Kurt began to tug at Corinne’s pants leg as she dug around in her purse. “Not right now, baby.”
“I bet you like trucks,” said Tyler.
Kurt looked up at her. Big brown eyes dominated his thin face. He nodded solemnly.
“I’ve got a few trucks over here if you’d like to play with them. If it’s okay with your mom.” She glanced at Corinne, who looked startled for a moment before giving a go ahead wave.
Tyler retrieved the old wooden toys from the office and set Kurt up on the rug by the consult area. Despite his earlier bashfulness, he dove into the trucks with gusto, making engine and crashing noises. She grinned, “He’s totally adorable, Corinne.”
“All his daddy’s charm, none of his bad temper,” Corinne agreed.
Not for the first time, Tyler wondered if Corinne’s ex-husband had abused her. She felt a stirring of sympathy. No matter how hateful Corinne had been when she was younger, nobody deserved that.
“So there’s this little hanging herb garden thing they made outta Mason jars,” Corinne began. “I’ve got the board to mount them on, but I need these clamp things.”
“Oh I’ve seen that one. Cool project. Great when you have limited space by a window.” Tyler asked a few more questions and helped her pick out the necessary clamps, along with a small tin of chalkboard paint to make space for labels on each jar. Conscious that errands with a small child could often turn hellish in a second, Tyler was quick about ringing her up. “It’s a little late in the year to start herbs from seeds, but I know for a fact Cecil Pryor has an enormous herb garden and loves sharing.”
“I’ll remember that.” Corinne glanced at the door for the fifth or sixth time since she came in. “Listen, Tyler, there’s something I think you ought to know.”
“Oh?”
“I mean, maybe you already know, but in case you didn’t, I didn’t think it right you be taken unawares.”
Where’s she going with this? Tyler waited, eyebrows raised.
“Brody came in to the cafe yesterday.”
The words struck Tyler like a blow.
“You didn’t know.” Corinne twisted the strap of her purse “I thought maybe he’d come back to see you.”
She actually looked…distressed? Or maybe that was just Tyler filtering through her own upset.
“Nate’s posted the cast list!” sang Piper as she bounced through the door with a jingle. “Tucker just called. How close are you to lunch?”
“I—”
“Tyler? Honey, what’s wrong?” Piper skirted around the counter.
At the touch of her hand, Tyler felt her knees wobble. Determined, she locked them and firmed her mouth. “It’s nothing important.”
Piper turned, saw Corinne. Defensive temper leapt in her eyes. “What did you do?”
Tyler curled her hand around Piper’s arm and squeezed in warning before she could pop off. “Thanks for coming in, Corinne. I hope your herb garden project turns out well.”
With another look of what might have been sympathy, Corinne called to her son. “Come on, Kurt. Time to go.”
Seeing the child, Piper held her tongue until the pair of them left. As soon as the door shut, she said, “What did that vindictive bitch say to you?”
“Wasn’t her,” Tyler managed. Too overwhelmed to get into Corinne’s apparent change of heart, she simply folded, sinking to the floor behind the counter. It was good that the store was empty just now, good that no one but Piper was here to see her carefully constructed control crumble to dust. The ache bloomed in her chest, pressing, twisting until she could hardly breathe.
Piper knelt down, took her hands and waited.
I will not cry. I will not. Damn it, I won’t shed another tear over him. Tyler dug deep, reaching for the stubborn pride that had gotten her through the first brutal years.
&nb
sp; “Brody’s back.” If her voice shook on that pronouncement, at least she wasn’t sobbing.