Chapter Twenty-Seven
Theo
The woman faced me, radiating sadness. “No. I’m not your mother. I’m so sorry. My name is Maggie Jones. I run a women’s shelter.”
Something died inside me, a kernel of hope I’d held in my heart but never spoken of with anyone—not even Jaxon.
Over the years, I’d tried to discover what had happened to her after she left, but I ran into dead ends.
Obviously, she didn’t want to be found, and I didn’t have the money for a private investigator.
“Oh. I’m confused as to what you’re doing here then, or what you want.”
“I’m not your mother, but I did know her.”
And just like that, the room spun and spots danced before my eyes. I grabbed the nearest solid object—the solid wooden back of a chair—and held on while I gathered myself.
“Wh-what? Where? How? What happened?”
I wanted to scream, cry, hit something. Instead, I sank into the seat, and the woman took one next to me.
“I met her in a shelter. She’d been living on her own for a long time. She was very closed off, so I didn’t ever learn much of her history. Do you know what happened?”
I choked. “She ran away because my father was an abuser—he never hit me, but his words were bad enough. Did he ever hurt her? I don’t know.”
Unfortunately, Maggie understood. “Women who’ve been abused tend to fall into a dangerous pattern and often escape one bad situation only to wind up in another.
I can’t tell you what happened in the intervening years, but from the little she shared with me, she lived out west, and it took her years to escape the man she’d ended up with and make her way back east.”
“I can’t imagine what she went through to get here.” I wiped my eyes.
Maggie’s lashes lowered. “Lucy arrived in pretty bad shape. It was evident she’d been living on the streets for a very long time. She hadn’t been to a doctor, and she was suffering from a multitude of medical issues, including advanced lung cancer. It was too late for doctors to help her.”
The longer Maggie spoke, the more I hurt. “When…when did she get here?”
“About six months ago. She passed not long after that. Lucy told me your name and told me to tell you she was sorry and she never stopped loving you if I was able to look you up.” Watching her wipe the tears from her eyes, I gave her a minute to compose herself while I trembled with this new and overwhelming information.
“Lucy wanted you to know… the man she left with promised her they’d get everything set up for you first, and then they’d come to get you.
But then he refused to let her leave. He kept her a virtual prisoner from what I was able to learn. ”
“I could’ve helped her,” I whispered. “All she had to do in the hospital was give them my name as her next of kin, and I would’ve been there in a second.”
“She didn’t want you to see her like that.
I’m sorry it took me so long to reach out, but we fell on hard times ourselves.
My husband became ill, and they fired him.
Now we’re both working two jobs on different shifts.
” She gave me a timid smile. “I didn’t know how to approach you about your mother.
I saw you’re with the man running for judge and I signed up to work the fund raiser, hoping to get a chance to talk to you.
” She brushed at her eyes. “I didn’t realize how emotional I’d get.
I might not have known her long, but your mom seemed like a lovely woman. ”
My gaze remained fastened on my tightly laced fingers resting in my lap. I couldn’t speak. I’d always hoped—dreamed—one day she’d return. Now that chapter of my life was a closed book.
“Please thank your friend for hiring people from the shelter, by the way. Several were there today, hoping to get permanent jobs with the catering company.”
“I hope it works out for them. I can check it out later if you’d like,” I offered.
“Thank you. I’m sorry, Theo. I wish I could’ve brought you better news.”
The door opened, and Tony walked in. Wishing our conversation to remain private, I called over to him.
“Hey. I’m just finishing up this meeting, and I’ll join you in a few seconds. I was in the middle of doing the liquor inventory.”
“No worries. I’ll pick up where you left off.” He peered at us. “Oh, hey. I recognize you from the fund raiser.”
“Yes.” Maggie got to her feet. “I was just leaving. I have to get to my job at the supercenter.” I walked with her to the door, and she gave me an impulsive hug. “I’m sorry it took me so long to find you. Is it…would it be all right if I came by occasionally?”
“Of course. I’d like that.”
She left, but I remained leaning on the door, shaken and drained, thinking of that morning long ago when I’d woken up to find my mother had left me. As I’d cried, my father had pointed his finger in my face and told me to stop being a baby and that I was better off without her.
Can anyone ever feel whole after losing their mother? I’d now lost her twice—first on that long-ago morning, and now today. And while I appreciated knowing what had happened to her, it brought me no closure. Only overwhelming grief that I’d never see her again.
