Phoebe stared at her brother like he was a total idiot. In that moment, that was exactly what he was. He’d come upstairs to supposedly wake her, now that Joel was there to get her.
She knew the truth; Phoenix had wanted to talk. To complain.
About Glenna. About his suspicions.
Phoebe couldn’t help it. Even though she knew it would make him angry, she laughed. How could she not? She’d had the same thought just a few days ago.
“She’s not after dad. At least…not in a bad way.”
“How do you know? What do you really know about her?”
“Joel checked her references, and Dad’s business partner and his wife have known her since she was pregnant with her youngest. Not to mention Aunt Robin—"
“Who we really know nothing about, either. How do we know this woman is even Robin? How do we know they aren’t a pair of scam artists or something? Where’s the proof she isn’t out to seduce Dad and drain him dry?”
“First, there are far wealthier targets out there that don’t require her moving all the way to Wyoming with three young children to find. Second, she’s a nice woman who needed a job and a place to stay while getting licensed in Wyoming for her career. She’s spent the last three years as a crisis counselor, Phoenix. Not exactly some evil seducer of men. Dad really likes her. And I emailed Charlotte as well. She had nothing but good to say about Glenna. Maggie also knew her slightly when she was in Texas. Glenna makes Dad smile again. In that way he used to with Mom. It’s nice to see. He can be so shy with women.”
Phoenix’s expression darkened. Phoebe got it then. That was the real problem. Another woman was in their mother’s place. Her brother wasn’t ready to face the idea that there might be room for another woman in their father’s life. Phoenix was struggling with change, too.
Weren’t they all?
Phoebe hugged her little brother, though at six two and broad shouldered now—he’d filled out in the last few years—he wasn’t so little.
“Look, Phoenix, Dad…is lonely. He needs someone, too.” Maybe she wouldn’t have understood it before Joel, but now she did. “That loneliness, it eats at you.”
“So the first woman to come along, he just moves her in without thinking of the consequences? I think we’ve all learned our lessons there.”
Oh, Phoenix. Her younger brother was so angry. With the world. With himself. She’d hoped that since he’d found his passion in life working in film that he’d also found some peace. Apparently not. “Is it Glenna you have a problem with, or any woman in Dad’s life at all? I don’t want him to spend the rest of his life without someone who loves him. He deserves that. More than any man I know, he deserves someone to love him.”
Phoenix shrugged. “But why someone from out of town? You don’t really know her at all.”
“I know what I see. I see a woman who loves her daughters, who is a bit shy and insecure, and a woman who gets a look in her eyes when our father looks at her. One that says she can’t believe she’s that special. I think her ex did a number on her, and she’s hurting, too. And maybe…maybe Dad will be good for her, too. And not just as a bank account with legs. Don’t do anything to mess this up for him.”
“Like I always do?”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. Everyone knows you weren’t at fault with Mom, Phoenix. We always have. We just didn’t know how to fix anything back then.” Phoebe had talked to a counselor herself since everything had happened. She was finding her own peace. Her sisters had as well. They were finding their own way. Moving forward. She just wished Phoenix would soon. “I know you don’t like the changes going on. But our lives didn’t stop when you left. They can’t. Not mine, or the twins and Pan, or the boys. And definitely not Dad’s. Give Glenna a chance. I did. And I am starting to see where she is just as good for Dad as he is for her.”
As her brother stormed out, Phoebe pressed one hand to her rolling stomach and just watched him. Worried.
She meant it, she realized. She’d watched Glenna and her dad during lunch, too. They were good for each other, and Phoebe did like her. Quite a bit. Glenna was exactly who she appeared to be. Kind and empathetic, sweet and humorous.
Shy and wounded, too.
Phoebe thought Glenna was exactly what her father needed.
She wasn’t going to let Phoenix screw that up for them. It was time she called a sister meeting. They had some planning to do.
But first…the soup she’d eaten for lunch was taunting her. Again.