A Turn in the Road (Blossom Street #8)(55)

“In Branson?”

Although he couldn’t see her, Annie nodded. “She sent him a text message sometime yesterday. I don’t know when.” On second thought, maybe she did. “Actually, I think it was while we were at a Dairy Queen in Texas. She started acting all weird.”

“Do you have any idea what she said to Max?”

“Just that she’d be in Branson for the next two days.”

“How do you know?”

“I, uh, read it. And I read his reply. She got really mad at me. Max said he’d meet her here.” She felt even more like a tattletale but her father needed to know.

“Annie,” her father said, his voice solemn. “I appreciate you telling me this. However—and this is important—you have no right to be reading her private messages.”

“I know,” she mumbled. “But Mom was there in the room. And she didn’t do anything to stop me. Maybe she wanted me to see it,” she said mutinously.

“It doesn’t matter. Don’t do that again.”

“Okay, okay.”

“So—Max is in Branson?”

“Yup.”

“Has your mother seen him yet?”

Her father obviously didn’t understand the seriousness of the situation. “Daddy, she’s with him right this minute. Why else do you think I’m the one with Grandma? Mom was supposed to go, too, but she and Max went off together and Grandma and I are at this…event. I don’t think there’s anyone under thirty except for me.” In Annie’s opinion, this was above and beyond her duty as a granddaughter.

“Where did they go?” her father asked.

It took Annie a moment to catch up with the conversation and realize he was asking about her mother and Max. “I don’t know.”

Her father went quiet again.

“That’s not all, either.” Annie felt a bit childish, but she couldn’t stop herself.

Grant sighed. “Just don’t tell me she’s run off and married him.”

“No, she’d never do that.”

“Good.”

“Mom and I went shopping, and she got a whole new outfit and red cowboy boots.”

“Red?”

“Yes, Anne Marie Roche has a pair. She’s the lady who owns the bookstore on Blossom Street, remember?”

“What have red boots got to do with anything?” He seemed confused.

“Nothing, I suppose, except that Mom always admired Anne Marie’s, and when she saw a red pair she decided to get them for herself.”

“It sounds like your mother’s become a…free spirit.”

“Oh, it’s worse than that. All she thinks about is this biker. Yesterday morning at breakfast she—” Annie wished she hadn’t said anything now. “Never mind. The thing is, Dad, Mom isn’t acting like herself. Grandma and I don’t know what to do.”

“I love your mother,” Grant said after a long pause.

“I know you do, and I’m afraid she’s actually falling for this…this biker. As far as I can tell, he doesn’t have a job. I can’t believe it…I really can’t. My mother and a biker?” Saying the words aloud made it seem even more unlikely. “Maybe she is falling in love.” Her father sounded sad, but not as disturbed as Annie had thought he’d be.

“Then we need to do something.” Annie hoped her father had an idea because she didn’t. Acting upset and giving her mother the silent treatment hadn’t kept Bethanne away from Max. In fact, it seemed the harder Annie tried, the less effective her methods. Grandma disapproved, too, and that hadn’t influenced her, either. She seemed bent on being with Max. Bent on throwing away the past and destroying the future. It wasn’t that Annie didn’t understand that sometimes divorce was the best option, but this one should never have happened. Her parents belonged together. Andrew called her arrogant for saying that; however, Annie didn’t care. She was absolutely convinced she was right.

“Annie, listen to me, and when we finish speaking, let me talk to your grandmother.”

“Okay, I’m listening.” Annie pressed her cell even harder against her ear and held her finger against the other ear. She closed her eyes because that helped her concentrate.

“I hurt Bethanne badly. I betrayed her and the vows of our marriage. I realize now what a huge mistake I made. I’m praying it’s not too late and that there’s something left of our relationship to salvage.”

“I want that, too, Daddy, more than anything.”

“I know you do.”

“So does Grandma.” She didn’t mention Andrew. Her brother wasn’t willing to forgive and forget as easily as the rest of them. Annie got frustrated with him but Andrew had apparently divested himself of all feelings for their father. Their relationship was as minimal as he could make it. Well, her brother had an excuse. He had other things on his mind, like getting married. Still, she hoped his attitude would change with time.

Annie knew Andrew and their mom were close, the same way she was with their dad. Her brother was quick to defend their mother and blame their father. But Dad recognized that he’d been in the wrong, and in her opinion Andrew should take that into consideration.

“I gather my mother isn’t a fan of Max’s, either,” her father continued.