temporary crime, was the last straw. If she was ever going to have her own life, Posy thought, she needed to... She had trouble finishing that thought. She couldn’t cut her mom out of her life. She just needed her mom to stop screwing up.
“Posy, this is all so complicated. How am I going to get out from under my obligations here so I can go to Ohio?”
Ohio? Trish was worried about not being able to move to Toledo? Posy didn’t want to upset her, but she really needed to be thinking about how to stay out of jail.
“If only you hadn’t broken things off with Pete. You’d probably be married by now and he was very good with math.”
“Pete would not have helped you with this. He’d have been paralyzed with fear about possible police involvement.”
She and her last boyfriend had been together for three years and although Trish had her hopes set on an engagement, Posy had realized that what she’d initially liked about Pete—his deference to her and willingness to compromise—drove her nuts. He was like a puppy, constantly rolling on his back to expose his vulnerable belly. By the time she ended things with him, she’d been eyeing that belly with the urge to give him a swift kick. She hadn’t liked herself very much by that point.
“We need time and we need money. Chloe is a problem, but we’ll figure out a way to put her off. What about the foundation? The one you raised the money for? Are they suspicious?”
“There’s a man—”
“A man?”
CHAPTER THREE
“W HAT MAN ?”
“A man from the foundation. He’ll be here tomorrow to meet me and Chloe and collect his check.” Trish practically whispered the last few words.
When she said the word check, Trish put her hands over her mouth as if she could hold back the terror Posy heard in her voice.
She crossed the room to kneel next to her mom. It was a tight fit and she banged her ankle on the leg of the desk. She angled her arms around her mom’s shoulders. The cinnamon scent from the sachets her mother kept in her drawers was strong and familiar.
“I don’t have that kind of money saved, Mom. Buying my condo took almost all my cash. I’d lend it to you if I could. We’ll figure this out. I’ll help. Whatever I can do, I’m here for you.”
For a second, her mom seemed to cling to her, but then she abruptly straightened up.
“Well, I guess it’s on to plan B.”
“We have a plan B?”
Trish stood and brushed the front of her skirt. She stepped out of the jumble of packing materials, the two angels lying broken on the floor.
“Of course I have a plan B. My aunt Denise will lend me the money. She’s always been very generous and she didn’t blink an eye when I asked her for a loan.”
“You already asked her?” Posy was lost again.
“Yes, but I wanted to give you the chance to inherit first. I’m going to drive down to the city and see her. You stay here and stall the Fallon Foundation man and Chloe. I’ll be back in a few days with the money and everything will be fine.”
Posy knew that tone. Her mom was looking on the bright side again. “You really called Aunt Denise? Why not just have her send the check?”
“Posy, I’m borrowing close to seventy-thousand dollars from a lonely old woman who’s always been very kind to me. The least I can do is stop in for an afternoon chat.”
Bam . Her mother was the queen at making you feel stupid while also getting her own way. She didn’t like this, but what was she going to do? “I’ll keep the foundation people and Chloe at bay, but this has to be the last time.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, if we sell your house and close down Wonders, then your life is your own. You can spend time with your new guy or stay in Kirkland, but you have to promise me you’re going to get yourself together. I need to have my independence.”
Trish kissed her cheek. “I promise.”
Posy nodded. “Then I’m in.”
* * *
T HAT NIGHT AFTER she was sure her mom was asleep,
“Posy, this is all so complicated. How am I going to get out from under my obligations here so I can go to Ohio?”
Ohio? Trish was worried about not being able to move to Toledo? Posy didn’t want to upset her, but she really needed to be thinking about how to stay out of jail.
“If only you hadn’t broken things off with Pete. You’d probably be married by now and he was very good with math.”
“Pete would not have helped you with this. He’d have been paralyzed with fear about possible police involvement.”
She and her last boyfriend had been together for three years and although Trish had her hopes set on an engagement, Posy had realized that what she’d initially liked about Pete—his deference to her and willingness to compromise—drove her nuts. He was like a puppy, constantly rolling on his back to expose his vulnerable belly. By the time she ended things with him, she’d been eyeing that belly with the urge to give him a swift kick. She hadn’t liked herself very much by that point.
“We need time and we need money. Chloe is a problem, but we’ll figure out a way to put her off. What about the foundation? The one you raised the money for? Are they suspicious?”
“There’s a man—”
“A man?”
CHAPTER THREE
“W HAT MAN ?”
“A man from the foundation. He’ll be here tomorrow to meet me and Chloe and collect his check.” Trish practically whispered the last few words.
When she said the word check, Trish put her hands over her mouth as if she could hold back the terror Posy heard in her voice.
She crossed the room to kneel next to her mom. It was a tight fit and she banged her ankle on the leg of the desk. She angled her arms around her mom’s shoulders. The cinnamon scent from the sachets her mother kept in her drawers was strong and familiar.
“I don’t have that kind of money saved, Mom. Buying my condo took almost all my cash. I’d lend it to you if I could. We’ll figure this out. I’ll help. Whatever I can do, I’m here for you.”
For a second, her mom seemed to cling to her, but then she abruptly straightened up.
“Well, I guess it’s on to plan B.”
“We have a plan B?”
Trish stood and brushed the front of her skirt. She stepped out of the jumble of packing materials, the two angels lying broken on the floor.
“Of course I have a plan B. My aunt Denise will lend me the money. She’s always been very generous and she didn’t blink an eye when I asked her for a loan.”
“You already asked her?” Posy was lost again.
“Yes, but I wanted to give you the chance to inherit first. I’m going to drive down to the city and see her. You stay here and stall the Fallon Foundation man and Chloe. I’ll be back in a few days with the money and everything will be fine.”
Posy knew that tone. Her mom was looking on the bright side again. “You really called Aunt Denise? Why not just have her send the check?”
“Posy, I’m borrowing close to seventy-thousand dollars from a lonely old woman who’s always been very kind to me. The least I can do is stop in for an afternoon chat.”
Bam . Her mother was the queen at making you feel stupid while also getting her own way. She didn’t like this, but what was she going to do? “I’ll keep the foundation people and Chloe at bay, but this has to be the last time.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, if we sell your house and close down Wonders, then your life is your own. You can spend time with your new guy or stay in Kirkland, but you have to promise me you’re going to get yourself together. I need to have my independence.”
Trish kissed her cheek. “I promise.”
Posy nodded. “Then I’m in.”
* * *
T HAT NIGHT AFTER she was sure her mom was asleep,
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