Page 41 of Reclaimed Roots

I found her at the counter, unloading groceries. She took one look at my haggard face and opened her arms without a word. I fell into her embrace, letting her soothing touch and soft murmurs wash over me.

"Oh, honey. Rough night?"

I choked out a sound that was half sob, half laugh. "You could say that."

She pulled back, studying me. "Where's Liam?"

"Gone."

She gave a sympathetic grimace and went back to unloading groceries. A container of blueberries peeked out from the top of one of the bags. "Why don't I fix you some breakfast, then we can talk."

I sank into a chair at the kitchen table and rested my forehead on the wood. The hangover got the better of me,and I drifted off. The next thing I was aware of was a hand on my shoulder. I snapped up as Mom placed a plate of fluffy, syrup-soaked pancakes and a glass of milk in front of me. She took a seat with her own plate and said, "Okay, spill. What's going on?"

So I spilled. I told her everything—the troubling financial discrepancies in Ever Eden's books, reconnecting with Jasper, the ill-fated night of drinking, Chase's kiss, breaking things off with Liam. It all poured out of me in a cathartic rush, the burden lightening with each confession.

Mom listened intently. Now and then she asked clarifying questions. When I finally wound down, she reached across the table to take my hand.

"You've been dealing with so much lately. I'm sorry I haven't been more present, more supportive."

I squeezed her fingers, shaking my head. "No, Mom, don't apologize. You're grieving. We both are."

She gave me a sad smile. "Grief is a strange beast, isn't it? It sneaks up on you when you least expect it." She took a bite of her pancakes, gathering her thoughts. "But it sounds like maybe this isn't just about your dad. It's about Jasper too."

I ducked my head, heat creeping into my cheeks. "Is it that obvious?"

"Only to someone who knows you as well as I do. Honey, I watched you two fall in love. I saw the way you looked at each other, like nothing else in the world mattered. That kind of connection doesn't just go away."

I pressed my stinging eyes with the heels of my palms,pushing back the tears. "But I ruined it, Mom. I left him. I broke his heart."

"And yours too, I think. Natalie, you were so young. So full of dreams and ambitions. No one blames you for wanting to spread your wings, to see what else was out there."

"But I hurt him," I whispered. My throat clenched as the old guilt rose up to choke me. "I hurt him so badly."

"You did," she agreed gently. "But he's not blameless either. It takes two to make a relationship work."

I nodded, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth. "I don't know if we can ever get back what we had. If he can ever forgive me."

Mom took my hand again, her grip strong and sure. "Of course you can't. You're different people now. Seven years is a long time, especially at your age. As much as we might want to, none of us has the power to turn the clock back. But you're both older and wiser now. Perhaps you can build something new. Something even stronger than you had before."

She pinned me with a look, fierce and loving all at once. "If you still love Jasper—and I think you do—then you owe it to yourself to find out if there's still a chance for you two."

A single tear escaped, tracking down my cheek. I brushed it away, sniffling. "You make it sound so simple."

"Oh, it won't be simple. I can guarantee that." She smiled wryly. "Love is messy and complicated and downright terrifying sometimes. But it's also the greatest adventure you'll ever have."

I let out a shaky laugh. "When did you get so wise?"

"I've always been wise. You just never listened." She winked. The gesture was so reminiscent of Dad that it made my heart ache. They say you pick up mannerisms from the people you spend a lot of time with. That fact had never been clearer to me than right now. I hoped she never lost those little pieces of him that we could both hang onto.

We finished our breakfast in companionable silence. When we were done, Mom rose to clear the dishes, waving me off when I tried to help.

"You go on and get some rest," she said firmly. "You look dead on your feet. We can talk more later."

I pressed a kiss to her cheek, murmuring my thanks, before trudging up the stairs to my bedroom, fatigue settling over me like a weighted blanket.

My body sighed with relief as I stripped down to my underwear and crawled beneath the cool sheets. I drifted off to sleep thinking of the tender way Jasper touched me last night.

Mom was right. If there was even a chance that he still felt something for me, I had to try. I had to take that leap of faith, no matter how scary it was or how many complications stood in our way.

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