and grace of her green thumb.
I served the plates, and everyone looked at the walls, their plates, but not at each other. Once we’d left our meeting with Trent on Friday, things had deteriorated. Row and I’d been fighting ever since. He felt it was his duty as the man of the house to help provide for the family. Though I’m sure our dad would have agreed, I didn’t want him to miss out on being a kid. Having fun, going to parties, hanging out with friends. Already he had to help with Mary when he should have been worrying about nothing but his baseball and schoolwork. Rowan disagreed, hence the fighting.
On top of the bad vibes in the house, Trent had texted me twice, asking for a time and day that we’d have our date. Finally, I broke down and told him we could have dinner next Friday. He was not happy he had to wait an entire week to take me out, which seemed odd to me. Didn’t he have a horde of willing females at the ready? This thing between us wasn’t a relationship. He was free to see whoever he wanted. I just didn’t want to hear about it. Ever. I might be cool about dating a hot baseball player who saw other women, but I didn’t want it thrown in my face. I also told him it was important to me to keep our date on the down-low. The last thing I needed was to have the paparazzi spreading lies or innuendo about me when I had two young, impressionable kids to take care of.
Technically, Row wasn’t that young. He looked like a grown man, but I knew better. Behind all that bravado was a boy who’d lost his parents and didn’t want his big sister busting her bum to cater to his needs.
I had to fix this. Subtly, I placed my hand over Rowan’s. He stiffened instantly.
“Row…” I hoped he’d look at me and not his plate loaded to the edges with tacos and Mexican red rice. “Hey, bud, look at me.”
Rowan lifted his gaze. The hurt I’d caused was visible through the line of tension burrowed in the skin between his brows. His expression was pained, and that simple look seared into my heart like an arrow tipped with guilt.
“I know you want to work, help out the family, and believe me, you doing what you do around the house now and helping me by taking Mary to and from school and dance class is more than any of your friends have to do.”
“It’s not enough. I’m a man, Vivvie. A man takes care of his family. It’s what Dad would want. It’s what I want.”
“No, you want to be a pro ball player, and you’re so close to having that. After years of hard work.”
He huffed and set down his forkful of rice. “And what about you? You were almost done with school when you had to cut and run from your dream to take on me and Mary. Is it fair that you gave up everything while we get to live free and go after our dreams?”
I closed my eyes and tried desperately to find any reason I could give that would make him see it wasn’t worth it for us both to lose out on an amazing life. “My dream isn’t gone. Eventually I will finish my cosmetology license, and then I’ll work for a while and prepare for opening my own salon. You see, my dream is still alive. It’s just been postponed. And, honey”—I squeezed his hand tight—“I’d do it again in a heartbeat to see you play ball in college. Every game I get to attend means something to me. It proves that, even though Mom and Dad were lost to us too soon, we’re still alive. We’re fighting, and you know what, bud? Through it all, I’m happy. I think you and Mary are, too. Am I wrong?”
Mary shook her head. “I’m happy, Vivvie. I go to the same school, live in the same house, and I get to go to dance and recitals all the time.”
I smiled at my little sister. “And you’re a beautiful dancer. One day you may go professional with your dancing and end up on stage in a Broadway show or something. You never know. It’s important to dream. More than that, it’s vital to work toward them.” I cast my gaze to Row. “I want to see you
I served the plates, and everyone looked at the walls, their plates, but not at each other. Once we’d left our meeting with Trent on Friday, things had deteriorated. Row and I’d been fighting ever since. He felt it was his duty as the man of the house to help provide for the family. Though I’m sure our dad would have agreed, I didn’t want him to miss out on being a kid. Having fun, going to parties, hanging out with friends. Already he had to help with Mary when he should have been worrying about nothing but his baseball and schoolwork. Rowan disagreed, hence the fighting.
On top of the bad vibes in the house, Trent had texted me twice, asking for a time and day that we’d have our date. Finally, I broke down and told him we could have dinner next Friday. He was not happy he had to wait an entire week to take me out, which seemed odd to me. Didn’t he have a horde of willing females at the ready? This thing between us wasn’t a relationship. He was free to see whoever he wanted. I just didn’t want to hear about it. Ever. I might be cool about dating a hot baseball player who saw other women, but I didn’t want it thrown in my face. I also told him it was important to me to keep our date on the down-low. The last thing I needed was to have the paparazzi spreading lies or innuendo about me when I had two young, impressionable kids to take care of.
Technically, Row wasn’t that young. He looked like a grown man, but I knew better. Behind all that bravado was a boy who’d lost his parents and didn’t want his big sister busting her bum to cater to his needs.
I had to fix this. Subtly, I placed my hand over Rowan’s. He stiffened instantly.
“Row…” I hoped he’d look at me and not his plate loaded to the edges with tacos and Mexican red rice. “Hey, bud, look at me.”
Rowan lifted his gaze. The hurt I’d caused was visible through the line of tension burrowed in the skin between his brows. His expression was pained, and that simple look seared into my heart like an arrow tipped with guilt.
“I know you want to work, help out the family, and believe me, you doing what you do around the house now and helping me by taking Mary to and from school and dance class is more than any of your friends have to do.”
“It’s not enough. I’m a man, Vivvie. A man takes care of his family. It’s what Dad would want. It’s what I want.”
“No, you want to be a pro ball player, and you’re so close to having that. After years of hard work.”
He huffed and set down his forkful of rice. “And what about you? You were almost done with school when you had to cut and run from your dream to take on me and Mary. Is it fair that you gave up everything while we get to live free and go after our dreams?”
I closed my eyes and tried desperately to find any reason I could give that would make him see it wasn’t worth it for us both to lose out on an amazing life. “My dream isn’t gone. Eventually I will finish my cosmetology license, and then I’ll work for a while and prepare for opening my own salon. You see, my dream is still alive. It’s just been postponed. And, honey”—I squeezed his hand tight—“I’d do it again in a heartbeat to see you play ball in college. Every game I get to attend means something to me. It proves that, even though Mom and Dad were lost to us too soon, we’re still alive. We’re fighting, and you know what, bud? Through it all, I’m happy. I think you and Mary are, too. Am I wrong?”
Mary shook her head. “I’m happy, Vivvie. I go to the same school, live in the same house, and I get to go to dance and recitals all the time.”
I smiled at my little sister. “And you’re a beautiful dancer. One day you may go professional with your dancing and end up on stage in a Broadway show or something. You never know. It’s important to dream. More than that, it’s vital to work toward them.” I cast my gaze to Row. “I want to see you
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