max liked order and routine and a few days away had disrupted his work schedule, and he was loud in telling everyone.
“I told you we should have come back yesterday,” Max huffed, but his mom smiled and proceeded to tell me about the family reunion, cousins she hadn’t seen for twenty years, the nieces and nephews all grown up, the new generation of babies.
“Taylor said they had a good win over St. Helen’s,” Max said, frowning at his list, sipping on a banana smoothie.
“Yeah, she played great. We hit yesterday.”
“I know.”
“She said?” I was curious whether Taylor had rated me.
“Yeah, she said you were moving pretty well.” I arched an eyebrow, wanting more accolades. “Your crosscourt backhand, she calls that your weapon.”
“You know it,” I said with a smug grin.
“Hey!” Max jumped up as if he’d had a sudden spark of inspiration. “Why don’t you come with me to Mrs. Jacques’s house? We can get it done, then meet Tay after her coaching.”
“Do I get paid?” I joked.
Mrs. Saunders laughed, and Max said, “Yeah, if you actually do some work and don’t just sit around looking pretty and drinking tea with Mrs. Jacques.”
My heart rate zoomed at the mention of tea, the memory of Elisha drinking a cup with my mother and pretending it tasted good.
