Page 49 of Never Really Over

As we’re walking back toward the house, my phone chimes with a text.

Bridget:Your mom seems to be having a great day. Dalton and I would like to take her out to dinner if that’s okay with you. We think it’d be good for her to get out of the house.

Me:I don’t know… she gets nervous around people now.

Bridget:She needs to realize she’s the only one who thinks it’s her fault.

Me:Is she, though?

Bridget:Of course she is. It was an accident, Layla. A tragic accident and your mom wasn’t the cause of it.

Me:I know that but I’m not sure the town does.

Bridget:They do. Trust me.

“Everything okay?”

I look at Colt who’s focusing on my face as I stare at my phone.

“Yeah.”

“Layla. What’s wrong?”

I roll my eyes. “Why would you think something’s wrong?”

He gives me a look that tells me he knows I’m a liar.

“Fine,” I groan. I keep walking and Colt follows. “Bridget and Dalton want to take Mom out to dinner. She doesn’t go in public much because of… well, things. Just makes me nervous.”

“Because of what things?”

We walk into the house and directly into the living room after taking off our shoes.

“She’s still recovering, like I said.” I make myself comfortable on the plush couch and tuck my legs underneath my butt, pulling a throw pillow against my chest.

“Liar.”

“She is!”

“I know that, but that’s not the reason. What aren’t you telling me?” Colt asks, giving Poppy a few toys to play with. They all make noise or play music and are slightly annoying but make Poppy happy so for some reason they’re not as annoying.

“She’s depressed and I’m worried. That’s why I had Bridget stay with her today. I don’t want her alone. I don’t think she’s a risk to herself, but I worry, that’s all.”

“That’s not all.”

“Would you stop it with this mind reading voodoo? It’s creepy.” He grins. A cute grin that brings back a lot of memories. Good ones. Memories that make my stomach flutter. I shouldn’t allow them to affect me, though. That’s not who we are anymore. “Fine. Mom thinks it’s her fault that your sister and Mason are gone,” I say on a sigh, watching Poppy shove a toy in her mouth, little legs kicking out in happiness.

“I know that, too.”

My eyes shoot to Colt. “What did you just say?”

“I know she feels that guilt.” He moves to sit next to me, arm draped over the back of the couch but not touching me. “Maureen, like you, hasn’t changed a whole lot. If she didn’t feel guilt, she would have been here already to check in. She would have fought her way to the funeral or memorial or both. She would have camped out here, filling in as the Grandma to Poppy.”

“How do you know that?”

He shrugs. “Like I said, she hasn’t changed a whole lot. When I saw her at the store the morning of the accident, she and I talked like old times. I just know Maureen. And as soon as I heard she was involved in the accident, I knew she’d take blame. She’s wrong, but I get it. There was a point when I actually had the thought. I was at a low point, I have a lot of those, but this one was bad. Anyway, I had the thought ‘man, if she hadn’t been there, would my sister be alive?’ Because Maureen’s car hit the passenger side, which killed my sister. The truth is, probably.”

My hackles go up and I snap. “You think it’s her fault, then? How could you? She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, Colt! It’s not her fault your sister died that day!”

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