Too Hot to Handle (Jackson Hole 2)

She was so grateful for the minute to collect herself and drag her focus away from that insane sex dream that she couldn’t even be annoyed at the happy chatter occurring five inches from her ear.

Grace was strangely easy with Merry’s mom. She always had been, and it made Merry’s heart swell every time she saw it. Something about her mom seemed to put Grace at ease and always had.

“Cole’s doing great,” Grace was saying.

“I hope he’s good to you, sweetheart.”

“Oh, he is. He really, truly is.”

“I’m so happy for you.” Merry’s mom sighed. “What about my sweet girl? Has she met a nice cowboy yet?”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Grace answered. She tipped the screen toward Merry who finally got a look at her mom’s face, which was a rounder, older version of her own.

“Grace is cock-blocking me, Mom.”

“Merry!” her mom shrieked, disappearing from the screen as it wobbled from her laughter.

“It’s true! I need that old copy of Our Bodies, Ourselves you gave me when I was twelve. I need to explain to Grace what my vagina is for.”

True to her old hippie roots, her mom just waved an amused hand. “You can get all that on the internet now, honey.”

“I’ve heard rumors about that.” Merry snuggled up next to Grace so they could both be on the screen. It felt a little like a slumber party, and Merry’s heart filled with love. “Hey, Mom. Ask Grace about her boyfriend again so you can see her face melt into starry-eyed mush. Can you even believe it?”

“It’s beautiful.”

Beautiful or not, Grace still punched her shoulder.

“But I want to find out what’s going on with you, Merry. Did you see Crystal?”

Merry groaned and Grace disappeared from camera with an eye-roll. “That’s my cue to go make coffee.”

“Yes,” Merry finally answered. “I saw her. And she was a bitch.”

“Your cousin is not a bitch,” her mom scolded.

“She is.”

“It’s not true. And even if she was a bitch, she’s still your family. There’s love there.”

Merry groaned. “There’s no love there, Mom. I know you love your sister. And you should. But however different your lives are now, you two came from the same place. Crystal and her brother were raised in a McMansion in a gated community on the lake in Chicago. I’ve never even lived in a house. We have nothing in common. She thinks I’m slacker white trash and I think she’s a snooty bitch.”

“Oh, honey. We don’t have much family left. I really wished you’d try.”

“I’ve tried. I swear. But I’m not like them. And now even you seem to have bought into their crap about success and jobs and education.”

Her mom shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Merry slumped. She didn’t want to have this conversation. Ever. She’d rather just do well and never have to consider it again. She’d make Providence a success. She’d have a respectable job and live in a beautiful place, and then she wouldn’t have to worry that even her loving mother considered her a disappointment.

“Never mind, Mom. I need to get up and have some coffee. Big day today.”

In reality, she had nothing on her schedule except dinner out at the Easy Creek Ranch, but it was too early in the morning to play the part of disappointing child. “I love you,” she added, which was always true, no matter what. But Merry couldn’t disappoint everyone again. This was her last chance to make it.

“Ugh!” she groaned as soon as she’d hit End. “What is her deal about family?”

“Don’t ask me,” Grace said. “I don’t know anything about family crap. But she looked great.”

“She did. I wish she’d find someone. She seemed a little lonely the last time I saw her.”