“Hey, Theo? You okay?”
Tony’s concern was natural, but I had no desire to reveal my conversation, no matter how friendly we’d become. The only one I wanted to see and speak to was Jaxon, and he wouldn’t be here for a while. So I reverted back to what I knew best. Ignoring my feelings.
“Yeah, sure. We’d better finish the inventory. The kitchen staff will be here soon to prep.”
I joined him behind the bar, and we worked together for a few minutes before Tony began to fish for information. “You think you might hire that woman?”
She hadn’t asked, but maybe I should’ve. “I’m not sure. You saw her working this afternoon. What do you think?”
“Why not? We’ve got baseball, tennis, golf, and Formula One all at the same time, plus whatever else I’m forgetting. Summertime always brings in the tourist crowds as it is.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” The kitchen guys arrived, and I nudged him. “Let’s table this and finish up.”
**
“Hey, baby.” Jaxon slid into his usual seat and scanned the bar. “Busy night. I’m starving, and I have been dreaming of one of your burgers all afternoon.”
He looked tired and stressed, not what I’d expected after such a successful fund raiser.
“Sure, I’ll get you one. What’s wrong? Something’s bothering you.” I punched in the order, poured his drink, and set it in front of him, but placed my hand on his when he reached out. He turned his palm upward and tangled his fingers with mine.
“It can wait. How was your day?”
I managed a smile. “Hard. I’ll tell you later.”
The door opened, and Emerson walked in with Jet and Harte. They made a beeline for Jax and me.
“Hey, fancy meeting you here,” Emerson joked. “Three drafts, please, Theo.” He clapped Jaxon on the shoulder. “What’s the word, Your Honor?”
Jaxon grimaced. “Too soon for that. Actually, I’m not sure if this whole campaign isn’t an exercise in futility.” He sighed and took a sip of his drink. “I’m thinking maybe I should put it on hold and be satisfied with what I’ve got.”
Their joking faded to surprise, and I froze.
“What’re you talking about? Tell me what happened today after I left you. I thought you went to work.” I tightened my grip on his hand, and the guys took the bar seats by Jaxon.
“I did. And all was well. I was about to leave for the day and someone stopped by. He said he was a reporter for his law school newspaper and wanted to interview me.” Jax shrugged. “Of course I said yes.”
Still mystified, I caught the others nodding and agreeing with him.
“Okay, and?” I’d never seen Jaxon so rattled, and I wished we were alone so I could comfort him. His burger and fries arrived, and he ate a few bites. “Come on, tell us.”
He wiped his hands on a napkin and tossed it aside with anger. “Kid asked me the usual questions, then dropped little innuendos about sensitive things he couldn’t possibly know unless he had inside information.”
“Inside information? About what?” Confusion furrowed Emerson’s brow. Jet and Harte looked equally lost.
This was stupid. I owned the damn bar, and if I wanted to sit with my boyfriend and make him feel better, I shouldn’t be embarrassed.
“Hey, Tony?” I called over to the opposite side where he was working. “Can you handle it for a few?”
He gave me a thumbs-up, and I joined Jaxon, putting my arms around him. Surprised, he managed a wan smile.
“I thought you weren’t a fan of public displays of affection.” But he sighed with contentment and leaned into me.
“I’m not. But I’m a bigger fan of you.”
The guys grinned, except for Jet.
“Good thing your fake relationship became real.”
Emerson’s gaze shifted between Jaxon and me. “Huh? Is everyone talking in riddles tonight? What the hell are you talking about? You two are as much of a couple as Dom and me.”
“Not a conversation for public consumption,” Jaxon said with a grimace.
“But what I will say is Theo and I might’ve started off a little unconventionally, but I couldn’t resist the perfect man, and I fell for him, and I’m never letting him go.
” At his words, I grew warm and tried to pull away, but Jaxon, knowing me so well, held on to my arm. “Not a chance. You belong right here.”
“I’m glad for you, Theo. You deserve the best,” Harte added.
“That’s what I keep telling him,” Jaxon joked, and Jet gave Jaxon the full weight of his unblinking stare.
“You’ve known my feelings on this from the beginning. You’re lucky Theo gave you a shot. I know it all worked out, but—”