She purses her lips. “Why must you always insist on using that kind of language? I raised you better than that.”
“Stop changing the subject, Mother.”
Her shoulders rise as she takes a deep breath. Placing the teacup on the coffee table in front of us, she says, “I’m frustrated that I’m couped up in this house. I feel well enough to resume all my activities, but your father insists I rest. Little does he realise that all this resting is just making me tired.”
“No, your heart attack has caused that exhaustion. Your doctor said it can take three months or more for your heart to repair itself.”
“Pfft,” she mutters. My mother has always been stubborn. “Even so, I should be allowed to do more than sit on this couch and watch television and wait for people to visit me.”
We’re interrupted by Cassia who joins us. She smiles when she sees me. “Oh, I didn’t realise you had company, Kendall. I’m so sorry to intrude.”
She’s not, though. If she were, she’d offer to come back. Instead, she moves quickly to kiss Mum on the cheek before taking a seat next to me.
Placing her hand on my leg, she asks, “How are you, Ashton? We haven’t seen each other for a week, and I’ve been wondering how you’re doing.”
I move her hand from my leg. “I’m fine.”
“Well that tells me nothing.” Her tone is snappy, and I’m not in the mood for that today.
Standing, I turn cold eyes on her. “As far as I’m concerned, I don’t need to be sharing the finer details of my life with you anymore, Cassia.”
“Ashton,” my mother chastises. “That is no way to speak to Cassia.”
Keeping my gaze on Cassia, I say, “She understands perfectly well what I’m saying.”
Cassia crosses her legs and pouts. “I was just trying to be friendly.”
If there’s one quality I can’t stand in a woman, it’s playing dumb. And pouting when they don’t get their own way? That is a sure-fire way to turn me off. Cassia didn’t engage in much of this while we were together, but she’s mastered it since. And it doesn’t suit her.
Dropping a kiss to my mother’s cheek, I say, “I’ve got work to do, but I’ll stop by after to see how your day was.”
She waves me away and shakes her head. “No, don’t. I won’t be here. I have actually managed to convince your father to take me to the movies tonight. I decided that was something he might agree to because it wouldn’t take much effort on my behalf.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” Glancing briefly at Cassia, I say, “Goodbye, Cassia.”
“Don’t worry about your mother, Ashton. I’ll make sure she has a good day,” Cassia calls out as I head towards the front door.
God fucking help me. Why the hell have my parents encouraged a relationship with my ex?
* * *
“How’s your mum doing?” Jack asks as he enters the kitchen where I’m checking on the dinner I had sent over for tonight. Lorelei’s on her way over to spend the night here. I decided rather than taking her out to dinner, I’d organise it here so I can have more time with her alone.
“She’s recovering well.” I eye the empty whisky glass he places on the kitchen counter and bite my tongue from mentioning it.
Jack still appears to be spiralling, and the more I say stuff about it to him, the further away I push him. That’s the last place our friendship needs to be, especially now because he’s going to need me more than ever when he finally crashes. But fuck, it’s hard to watch someone you love do this to themself.
He pulls an almost-empty bottle of whisky out of the cupboard and pours another drink. “Let me guess, she’s being her usual self, defying doctor’s orders and thinking she knows best?”
I chuckle. “Yeah, pretty much. Hey, have you got any plans for Saturday? I thought we could take the boat out for the day.”
A smile spreads across his face as he downs some whisky. “Sounds like a plan. I’m in.”
My phone sounds with a text.
Jessica: Sian just sent a notification that she has three Willow Street buildings ready for you to buy.
Me: Good. Tell her to find more.