Page 41 of Sweet Anarchy

"No," she answers honestly. "But I'm not saying that you're wrong. I just couldn't help feeling like this was your way of getting back at Gareth and I."

"I didn't fall in love with Gareth's sons to hurt you," I grumble. "In fact, they are the last people I ever expected to fall in love with. Please don't take it personally. I'm not out to ruin your marriage."

Mom's eyebrows shoot up and a look crosses her eyes that resembles hurt. "Well, Gareth is certainly not happy with it. We even discussed the possibility of getting a divorce."

"What?" I yell. "Don't be ridiculous. Neither of our relationships have to affect the other."

She gives me a tight smile. You know those smiles that our Moms give us when they are trying to reassure us, even though we know it's bullshit? Yeah, one of those.

"Don't worry. We're not getting divorced. But we are deciding whether or not to move to the ranch permanently."

"And what would happen to the house and us?" I ask, concerned.

Mom looks at me carefully, eyes roaming over my face. "We would still own the house, but you four could live here together. Besides, Gareth can work remotely from pretty much anywhere and I'm not a worker as we know. We have plenty of money to survive somewhere else. It would give you freedom, at least."

I shake my head, trying to process the conversation. "Wait… so we would live here alone? I don't understand."

"We like the ranch, Rylee. It's peaceful and it's a new start. I don't know what it would mean for you down the track with your relationships, but it's an olive branch."

I swallow. "Surprisingly, that brings me to my next point quite nicely."

"Oh, there's more," Mom says sarcastically with a dry laugh. "What else?"

I stand up again, pacing slightly with folded arms. "I actually have a fourth boyfriend," I spit out quickly before I can change my mind. "He's a … friend, kind of, with the other guys. Anyway, he got hurt saving me but he's being released from hospital. I want to see if he can stay here with me for a bit."

Mom freezes, stilling for way too long that I start to worry I've pushed her over the edge and she's having a stroke. Finally, she lets out a shaky breath.

"Four boyfriends…"

"Well, it's not like one person could handle me on their own," I joke.

She shakes her head in disbelief. "It could be worse. It could be drugs, I suppose." She pauses, looking at me rapidly. "You're not doing drugs, are you?"

"No," I deadpan. "I'm not doing drugs, Mother."

"Good," she breathes a sigh of relief. "I suppose that's fine then. But perhaps we should all sit down soon and have a chat about things again. Less heatedly, this time."

I nod. "I'm prepared to do that. I think the guys would like to work things out with Gareth too. We don't want shit to be awkward."

Mom finishes closing up the box, standing up and walking to her closet to put it back on the top shelf. "I think that's a smart idea. We'll do that maybe tomorrow when I've had a chance to talk to Gareth."

"Okay," I say. "Thanks Mom. This was oddly productive."

She turns, giving me a small smile. "Your Dad would be proud of you, Rylee."

I watch as she walks over, holding out a singular photo that didn't make it back to the box – the beach photo. I take it, staring down at my Dad's smiling face.

"I think he would be too," I admit. "I hope wherever he is, he's happy and waiting for me."

Mom gently puts her hand on my shoulder as she walks past. "We'll see him again one day, Rylee. I'm sure of it."

Chapter 13

Rylee

"What are you looking for?" Asher asks, walking into my bedroom. I'm ripping apart my drawers, flicking through paperwork and making an absolute mess.

"George's wedding invitation. I can't remember where I put it and I need to RSVP."

---