Sharon sighed and patted his arm. “Come to the ranch next week. We’ll talk. I’m sorry if I upset anyone. I didn’t mean it as an attack.”

“I love her, Mom. I need you to figure out how to be all right with that.”

“You don’t know a damned thing, Vaughan. But we’ll talk later. Go, take her to dinner. Be a shame to waste all that dressing up. You two look nice.” With an annoyed sniff, she headed away, calling for the girls as she did.

“I don’t want to go anywhere. I don’t want her in my house when I’m not here,” Kelly whispered as she and Stacey headed outside. “She clearly thinks I’m a terrible mother for going to dinner with Vaughan on a school night.”

Stacey waved a careless hand. “Who cares if she does? Look, Shurley has issues. But Vaughan needs to deal with that. You will go to dinner. You will let Vaughan make this up to you with jewelry or a trip or whatever. I’ll be so pissed at you if you let this ruin your night. I’m here with the girls. Whatever her faults, she loves them to death.”

Kelly’s biggest worry right then was that he wouldn’t deal with it. That he’d just let his mother get away with stuff rather than tell her to stop. Rather than reveal to her all his worst things.

Stacey made an X over her heart. “I’m not going to poison her. Or make a thing. Especially in front of the girls. But she’s not all bad. There has to be a part of her who knows this is silly and wants to make things better.”

“I can’t think about it anymore or I won’t go. If Vaughan doesn’t come out here in the next two minutes you and I are going out to dinner.” Kelly frowned.

“Oh, so you’re mad now?”

“Why does it feel like you wanted that?”

“You’re better mad than sad.” Stacey shrugged.

Vaughan came outside, a smile pasted on. “See you later, Stacey. Thanks again. If she gets... If it goes...”

“I can handle this. Have a great dinner.” Stacey turned and went back inside, the sound of the locks being thrown an underline to her dismissal.

Vaughan pointed to his car. “Ready to go?”

“What the heck? Where did this one come from?”

He opened the door of the sleek, black sports car. “I’ve had it a year or so. I don’t get to drive it as much as I want. Not a family car. But I figure, it’s a take-my-best-girl-to-dinner car.”

Kelly made a noncommittal sound as she got in. He shut her door and went around to the driver’s side.

They drove to the restaurant and he walked her inside, a hand at her elbow after giving the valet a look when he helped Kelly from the car. There was no mistaking the claim, the way he stood close, as if he dared anyone not to see he was with her.

He used to be jealous, which considering his behavior was ridiculous. And he was blatantly holding himself out as her man as they approached the hostess. But it wasn’t scary or gross.

It was nice.

The hostess stared. Their server flirted with Kelly and after they’d ordered and were enjoying a drink, he took her hand. “Should we talk about the thing with my mom?”

They’d avoided the topic in the car and she’d let him because she had some thinking of her own to do.

Ugh. She’d rather avoid it and pretend it never happened. But years of that had gotten them where they were right then. So Kelly pulled up her big-girl panties and acted like a grown-up. “No. But let’s anyway.”

He smiled and looked so handsome her heart stuttered just a beat or two. “She apologized, by the way. She didn’t mean anything by the school-night comment.”

“Not to me.”

He sucked in a breath. “Fair enough. To me, and I said it to you.”

“It’s an apology to you to pass on to me. Not the same.”

“You’re going to have to give a little, too.”

She tried to pull her hand free but he kept it and she let him. “Oh, I am?” She knew her laugh had that slightly hysterical edge to it and she let him hear it. “Here’s the thing. I can accept that explanation. It didn’t have to be a negative comment. I don’t normally go out on school nights, as it happens. I can even be the bigger person and accept a half-assed apology given to a third party. But for you or anyone else to insinuate I haven’t given when it comes to the Hurleys infuriates me.”

It really did. This was a big deal. Sharon was going to be showing up on the doorstep and if they stayed together there’d be holidays and gatherings and all that Hurley stuff.

This situation with Shurley had to be handled or they’d never make it. Kelly realized that was a truth she had to face. Not long-term. They were a close family and did things together all the time. If Vaughan had to choose, Kelly realized he’d choose her and the girls. But part of him would wither and over time he’d resent her.

“Even before we split it was clear I’d never be rugged enough or whatever it is everyone else has but I lack. For years I tried until it was just a relief I didn’t have to deal with any of you except for visitation.”

He winced. “Ouch.”

“I tried for years. I stayed here instead of Manhattan where at that time my professional life was centered. I never, ever get in your way when you want to see the girls. They’re with you on holidays. I took them to your parents while you were on tour, for God’s sake. So kindly take your suggestion that I give a little and shove it up your ass.”