Chapter 35
Zoe
My mom let me mope around her house last night, but today she has me helping her with inventory at her boutique. At least she’s not forcing me to talk about what happened with Riggs. Or worse, telling me she told me so. I don’t think I could handle that.
For the second time in an hour, my phone buzzes. The picture I took of Riggs sleeping after the first night we had sex lights up my phone. I falter.
“You can answer that,” my mom says, pointing at the offensive item that refuses to stop buzzing.
“There’s nothing left to say.” I sniffle, willing myself not to cry.
She gives me a sad smile. “Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m here.”
“There’s nothing you can say that will make me feel better.” The only person who can make me feel better is the one person I can’t go to.
“Marriage is hard. I was married to your dad for two decades until he died. Now, I have Stone. I know a thing or two about making a marriage work.” She raises her eyebrows in waiting.
“I don’t need advice on how to make things work with Riggs.”
She huffs, shaking her head. “So you’re just walking away like that? Giving up? I thought your father and I raised you to be a fighter.”
I shake my head. “You don’t understand.” What I don’t mention is Dad didn’t exactly set the tone for not giving up. Even I know that’s way out of line. My mom doesn’t deserve my anger.
“Then help me understand.”
“He has a daughter who’s my age. She can’t accept me, and it’s causing too much friction.” I grab my phone and pull up the article where Calla’s quoted. “I can’t be responsible for coming between them.”
Mom reads the article. “Oh, honey.” She pulls me into a hug, rubbing my back the way she did when I was a child.
“I love him too much to cause him problems. Since the moment we first got together, I’ve messed up his job, his reputation, and now his family.”
“Love is hard. Throw in children, and it gets even harder. You were a little shit to Stone in the beginning,” she reminds me.
I cringe, thinking about how awful I was. It couldn’t have been easy on them when they started dating. Especially under the circumstances. “I’m sorry I was such a brat.”
She smirks. “Seems like karma is taking care of that.”
I ignore her. “I don’t know what to do. I can’t be the reason someone loses their dad.”
She moves my hair off my forehead, tucking it behind my ear. “You can’t ignore him forever.”
“I just need to give him and Calla time to work things out.”
“And if they never do?”
I shrug. “I guess you and Stone better get used to having me as a roommate.”
“Well, be warned. Stone and I are used to being empty nesters, so always knock before you enter a room.”
“Mom! Gross.”
She laughs.
I lose the battle of hiding my grin. “Thanks, Mom. I feel better.”
“Good. That’s what I was aiming for.”
“I love you.” I hug her again, grateful she’s my mom. I definitely got lucky on that front.
“Love you more. Now get to work. We only have an hour before you need to leave to pick up Avery.”
I think of my new little friend and smile. Working with her has shown me I want a career working with kids. “I think I want to go back to school next semester.”
Mom sighs in relief. “What do you want to study?”
“I want to major in education and minor in American Sign Language. I want to work at a school for the hearing impaired. I did some research, and there’s a really good elementary school in Dallas with a strong deaf education program.”
“I’m so proud of you, honey.” My mom wipes her eyes, smiling sadly.
“Oh, Mom.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just your dad would be so proud of you, too.”
I hug her.
We’re huddled together crying when Stone walks in, holding bags of takeout from Chuy’s, my favorite Mexican restaurant. “Am I interrupting?”
Mom shakes her head. “We were just talking about Zoe’s future plans. You’ll have to thank Bull for helping her get back on the right track.”
“Bull?” Stone raises an eyebrow.
As we eat, I tell him about working with Avery and my plans for the future. I may not have solved the problem of my failing marriage, but at least I feel optimistic about what lies ahead.