EPILOGUE
Bayside buzzed with laughter and cheer as everyone gathered to celebrate Ava, Aussie, and Christian.
Nails leaned back in his chair, sipping his beer and watching Aussie pull Ava close, her ring catching the light as they laughed at something Christian said. It was a good fit, the three of them. They looked like a family straight out of a picture frame, and that made Nails genuinely happy for his teammate. Aussie deserved this. He deserved a partner who loved him, a son who admired him, and a future filled with promise.
“Never thought I’d see the day,” Nails muttered, shaking his head with a grin.
“What’s that?” Snow asked from the chair beside him, raising an eyebrow.
“Aussie settling down,” Nails replied, gesturing toward the trio.
Snow chuckled. “He’s earned it. You thinking about following in his footsteps?”
Nails scoffed, but his grin softened. “Nah, not my style. Though, seeing them like that, I get it. Maybe someday.”
Snow smirked, clearly amused, but didn’t push further.
Nails’ thoughts drifted as the party continued. The camaraderie was great, but for some reason, his mind kept circling back to his mom. It had been a while since he’d called her. The Outer Banks weren’t far, but life had a way of getting in the way. Pulling out his phone, he stepped away from the group and headed outside to the back patio, where it was quieter.
He dialed his mom’s number, and it rang a few times before she answered. “Well, this is a surprise! My boy remembers his mother.”
Nails chuckled. “Hey, Ma. Thought I’d check-in. How’s everything going?”
“Oh, you know, the usual. Staying busy with my garden club and keeping the neighbors in line,” she said with a laugh.
Her voice eased something in him like it always did, but then he caught it. There was another voice he heard in the background. It was faint but distinct. It was a woman’s voice.
“Who’s there with you?” Nails asked, his tone casual but laced with curiosity.
There was a pause, just long enough to make his gut tighten. “Oh, it’s nothing, just the TV,” his mom said a little too quickly.
Nails frowned. “Doesn’t sound like the TV, Ma. Who’s there with you?”
Her hesitation spoke volumes. “It’s just a friend,” she said finally, her tone light but forced.
“Uh-huh,” Nails said, not buying it. “What kind of friend?”
“Nails, don’t start,” she replied, her tone shifting to a mix of exasperation and defensiveness. “You don’t need to worry about it.”
But he did worry. The tightness in her voice wasn’t like her, and it gnawed at him. “Alright, Ma,” he said finally, keeping his tone even. “If you say so.”
After a few more pleasantries, they ended the call, but Nails couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
He returned to the group, but his mind was elsewhere. Snow noticed immediately. “What’s up?”
Nails sat down beside him and took a swig of his beer. “I just talked to my mom. She’s acting weird.”
“Weird, how?” Snow asked, frowning.
“Like she’s hiding something,” Nails replied, running a hand through his short, spikey hair. “She had someone there with her. It sounded like a female. When I asked who was there, she wouldn’t really say. She just said that it was a friend.”
Snow leaned back, considering. “You think it’s something serious?”
“I don’t know,” Nails said, his jaw tightening. “But I’m thinking I might take a trip down there, see for myself.”
Snow nodded. “Want company?”
“Sure.” Nails replied. “Maybe next weekend. Does that work for you?”
“Count me in.”
As the party carried on around him, Nails stared out at the water, his mind racing. Whatever his mom was hiding, he was going to find out. And something told him it wasn’t going to be as simple as she’d made it seem.
Nails and Riley’s story coming soon!